One of the great things about being a journalist is the people you meet along the way. The people you meet at the crossroads of life. New people who become friends, old friends you see again after long years, and the sweet experiences you get to try.

I haven’t explored San Juan City in a long while. The last time was during the excellent Philippine Cocktail Week last year, when we hopped from one bar to another in San Juan and Quezon City — from Three Dots, to Raion, and on to the next. But that was all a blur.

This invitation to attend the opening of the new Norma Resto Café at Gallery 7 last Aug. 5 gave me a glimpse of how the food scene has changed in the city. As a non-native, my exposure to the dining scene in the area has sadly been cooped up and still stuck with the old Café Ysabel, that legendary restaurant where my late father would bring me along with his late-night meetings.

At Gallery 7, that architectural beauty of cantilevered forms, clean lines, and open spaces — positively internationale moderne — was full of foodie spots I hadn’t tried, and I was giddy with excitement. And among them was Norma, a new Spanish-Filipino resto-café founded by Raven P. Tan-Chen and his co-founder, Benlorenz G. Zabala, who met at Enderun Colleges. 

The space was already adorned with a festive mood as they prepared for the blessing and the party that would ensue. Raven was the soul of gracious hospitality, while Benz was all a-gaga fixing the little details of the event.

Raven made me try their Chicharonnes and pulpo dish, giving me an early glimpse of what the restaurant was about. The food was to be served buffet-style that day, but even those first tastes had me curious about what the proper menu would offer.

The menu includes dishes such as Sopa de Norma, a hearty comfort soup made with beef short rib, rice, and mixed vegetables, originally prepared for Norma’s children; Homemade Three Cheese Lasagna; Steak and Frites, featuring a 6-ounce L’Grow Wagyu flank steak with peppercorn gravy and thrice-cooked fries; and Iberian Chicken with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and spices.

And there is a reason the food at Norma is so personal to Raven. The restaurant is named after his grandmother, Lola Norma, the family matriarch whose cooking inspired him to pursue the culinary path despite coming from a family of doctors. Her Filipino-Spanish comfort dishes, originally prepared for her seven children, were passed down to Raven and became the foundation of the restaurant's menu. 

But Norma is more than the restaurant’s namesake. She is also a part owner, with Raven and Benz, and the restaurant was created in her name with her support—a fact that, I imagine, makes the whole endeavor all the more meaningful.

That family connection became even more apparent as the afternoon unfolded. Seated at my table, I observed the festivities — families and friends laughing, and immediately, I felt a homey atmosphere that made me feel comfortable and warm. And then, lo and behold, I saw from a distance, entering the threshold of the restaurant, an old acquaintance of mine — a good friend in the industry, public relations legend Rosario “Rosary” Ysmael, coming into the restaurant with a group of ladies.

I immediately made beso and said my hellos. We hadn’t seen each other in a long while. She was quite surprised I was there, since the affair was largely a family one. I asked her why she was there. “Oh, the owners invited me. This lady, she’s an excellent cook. Norma, come over here,” she said. “She’s Raven’s lola. She’s a Palanca, you know.”

Then it clicked and dawned on me. Of course. After decades of knowing Rosary, I can’t believe I forgot. Rosary’s late husband was Butch Palanca — yes, those Palancas, of Palanca Award fame and beyond. Google them, kiddies — and Norma is her sister-in-law, and Raven is Norma’s grandchild.

I was introduced to Norma promptly by Rosary, and Raven was in disbelief by the connection. Then, like clockwork, while we were all chatting, into the restaurant came Rosary’s daughter, Bernice Palanca-Go, with her daughter, Asia, whom I last saw when she was smaller than me. Now she’s taller than I am.

Then Bernice said to me, “Oh, Lian, why are you here?” Like in a TV sitcom, we all just laughed.

It was at that point that the whole evening suddenly made a little more sense to me. Norma was not simply the name above the door. The restaurant was, quite literally, a family story — one that happened to intersect with my own memories and with people I had known for years.

I remembered then my late father, whose hobby and passion was tracing all the old names in social circles and then connecting the dots, the six degrees of separation as it were, and I thought to myself, “My God, I really am getting old. I’m becoming my father.”

After the blessing, the party ensued. I tried the cocktails, the coffee, and even more of the food, all excellent. But Raven was all over me, telling me I should go back on a normal day to try the proper menu. I believe I shall.

The space itself, designed by architect Richard Garcia and his team at Gala Architecture, carries the same sense of heritage. Its elegant arches, timeless facade details, and warm interiors are meant to evoke a bygone era, while the restaurant transitions from a morning café into an evening dining experience.

New and great things are brewing in the food industry, and in this crossroads of life, I am all the more excited to experience it. It was a night of good fun and cheer. We made new friends, saw old ones, and, quite unexpectedly, connected a few dots from the past.

And now, I have another new discovery in San Juan to look forward to.