There is something sensible about Charles Montañez’s approach to building restaurants. His Alegria brand of restaurants strewn across the capital and over the neighboring city-state of Singapore thrives on several important things: aspiration, joy, and happiness.

Since his 2018 debut with the original flagship at the Uniqlo building in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), the ebullient chef has gone on to successfully tick off most of his culinary goals.

But this isn’t a surprise if you truly get to know him. You have to understand that cooking is very much in his wheelhouse. Food has been at the core of his identity. But not just any food, mind you. In the capable hands and tatted arms of Montañez, a modern fusion of Latin, European, and Asian flavors take on many meaningful forms. The presentation is snappy. The vibe is relaxed.

And it’s this formula that he’s clearly not afraid to use to jolt the laid-back and languid neighborhood of Alabang.

The entrepreneurial journey moves south

At Alegria Cantina, which just opened in June, there are also elements of aspiration in the brash and sexy two-story restaurant. As soon as you step inside, you are greeted by a well-lit floor plan divided into the following: the “living room” and an open kitchen anchored by the driftwood light installation sourced from Cavite, a wood-fired grill, and open shelves stocked with ceramic plates and jars of fermented miso, guajillo chili, and black garlic. 

On the other side, a royal blue wall fitted with artworks loaned from a gallery owner partner adds cosmic flair to the finishing of the ground floor. Upstairs, the bar helmed by Errol Barbosa—who placed third in the Heineken Global Bartender Finals in Amsterdam in 2018—is awash in light and abuzz with a happy hour vibe.

“It’s intimate,” Charles Montañez says about the Alegria Cantina layout. “We don’t need to deploy servers here on the first floor. The chefs get to explain the dishes properly and interact with the guests. We’re even open to having a guest grill if they want (laughs), if they’re willing to take the heat.”

The idea, Montañez says, is to recreate a friendly environment that sets a different dining standard in the south. “As if you’re at home and you can just walk into the kitchen and see what’s happening,” he says. Just like most homes, it’s the (open) kitchen and its wood-fire grill that offer the greatest rewards.

“It’s intimate,” he says. “We don’t need to deploy servers here on the first floor. The chefs get to explain the dishes properly and interact with the guests. We’re even open to having a guest grill if they want (laughs), if they’re willing to take the heat.”

“Nagkaroon ng sariling identity ’yung menu dito because everything is kissed by the fire—even the beans, vegetables, and fruits.”

(The menu here gained its own identity because everything is kissed by the fire—even the beans, vegetables, and fruits.)

Breaking through with fire

Regardless of their philosophy that is fueled by smoke, fire, and ember, the relatively tight menu offers a good impression of the path Cantina’s cohorts are taking. The menu is divided into four simple categories—snacks, share/sides, woodfired, and afters—that remind us of the group’s “savor joy, sip happiness” tagline. 

There are deliberate references to the flagship store in Cantina’s menu but its dishes are still bangers in their own right, like the Koreana Tacos (prawn, kimchi, ssamjang cream, esquites), Elote (grilled corn, chipotle mayo, furikake), and Truffle Chicharones (shroom truffle fritters and aioli). 

Perhaps unsurprising is how Montañez and his executive sous chef Gilbert Borja and executive pastry chef Chico Orcine manage to surprise Filipino palates with new versions of their Latin inspirations. 

“We’re running a menu that we did (only 70 percent complete at the moment) and then we’ll hand it over to Potz Isaac [the dedicated Alegria Cantina chef] to control it,” says Montañez about his plans. “So when they start adding their own touch, it’s not going to be far from what the concept is supposed to be.” That said, what they have currently created delivers in style. 

On Squid and Shrimp, the seafood favorites are prepared sofrito-style (squid) and cooked in coal (shrimps) then laid out on a bed of black rice and ebiko. The result? A universally irresistible rice dish that belies the inkiness of the plate. Pair it with the Grilled Romaine slathered in smoked mussel cream, pecorino, hazelnuts, and capers for extra crunch.

This calculated pairing tactic works wonders for each woodfired dish, which adds up to a more rewarding dining experience. There’s a comforting familiarity at play when you match the kurobuta pork chops with the coal-cooked potatoes. The whole thing essentially feels like a version of Sunday roast with the meat enhanced by black garlic and the potatoes transformed by the nam prik pao (Thai chili sauce).

A considerable amount of thought went into the rich Ricotta Gnocchi that’s replete with mushrooms, 30-day fermented garlic miso, pecorino, and ohba leaves, while Orcine flexes the dessert section with the delicate Fresas con Crema (basil strawberry compote, black strawberry, chantilly, frozen crema). His thumping new take on Alegria’s chocolate taco also turns the combination of dark chocolate mousse, ganache, caramel sauce, and mocha sponge into a textured explosion—thanks to the addition of sablé, a French shortbread cookie.

A lot to gain in Alabang

But their move to Alabang isn’t purely on a whim; it’s also a planned power play albeit with some confirmed revelations. According to Montañez, after conducting some market research, the group decided on a strategy that fills the “party vibe” void in the south complete with DJ sets on Fridays and Saturdays. 

“But, it turns out, they don’t want it,” says Montañez laughing. “They only want the food.”

“[The Alabang market is] very different because we’re used to selling more beverages over food. We’ve always had this understanding of the market behavior in BGC that you can go to a restaurant and bar, eat a couple of plates, and drink six to eight glasses of alcohol afterwards.”

“[The Alabang market is] very different because we’re used to selling more beverages over food. We’ve always had this understanding of the market behavior in BGC that you can go to a restaurant and bar, eat a couple of plates, and drink six to eight glasses of alcohol afterwards.”

“And then when we came here to Alabang, the bar didn’t operate late. People come in early to eat and they go,” he shares. “But the nice thing is they don’t mind paying for good food. On a weekday, a table for two can easily do P5,000 to P8,000. They stay for 40 minutes to an hour and try most of the food.” 

Whereas they can turn 20 to 25 tables in a given meal service in their Forbestown location for instance, Alegria Cantina can hit the same sales with six to eight tables—notwithstanding the as yet underutilized bar experience on the second floor. 

Not that Montañez values profit more than passion though. This change in pace doesn’t faze him one bit and in fact he welcomes it wholeheartedly. It also says a lot about how Montañez has matured over the years. 

“It’s good since there’s going to be contrast in every outlet and concept we’re doing. There’s an Alegria for every kind of experience. That’s the intention… [so people can] patronize Alegria in the same week and not get the same thing.”

Team effort

Despite Montañez’s position in the group, his hands-on approach across all their restaurants is an invaluable inspiration for the Alegria Cantina team. As the Alegria journey wears on, it’s easier to see all aspects of Montañez’s evolution. It isn’t enough that you coast along this cantina or that cafe. The aspiration he formulated since the beginning of his career exhibits itself in every project he pursues—from the ideation and the production to the marketing and now the mentoring. 

“People that started Alegria with me are doing things on the side; they’re moving up the ranks,” he says about how he balances everything. “I hired a line cook for Cafe Alegria last year and now he’s handling Mang Jose Inasal (a new fast food chain he’s working on with Chito Miranda) as head chef.”

What he can be though is someone who sees the hard work paying off. “If there’s anything that’s been working out for me it’s that I don’t set my sights on the results. I focus on the work and eventually things will fall into place.”

“If you’re going this big, you have to trust everyone around you. You cannot be in all places at once.”

What he can be though is someone who sees the hard work paying off. “If there’s anything that’s been working out for me it’s that I don’t set my sights on the results. I focus on the work and eventually things will fall into place.”

Now it’s hard to argue with that really.