While "pub"
has become a common term all around the world, the Philippines
must be the only country in East Asia that uses the designation
"bistro" for a particular type of res-taurant. It's not
that easy to describe what a bistro exactly is. One could say,
a bistro is a French pub, but that is not sufficient. Bistros
are more fashionable and normally more elegant than pubs, and
they tend to serve more sweet dishes. But unlike coffee shops
bistros normally have most of their guests in the evening and
at night. Many stay open until shortly before sunrise. Whereas
a pub in the British sense is first of all a social place
where one goes to meet friends and talk over a few glasses of
beer (and perhaps eat in between), eating is a central affair
in bistros. And it's not just snacks and sandwiches; bistros offer
full scale meals, and often of a very good quality.
The atmosphere
is of much greater importance in a bistro than in a pure restaurant.
Bistros are places to stay for two or three hours after dining
and to chat with friends and have a few more drinks.
As atmosphere
is so important to bistros, they are furnished in a pleasant,
and often expensive, way. Bistros are also not as well lighted
as plain restaurants in order to create an intimate atmosphere.
Generally, the music is not just background but a part of the
entertainment, and some-times a reason to choose a particular
bistro.
Names of
places which include the term "bistro" are not a safe guideline
when contemplating a visit to one. Actually, some establishments
that call themselves bistros are not bistros at all, as for example
Bistro Remedios which is just a plain restaurant. The latest fad
in bistros, particularly in Makati, are Jazz cafes. Several have
newly opened in 1989. Many of the pubs have pool tables and dart
boards.
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