One tends to chuckle at the name—“Senior Hub.” But it describes well enough a place where senior citizens can meet, eat, relax, exercise, have a massage, play mahjong or cards or scrabble, watch DVDs, have a party, attend art lessons, even have their hair done.

Though everyone is welcome to the place to do all of the above, seniors will feel extra special because there is a medical staff just in case they are needed, plus an elevator to get them from floor to floor. The elevator is wide enough for several wheelchairs.

There are also restrooms on every floor, again wide enough for wheelchairs to get through.

Healthy should be the operative word in the restaurant. My friend was disappointed when she couldn’t order her usual soda because “we don’t serve that,” she was told. But she liked the pitcher of guyabano juice, freshly done, thick and creamy.

Organic food

The restaurant is called “Kitchen 56,” probably to differentiate it from its mother resto “Earth Kitchen” on White Plains.

I first tasted its food at a meeting of friends, where our host ordered the spring rolls packed with vegetables and shrimps. The Senior Hub offers the spring rolls as well, huge pieces cut in half, presupposing sharing, which is a senior thing.

Chef David Hizon of his family’s Hizon’s Catering takes charge of the kitchen, where he continues the commitment of his group (Got Heart Farms in Tarlac) to serve organic, sustainable food.

From Tarlac, the movement has extended support to local farmers and indigenous communities throughout the country.

A small garden viewed from the dining area has herbs growing in pots in wooden plant boxes suspended on one wall, and other greens growing beside the fence.

Some diners were delighted that the edible electric blue flowers called ternate included in the salad were picked right before the preparation.

We didn’t notice it right away, but a look at the menu revealed very soft renderings such as pasta, risotto and soft tacos.

Worth ordering is the mushroom ravioli with a filling of kesong puti, shiitake and button mushrooms, pili nuts and a light cream sauce that my friend who liked soda said she could

finish all by herself.

My choice was the sweet potato tops ravioli with white cheese, pili nuts, pomodoro and basil sauce, and lots of grated parmesan cheese. How’s that for healthy?

But because the restaurant is also for everybody, there are more hefty dishes such as beef and chicken kebab, both of which give you a choice of organic Ifugao rice or flour tortillas to go with them. Grilled short ribs, braised bacon and chicken breast cooked Hainanese-style are also available.

Dessert is mostly ice cream done on site, in flavors such as green tea, tsokolate tablea, milky pastillas and “Milo.” Kitchen 56, however, is known for its goat’s cheese-frozen cheesecake with wild honey, dried figs and cashew nuts. It’s not cheesecake as we know it, but ice cream; I do wish they had the regular cheesecake and other pastry choices in case you’re not up for something frozen.

Special area

Yet while the restaurant is open to everyone, it does close early. It’s not open for dinner because seniors prefer to retire early. My friend let out a laugh when I told her.

But you can have an evening party or an event at any time of the day on the fifth level, which is equipped with a piano and audio/video equipment, and also a chapel if you need it.

The fifth level is also a music center where anyone of any generation can learn to sing and play musical instruments.

A special area, the second level, is for the exclusive use of members. It has an electronic mahjong table, home theater, library, computer and iPad tutorials, and consultation with a specialized medical team.

A third of the membership fee is consumable in the restaurant, in classes such as dance, fitness, arts and crafts, pop music lessons, rental of social areas, and personalized nutritional counseling and diet plans, where the regular 20-percent senior citizen discount applies, plus an additional member’s discount.

Senior Hub is a project of SM Corp. Its name may change, I was told, though the primary concept will still be the same: An adult day care center for those “of a certain age.”

56 Jupiter St., Makati City, tel. no. 8564162, 8564144, 0917-5155656. E-mail: [email protected].

To know more about Hizon’s Catering, visit their official website at www.hizonscatering.com.