Pablo was a name coined by young Japanese entrepreneur Masamitsu Sakimoto for cheese tart—with just the right sweetness and richness—that would become the biggest come-on for the chain of cool, hip coffeehouses/desserts stands that grew a sizeable following in Japan, especially among the young looking for fun places.

It was on one of his trips to Osaka that Ben Chan took note of the long lines at Pablo and got the idea of bringing the brand to the Philippines for the Chans’ Suyen Corp., the same group behind the global brand Bench.

In this afternoon’s opening were Chan, Sakimoto who’s the CEO of Pablo, Suyen Corp. president Virgilio and Nenita Lim Suyen Corp., Bea Zobel of the Zobel clan behind Ayala Group, and Rowena Tomeldan, head of Ayala Malls – Thelma San Juan