The boom of seafood restaurants in years past waxed and waned like the changing tide on Manila Bay, and many of these outlets have come and gone. However, Seafood Wharf has been lucky to please the fickle taste buds of Manila diners.
According to Seafood Wharf operations manager William Liong, the strength of the restaurant lies in its selection of fresh seafood. They get their stock of seafood from known suppliers in Palawan, Zamboanga and Gen. Santos City, who deliver what they need fresh daily.
"That’s why when our guests come, they always see fresh seafood in our display aquariums," says Liong.
Another attraction is Manila Bay, which is just beside the restaurant. This and the good food constitute its winning combination.
"By 6 p.m., all our guests rush to the seaside seats," he adds. "If our restaurant could have Manila Bay on all sides, all the better for us."
While the restaurant boasts al fresco seating for close to 500 guests, it also has a function room for another 100.
"It used to be an open-air area, too," he adds. "But we’ve had guests looking for air-conditioned dining. That’s why we converted this area into a function room. However, the verandah just outside has a magnificent view of the bay, and some diners come up here just for that."
Seafood Wharf Restaurant was one of the first restaurants to open in the old Army-Navy complex when it was turned over to the City of Manila in the late ’90s. It manages the Army-Navy’s swimming pool and tennis court facilities, which guests can rent by the hour.
On weekends, the poolside is quite popular among families. Children have fun splashing in the pool, while parents enjoy the restaurant’s treats.
One thing the restaurant is proud of is that it has never turned away guests no matter how many they are.
Seafood Wharf manager Ramon Vicentuan says they’ve had as many as 30 to 40 walk-in guests, all without reservations.
"We’ve never really had any problems with crowds as big as that," says Vicentuan.
Most of the restaurant’s guests are Filipino-Chinese and Chinese and Korean tourists. The turnover is quick because these crowds rarely linger after enjoying their meal.
"Also, we only serve beer – no hard drinks here," says Liong. "We really want to avoid the inuman crowd, so that we won’t have rowdy customers. Filipino-Chinese customers are quite sensitive when it comes to rowdy crowds. We may have some guests who may stay on for more than a couple of bottles of beer. But those days are quite rare."
Business is busy on Fridays, weekends and paydays. Mondays are traditionally slow, although sometimes the office crowd comes in for an after-office snack.
The bayside location is a problem during the rainy season when the restaurant gets drenched because of the strong winds. However, when the weather clears up, the crowds are sure to come back in a snap.