Opinion: Rinjin Restaurant
Last Friday the 13th, Norma,my wife had her cataract operation at Doctor’s
Hospital. It was Dr. Nonito Avecilla who did it.
Since Dr. Avecilla wanted her to be back for the next day to take away the gauze that covered her eye, we decided to stay in a hotel. The new surgery does not need for one to stay in the hospital on a case like cataract. You can go home immediately according to Dr. Avecilla. And we are thankful for it knowing how cumbersome it is to stay in the hospital nowadays. I have written many columns about it.
It is not easy either to find a low priced hotel in Bacolod at this time. Most hotels this time are fully booked. Hotel people said it was Panaad Festival time in Bacolod.
I even found a hard time looking for a comfortable new hotel with affordable price. The price suited to our needs, I found out, was already taken. I decided to use the hotels I used to know when I was still a resident of Bacolod like Sugarland Hotel. I ended up at Sea Breeze Hotel and I found out it is not the way it was before. When before Sea Breeze commands a high price, it is not anymore today. But we are not disappointed for using it for a night.
I found out that reclamation of the area affected Sea Breeze Hotel. A busboy told me that SM offered to buy it, but the heirs of Sea Breeze refused to sell.
I told the busboy that the heirs ought to. Sea Breeze has lots of history. I can still remember during the dictatorship of President Marcos how the son of a Bacolod politician boxed a General there. There’s also the scandalous happening of the wife of a bank manager he discovered having a good time at the hotel with a known lawyer. The bank manager slugged the lawyer. It was the best stories all over Bacolod at the time. But after that event, I never heard about what happened to the characters. Perhaps they got old like me. And time erased what ought to be erased from memories. But then, that’s Sea Breeze’s history. And no money can buy a good story like that.
For dinner, we decided to visit Geov and Edna Agustin’s place at Eroreco. Geov as a friend used to call me everytime he had the time. To let an old friendship continue and not die or be on the interregnum. The last time he called I was in Oton, Iloilo for a family reunion.
Friday the 13th was our only time to be with Geov and Edna. We wanted to surprise them that we are on their restaurant at a time they do not expect us.
While in Oton, Geov told me that his restaurant is making good with the hot and dignified people of Negros patronizing it. I believe him, but I wanted to find out for myself for my column.
We proceeded to Eroreco and I saw Geov and Edna’s restaurant named Rinjin. It happened that at the time we were the only customers. I did not let the staff know who we are to avoid Geov and Edna not letting us pay our dinner. We ordered what we wanted to eat about Japanese cooking. Soon many other customers came in. And Geov appeared and we were surprised why he knew about our presence. He explained that his staffs know us, being also visitors of our place in Cadiz accompanying Geov and Edna.
The Japanese food was terrific. Now I know that those born with silver spoon in their mouth when they do something they really do it good.
The tempura I ate was the best ever since I decided to stay in the Philippines. It’s no wonder Geov and Edna’s place is being sought out based on the volume of customers they have that Friday the 13th night. Geov said Rinjin is a Japanese word meaning neighborhood.*
