Dayrit's: Standing the test of time

Not a lot of restaurants have managed to stay afloat through the decades and Dayrit's Burger and Roast Beef House is one of the fortunate few that have survived to this day. Owned by casino owner-turned-restaurateur Wilfredo "Freddie" Dayrit Sr., this homey, deli-type eatery first opened in the early '70s on Taft Ave. near De La Salle University. Branches subsequently opened in Magallanes, Greenhills, Buendia Ave., Manila (near UST), Alabang, and Timog Ave. and Kalayaan Ave. in Quezon City. At present, however, only two have remained - Timog Ave. and Magallanes. 

But even if Dayrit's has been around for around four decades, it was only today that I had the chance to try this foodie place out. It was a sunny afternoon and I was on leave from work for a medical appointment. After my schedule, my daughter and I were scouring Tomas Morato on foot, with the aim to look out for a new (to us, at least. Hehe.) restaurant. And Dayrit's caught my attention among the rows of restaurants on that stretch of foodie haven, mainly because it sounded familiar. Inside, I instantly felt at home, thanks to the simple, laid-back interiors with a nostalgic feel. For our afternoon snacks, my daughter and I shared:

Cheeseburger, P140.

With ketchup and mustard, yummy!

Pasta Americana, P150.

Buttered bread, lightly toasted.

Calamansi Juice, P45.

Special Iced Tea, P50.

The menu.

Old-style furniture, old-world feeling.

Crewman finds his texting sanctuary beside the ice cream freezer. Haha!

The first thing that impressed us when our food was served was how huge the cheeseburger was. It's good for sharing, and rightfully, came sliced in half. Tasted good, too, especially when we slathered it with ketchup and mustard. The Pasta Americana was actually carbonara, and we liked it as well - saucy and creamy. It came with a halved slice of slightly (or not?) toasted buttered wheat bread. What we downed these with were good too - calamansi juice for me, which I think was freshly squeezed and iced tea for my daughter, who liked that it was house blend or brewed, not the powdered type. 

So, did we like Dayrit's? Yes, but not so much for the price. There's a lot of burger joints nowadays that offer lesser-priced hamburgers with even thicker patties. Forgive me but I'm thinkin' about BBB. Hehehe. Still, kudos to Dayrit's for having survived the tough restaurant competition during these past few years.