Filipinas and money

[Humabdos]

... in response to Re: Re: Filipinas and money, posted by Jeff S on Nov 18, 2003

People don't live on dirt floors in the Philippines Jeff. They have Bamboo floors in nipa huts which are very nice.
Also having a few pigs is a must for any Filipino family.

Hum

[Jeff S]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Filipinas and money, posted by Humabdos on Nov 18, 2003

I was being somewhat facetious. I used to think I'd like living out in the boonies, but the older I get the more I like the resturaunts, concerts, ethnic shopping, convenience, and other trappings of a major metropolitan area. Certainly everyone has their own idea of an idyllic lifestyle, and if a person's is a nipa hut on the beach living like Gilligan, more power to him.

My main point, though, is that there are good city girls, who'd rather go to museums and whip up gourmet meals than feed chickens and pound clothes on a rock in the river.

- Jeff

[shadow]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Filipinas and money, posted by Jeff S on Nov 18, 2003

Point well taken, Jeff.

Although I'm sure there are plenty of good 'city girls', I was not looking for someone to walk around the malls in high heels looking pretty. I was looking more for someone that wasn't looking for a sugar daddy to buy her all the nice things that go with what a 'city girl' generally wants and desires. I'd met and courted all too many of those type already, and wanted nothing more to do with them.

I was looking more for someone who was adventurous enough to climb on the back of a motorcycle at a moments notice and go for a 200+ km trek through rugged mountain terrain. (That is exactly what we did our second day together, a 10 hr journey)

What I wanted was someone who was looking for a 'loving relationship' not based on the color of my skin, the fact that I was 'kano', that I was a 'ticket to America', or that there was money in the bank.

By being so blunt and stating what I stated at the start, I ruled out all those that I was so tired of weeding through.

No, Rony and I are not 'slopping pigs', although that simple life would appeal to both of us too. We opened a laptop computer store here in Dumaguete in September, and are now in the process of opening a restaurant serving american and mexican food.

Rony is so very different from all those 'city girls' I wasted the last seven years chasing, and I am very fortunate to have finally found her. She is open, honest, intelligent, beautiful, and doesn't care for 'glitter'. I have been giving her P500 per week to spend on herself, but she doesn't spend it. She never asks for anything.

Ah, life is grand!

Larry

[Jeff S]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Filipinas and money, posted by shadow on Nov 18, 2003

Cool Larry. Glad to hear you're doing well, and to see you're posting again. Is an internet cafe is a good business there? I suggested it for a friend thinking of moving to Mexico and wanted an easy to run business.

- Jeff

[shadow]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Filipinas and mo..., posted by Jeff S on Nov 19, 2003

This is about the last biz I would attempt here. several years ago it may have been viable, but as I see it now I don't understand how anyone in this biz here pays the light bill.

It is very competitive, there is one on every corner. The ones with the very best of connections get P20 per hr., while the rest are lucky to get many customers at P15. If you stop to consider the cost of a tower, plus setting it up and maintaining it, phone lines and premises it would take many hrs. per month to break even.  The only ones that seem to be doing well here are the ones that rely mostly on food/drink sales. Others close down every day, only to be replaced by a new one down the street.

Mexico may be a whole different can of beans.

What gave me the idea of a mexican joint was here in Dumaguete it is very difficult to get a decent meal. There is only about two places in the entire town to get an american style meal. If you want to eat out here, you either get chicken and rice, or rice and chicken. If you think you want two pieces of chicken, guess what, you must also have two rice!!

Also, the best thing to ever come out of mexico was the FOOD!!!

Larry.

[Jeff S]

... in response to Internet cafes, posted by shadow on Nov 19, 2003

Mexican food can sell well anywhere in the world. Also suggest you try some of the Mexican seafood dishes, like ceviche, huachinango veracruizano (or al mojo de ajo) and caldo de mariscos, siete mares. They'd go over great in Asia.

http://www.mexican.recipes-to-go.com/Ceviche.html
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/3/A03712.shtml
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/fishermans/sevensea.htm

- Jeff

[Ray]

... in response to AMEN!, posted by Jeff S on Nov 19, 2003

I haven't seen very many Asians that like Mexican food.

Personally, I grew up on Mexican food (East LA) and I love the stuff. During my travels around Asia, I always kept an eye out for decent Mexican food and it was damn hard to find. I did find one decent Mexican restaurant in Singapore, one in Pataya Beach, Thailand, and one in Perth. I never did find any decent Mexican food in Japan, Okinawa, or Taiwan but that was some years ago.

In the Philippines, there was one pretty good place in Subic (and Manila) called Ninas Papagayo that was popular with the Americans, and there was a little bar called Mom’s that sold tacos on the side and they did a great business with the sailors. But most of the Filipinos would gag on Mexican food. I think that Filipinos in general are not very adventurous when it comes to trying out new and strange foods. I know a lot of Filipinos that have lived here in the states for many years, and I can’t think of one who really likes Mexican food. The one exception is fish tacos. I do know some Filipinos here that like fish tacos. My wife will eat fish tacos from Rubio’s and Costco’s Chicken Enchiladas, but that’s as far as she will go so far. She doesn’t even want to look at a bean burrito (LOL).

