Some dishes stay with you because you keep coming back to them.

At Grace Park, that idea takes shape in a collaboration with East Ocean Palace, one of the restaurants closely associated with the late Chef Margarita Forés. Timed to mark both Grace Park’s 13th anniversary and Margarita’s birthday last March 23, the menu brings together dishes she enjoyed, served with a Grace Park touch.

The collaboration runs from March 25 to April 30 at Grace Park’s One Rockwell and Araneta City branches. It centers on two dishes, both familiar, both meant for sharing.

One is salted egg chicken wings, finished with dalandan zest. The citrus cuts through the richness, keeping each piece balanced. It is priced at P595.

The other is a bowl of beef brisket and tendon egg noodles, finished with calamansi oil. At P888, it is a straightforward, comforting dish, tender meat over noodles with a bright finish.

Only 20 orders of each dish are available daily.

For Amado Forés, founder of AF Hospitality, the collaboration is also personal.

“East Ocean Palace was one of the restaurants my mother loved, and this collaboration is our way of honoring that connection through dishes that brought her comfort and joy,” he said.

He added, “It’s a meaningful way for us to celebrate her memory and share a part of what she loved with our guests, especially during her birth month and the anniversary month of Grace Park.”

Alongside the dishes, diners can take part in bo bing, a traditional Chinese dice game. Certain rolls come with prizes, from a complimentary cassava cake to, in some cases, the dish itself on the house.

It is a small menu, but one that keeps things simple, familiar dishes, shared at the table, tied to a story that regulars of the restaurant will recognize.