The Big Dip Diner

You?ve seen it before ? a cute little restaurant opens, becomes the place-to-be for a few months, and then disappears into oblivion after mosquitoes devour its empty tables. With a lot of entrepreneurs venturing into the restaurant industry on the misguided assumption that, if it worked for Jollibee or Pancake House, it should work for them too, we?ve seen Manila?s pickiest eaters turn blind eyes on restaurants that just don?t cut it.

Cue in the Big Dip Diner, which is a serious attempt to completely debunk the general belief that start-ups in this industry are destined for failure unless managed by someone like Gaita Fores or Jessie Sincioco. Run by an eager group of young, idealistic entrepreneurs, this small restaurant has made that bold resolve to enter Manila's skin-you-alive culinary arena with teeth grit and talons unfurled.

Situated in Kapitolyo village, right next to Uncle Moe's sophomore outlet and just a short, walkable distance from Pioneer Center and the Unilab offices, the Big Dip caters to both Kapitolyo residents and those who work in the area. Equally convenient is their delivery service, where the only additional cost would be the transportation expense of the delivery boy. So unless you'd like to have some fish and chips brought to Baguio, you should be fine.

Rarely do we exercise our vocabulary on a description of a restaurant's aesthetic, but the Big Dip is a definite exception, because the entire space is a trippy explosion of color, humor and artistry. On one of the walls in the al fresco dining area of the restaurant is a morbid monochromatic depiction of the sun happily albeit disturbingly devouring some creature. As if that wasn't mind-boggling enough, take a step into the actual dining space and be awed by a hand-painted rendition of the Yellow Submarine, Noah's Ark style. Perhaps the artists -- who also happen to be the owners ? were intoxicated, inebriated or just plain high when they conceptualized the mural, because the colors are trippy enough to make even Syd Vicious a happy camper. The concept of the mural itself is quite inexplicable, with some oddly-detailed people skateboarding off an ark carrying Titanic's Jack and Rose. Then there's the dude with an extremely toned butt climbing a ladder. And the couple on a date inside a mushroom with Avatar-inspired curtains. Talk about a mushroom cloud of random ideas!

Keeping true to its name, the Big Dip?s signature dishes are best paired with any one of its dips. Our personal favorite would have to be basil aioli, which complements the squid rings, fish and chips and chicken fingers perfectly. Other popular dips are honey mustard, chili barbeque, tartare, cheesy bacon, remoulade, and a new one, Cajun paprika. Now, at the risk of diminishing our credibility as food critics, we have to admit that we were taken aback by the presence of remoulade in the menu. This is because, first of all, what the hell is fancy French term doing in the menu of a small restaurant in the middle of Pasig?s residential area? More importantly, what the hell is a remoulade anyway? So we asked the Australia-educated chef (side note: they have a chef, not a cook!) for an in-a-nutshell explanation of this dip, but unfortunately, with his Outback accent, he lost us at ?tomahto?. But we reckon that is all you need to know about this dip ? it?s orange, and it?s ?tomayto?-based, for those of us who speak Manila English.

In the two or three times that we visited the Big Dip, The Big Three was always one of the dishes that we ordered. At 200 Pesos, this basket of fried squid rings, chicken fingers and fish and chips, accompanied by an unlimited supply of any two dips of your choice, has got to be a bargain, if we ever did see one. Depending on your appetite, The Big Three is big enough to be shared by two or three, or consumed by a single person with an extra order of rice. Of course, the squid rings, chicken fingers and fish and chips may be ordered as separate dishes, but there is definitely nothing wrong with wanting all of them, right?

Previously called the Zulu Grill prior to its change in management, the Big Dip continues to serve grilled dishes coupled with unlimited rice. A crowd favorite, the grilled liempo is practically a steal at less than 100 Pesos for a hearty portion and all the rice you can stuff in your belly.

A personal favorite of one of the owners is the crunchy pork wrap, which we reckon could be one of the best possible ways to enjoy crispy and crunchy sisig ? almost lechon kawali-like in texture but 100% sisig in sinfulness.

True to its owners? entrepreneurial spirit, the Big Dip has lots of attention-grabbing gimmicks, like those 99-Peso 1/3-pounder burgers available only on Tuesdays, or the extremely affordable rice bowls served only until five in the afternoon. To be honest, one of these rice bowls would be the equivalent of an amuse bouche to a carpenter, but at less than 100 Pesos (some are even 70 Pesos only), who?s complaining? Whether you?re a carnivore who wants a bowlful of tender, garlic-y and slightly sweet salpicao tips, or a seafood lover looking for sweet and spicy fish fillet, the Big Dip has enough choices to whet every eater?s appetite. You?ve probably figured out by now that our love for spicy food is beyond words, so clearly the fish fillet is something that we truly enjoyed. Generously dusted with cayenne pepper, this dish is filling, flavorful, and at a mere 70 pesos, a definite bargain.

Last but certainly not the least is the Big Dip?s true club sandwich. And it does live up to its name, because it?s probably the only authentic club sandwich you?d find in the greater Manila area. We?ve had our fair share of tried, tested and failed club sandwiches from places like the Old Swiss Inn or Pancake House, and the Big Dip?s is considerable better. It?s really not because these other places? versions of the popular sandwich are the culinary equivalent of cow dung. It?s just that a club sandwich shouldn?t be made with egg salad, chicken salad, bacon bits and then smothered with enough mayonnaise to shorten your lifespan by about ten years. And this is something that the Big Dip understands ? a true club sandwich is made with a whole fillet of chicken, scrambled egg, sizzling bacon and loads of mustard. Sure, this sandwich is quite the pocket buster compared to everything else on the menu. We assure you though ? once you?ve tried this, you?ll never want to go back to those mayonnaise sandwiches that other restaurants pass off as the real thing.

With restaurants growing like weeds here in Manila, it?s only natural that most people would be skeptical about the possibility of these new restaurants? success. After all, we?ve all seen restaurants come, go and literally fall of the face of the planet within less than a year. But we can?t help but be hopeful about the Big Dip, because the place itself is bursting at the seams with its owners? creativity, passion and honest-to-goodness love for food. What we mean is that behind this small restaurant is a group so hell-bent on making this endeavor work that you?d have to be a callous idiot to show no support. After all, it?s difficult not to, with the eagerness of its chef to share his culinary creations, and with the humorous yet endearing ingenuity of its one-man marketing team.

So, what?s our verdict on the Big Dip? We have neither the clout nor the expertise to ascertain whether this business venture will make it past its fifteen minutes of fame, but what we can say right now is that, based on the sheer will and drive of its owners, it is definitely something to watch out for. Besides, where else can you get a true club sandwich?

A meal at the Big Dip will cost around 100-200 Pesos.