I found some pretty good tacos at a little joint in Cagayan at the Lemkeptke(?) Mall, but they didn’t call them tacos, they were called “Taco Salad”. I ate there a couple of times but never saw a Filipino eating the Mexican stuff.

Larry, you might want to start out with something like a little taco stand and sell nothing but fish tacos for starters to see if they will sell. The ingredients for fish tacos are simple and readily available, but you’ll probably have to make all of your own tortillas of course. I would guess that if fish tacos won’t sell over there, then the other Mexican dishes will be a lost cause with the locals, unless there are a LOT of Americans living there. If you have ever tried Rubio’s, try making them like that with fried fish filets and shredded cabbage and they might go for it.

Ray

[shadow]

... in response to I don't know Jeff, posted by Ray on Nov 19, 2003

Well, it is certainly true that getting them to try anything new is very difficult at best. However, most of those that I have convinced to try a taco love them, and now want me to make them every weekend.

Otherwise, we plan on starting simply. Just offering the basics. But we are also going to be adding a twist to it.

Anyone ever had a chicken and plain rice burrito? Or how about a plain rice and chicken burrito?

For P30 we should be able to offer a good quality full meal to a filipino.

For P100 we should be able to offer a good quality full meal to a foriegner, of which according to immigration there are over 400 here in this small town.

Add in the fact that it is nearly impossible to get a decent meal here, my theory is if we supply good food and cold beer at fair prices, they'll come!!

We also will be doing some 'party' like promotions. Say one Sunday per month all you can eat tacos for P120, to name just one.

There are at present that I know personally about 50 foriegners that are eagerly awaiting our opening.

Cheers.

Larry.

[Ray]

... in response to Re: I don't know Jeff, posted by shadow on Nov 19, 2003

Well, it sounds like you did your market research so hopefully you can start converting Filipinos over to Mexican food.

I make chicken and rice burritos with both plain white rice and fried rice, but the wife won’t eat them because of the tortilla. I even told her that flour tortillas are just thick lumpia wrappers but she wasn’t buying it. However, she will unroll it and eat the rice and chicken, so maybe there is still hope.

The all-you-can-eat taco night sounds good, but have you ever seen Filipinos in an all-you-can-eat buffet? My wife and her cousin will stay in the Oriental Buffet for 4-5 hours and eat a minimum of 6-10 plates each! They won’t eat the rice because they said it takes up valuable stomach space that could be filled with even more crab legs and mussels (LOL). Anyway, just don’t tell them that you use carabeef :-)

Ray

[Jeff S]

... in response to Sounds good, posted by Ray on Nov 19, 2003

Fry those burritos and you'll have chimichangas, or maybe they could be marketed better as lumpi-changas?

- Jeff

[Dave H]

... in response to I don't know Jeff, posted by Ray on Nov 19, 2003

Hi Ray,

I love Mexican food myself! My wife won't touch it...too hot! She tried chicken fajitas without sauce once.

Come to think of it, I never used to see many Cubans eating Mexican food either. Mexican restaurants were hangouts for Gringos in South Florida. We used to take our Cuban friends there to watch them sweat, their eyes bulge and tear up. LOL Second generation Cuban-Americans are into Mexican food, like most Americans.

When I was in the fire department training division, we often ate at a very good restaurant. One of our bashful Gringo instructors must have had 8 birthdays one year. He used to turn salsa red when they came out and put that big sombraro on his head and began to sing. We always promised him that we would never do it again. ROFPIMMFP!!!

Dave H.

[Ray]

... in response to Feliz Complianos!, posted by Dave H on Nov 19, 2003

ROFLMAO!

That reminds me of Papagayo's in Olongapo. They had "authentic" Filipino Mariachis. They were pretty damn good too! I would say that's an absolute requirement for any Mexican restaurant. If they don't like the food, maybe the music will get them in...

Ray

[Jeff S]

... in response to Filipino Mariachis, posted by Ray on Nov 19, 2003

Isn't that an oxymoron - kind of like gourmet Mexican cuisine or living in Buffalo?

- Jeff

[Ray]

... in response to A Good Mariachi Band?, posted by Jeff S on Nov 19, 2003

ROFL! Well, it only sounds good with beer. LOT'S of beer! :-)

[Jeff S]

... in response to I don't know Jeff, posted by Ray on Nov 19, 2003

Take it away, Cheech.

Yes, I agree with you. Getting people to try it is sometimes the hardest part. I've had several Japanese tell me they couldn't stand Mexican food. One even said, "If you can find any Mexican food without beans or cheese, I'll eat it." I took him to San Pedro and got a big old whole huachinango (red snapper) fried in garlic butter and covered with peppers and sauteed onions (al mojo de ajo.) He couldn't believe he was eating Mexican food. Of course some of my gringo friends think a meal like that belongs on Fear Factor.

My secretary, a Mexican American, claims to hate seafood. When I asked if she'd ever tried shrimp or lobster, she shuddered said she'd never tried them but was sure she'd hate them. Now, I know some people who are allergic to shrimp, but never met one who'd tried it and just didn't like it. I guess some people are just happy living in very small worlds.

- Jeff