Adieu! Je Suis Gourmand

First Monday of 2011 and this is what I saw. A closed-door Gourmand with tables and chairs piled up in the corner. I learned the news about it's closure last December from a waiter who works at the establishment. He was my officemates' cigarette buddy. He told us that Gourmand is not doing so well and had to close it's doors due to high pay rent and costs of raw ingredients.

We asked him "but the restaurant is always packed with celebrities and politicians even local and international athletes, why the closure?" It wouldn't suffice. he said. Dang, I've seen the most influential personalities dined here: From Imelda Marcos, Manny Villar, Gloria Arroyo, Jamby Madrigal, Richard Gordon to Kobe Bryant, Kuya Kim Atienza, Aga Mulach and faces that you know are influential because their face's shines. Not to mention those 2010 election months, this joint is packed that the whole stretch of 3rd avenue is a makeshift parking lot for luxury cars, escort SUVs and motorcycles (wang-wang is not yet banned). We drooled over Audi R8's, Porche's, Ferrari's, Escalades and Lambo's.

I had witnessed the awesomeness and the crowd-drawning, Je Suis Gourmand. Never had the chance to dine here though. Never. I had been a gazer in the area. I had my chance of dining here courtesy of my office mate. She told me last December that she'll treat me here before it closes it's door. But I turned down the chance and decided to eat at Friday's. A sudden guilt and sadness that I had given the chance to try their Foie Gras & Saffron Risotto but my teammates won't.

Howell, now me and the rest of the team will have to create or discover another venue to talk about. No more who's who and luxury cars. No more shabby chicks and those "dressed-to-the-nines" guests. Time to use that what we call imagination. Adieu! Je Suis Gourmand, I'm going up to my office now and I hope to see you again somewhere. anywhere.

Je Suis Gourmand
Ground Floor, Net One Center Building

3rd Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
telephone: 815-8801-02