304. Advertising Premium: PLAZA LUNCH ADVERTISING MIRROR

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Celluloid pocket mirrors were favorite advertising giveaways of establishments like Plaza Lunch, a Manila restaurant established in 1914, touted as "The Only Place In The Orient"--whatever that means. 

Though popular in its time, I have not uncovered much information about Plaza Lunch, but a lot can be told about its manager-founder, American Fred M. Harden. Harden married Filipina Esperanza Perez in 1917, and together they started several successful businesses, acquiring prime real estate and valuable property. 

In 1938, they stopped living together. In connivance with another Filipino, Fred spirited away cash and assets from his wife, thus committing fraud in the administration of their conjugal ownership of properties. Sued by his wife in a case that reached the Supreme Court, Harden was subsequently jailed at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

13. MA MON LUK AND HIS MAMI-SIOPAO EMPIRE

MA MON LUK RESTAURANT PRINT AD, from Philippine Progress, 1955

The Canton-born, Ma Mon Luk came to the Philippines in 1918, after being spurned by the parents of his sweetheart Ng Shih, for having a low-paying teaching job. He vowed to make a glorious return to his beloved after finding his fortune in a new country.

 Once settled in Manila, Ma Mom Nluk became an ambulant vendor of “gupit”—a street term for noodles (the strands were cut by a pair of scissors) in chicken or beef broth. He found many patrons around Ongpin—mostly Ateneo and Letran students who lingered after a game, and who bought 5 centavo bowls of mami from the China man who shared stories of his hard life in China.

 Eventually, a patron offered him a space for rent on T. Pinpin St. where he built a steady stream of clientele. In time, he opened his own Ma Mon Luk Restaurant on Salazar Street, in the heart of Chinatown. He relentlessly promoted his mami by giving away his calling cards that came with a free siopao offer upon visit to his restaurant. He distributed his products in offices, donated siopao to typhoon victims, and offered the stuffed buns to personalities like Pres. Sergio Osmeña, Amang Rodriguez, Flash Elorde and Carmen Rosales.

MA MON LUK STORE SIGN. Source: Filipinas Heritage, Vol.X, p. 2593

 In 1948, he opened a branch along Azcarraga st. (Recto) and two years later, moved to Quezon Boulevard, near Life Theater. This Ma Mon Luk Restaurant became his flagship brand, which often served over a thousand orders of mami and siopao daily. With his success, he began acquiring prime real estate property and built himself a mansion in Quezon City.

 And, oh yes, he kept his promise to Ng Shih; he came back for her and took her to the Philippines where they raised 4 children, William, Robert, Irene and George. After his death in 1961, his children inherited the mami-siopao empire and became Filipino citizens, a gesture of gratitude to the adopted country where their father’s dreams were all realized.