Savoring secrecy at Secret Recipe

Here’s how you can travel from one place to another without actually leaving your seat in this particular café.

First, you can enjoy some laksa, beef rendang or chicken satay — all-time favorites of Malays (and ours, too). Or you opt for some Irish lamb shanks and a bowl of tom yum. Then top ’em off with Hokkaido triple cheese chocolate, Shinjuku Maple Bake, or the Black Forest Milo cheesecake.

Appreciating the different languages of cuisine is a way of enriching oneself (and, in my case, filling up that void of a belly). It transcends the mere act of eating and opens up multiple continents of flavors and cooking techniques. Secret Recipe, one of Malaysia’s most popular dining spots, has made its comeback in the Philippines by opening an outlet at One Ayala in Makati City. It is now under The Bistro Group banner, featuring its first-ever restaurant concept offering Asian-Western cuisine and an array of gourmet cakes.

We ask Patrick Sim, managing director of Secret Recipe Malaysia, what is the secret behind its rise: going from a lone café in SS2 Petaling Jaya, which was jokingly referred to as a furniture showroom because there were hardly any customers at first (harsh, indeed), to the inspirational food industry story it has become, with branches in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, Maldives, Bangladesh, and the Philippines.

It all started when the Secret Recipe founder saw a gap in the Malaysian market for a place with a warm, disarming ambience that offers meticulously made sweets and skillfully prepared coffee.

The story of Secret Recipe begins with cakes. Its cakes are so good that a marble cheesecake pulled out from the fridge and unceremoniously submitted to a competition ended up winning top honors. This became a turning point for the brand. Its destiny was spelled out secretly in batter and frosting.

“Since then, we have evolved,” explains Patrick. “We have a great variety of Asian and Western cuisines. It is a bit like what Malaysia is — with cultures blended together. I think what you can find here at Secret Recipe is something for everybody.”

When we ask the reason behind Secret Recipe teaming up with Bistro in the Malaysian restaurant’s return to the Philippines, Patrick’s quick answer is, “Why not?”

He amplifies, “The Bistro Group is one of the top operators in the Philippines, carrying so many brands, growing very well, with a fantastic track record, and with fantastic people such as RC Tiongson as one of its leaders. We are in really good hands.”

Tiongson, chief operating officer of The Bistro Group, affirms how the joining of the two forces in the food industry is great for both brands.

“I think the Secret Recipe culture blends well with our culture in Bistro,” she says. “After opening the first outlet in Manila, we got several calls right away from other malls who want to have their own Secret Recipe outlets. The next one will be in Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas Center.”

RC, who started out as an intern for Italianni’s and is now one of The Bistro Group’s top executives, recommends indulging or going on an odyssey with Secret Recipe chocolate cakes. “Personally, I also like the Absolute Durian cake; although I don’t like the fruit itself. The creaminess of the cake perfectly complements that durian taste.”

What does Patrick — who was originally an accountant, punching numbers in an office, and now oversees a dynamic enterprise — recommend to first-time Secret Recipe visitors?

Go for the cheesecake, he says. “Our cheesecakes started our journey and propelled our brand forward. Try also what RC recommends — such as our Chocolate Indulgence Cake.”

Offering diverse flavors for diverse palates is what the place is all about. Patrick adds, “Whether you’re craving for fruits, cheese or chocolate.”

Currently, Secret Recipe has 300 different variants of cakes — and more are being developed by its culinary team.

Not clouded at all in secrecy: you can find your piece of gustatory heaven at Secret Recipe.

Patrick Sim concludes, “Cakes are not exactly a Malaysian product, but we made it our own — in our own way, with our own touch, with our own recipe.”

Now, that shall remain a secret.

For information, follow @thebistrogroup and @secretrecipeph. Secret Recipe is at Level 2, Alfresco, One Ayala (Ayala Malls), Makati City.