Chicken and Rice
I think I have eaten more chicken and rice these three weeks in the Philippines than I have in my entire life. Chicken Inasal is a grilled chicken dish that seems to be the equivalent of the Hainanese Chicken Rice we have in Singapore, except it comes with unlimited rice, courtesy of the South East Asian diet.
Chicken Inasal
It is chicken marinated in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar and annatto, then grilled over hot coals while basted with the marinade.
My first experience with Chicken Inasal was at a restaurant that I would describe as the MacDonald's of Chicken Inasal, named Mang Inasal. By lunchtime, families, friends, couples, and individuals- a fair representation of the demographic in Puerto Princesa- fill the restaurant. There aren't a lot of menu choices- the main focus was Chicken Inasal with options of chicken breast or chicken leg, single portion, or unlimited rice. There was a pork skewer and some noodles, but it was clear that those weren't the main event.
After placing your order at the counter and letting them know your name, you enter the dining section to look for a table. The furnishing is basic- each table seat two people and can join to form a larger table that fits your party. There is a speaker and mic set up that the staff uses to call you when your order is ready for collection. There is constant motion everywhere- people looking for seats, leaving the restaurant, refilling their condiments, the waitstaff clearing the tables, mopping the floor, refilling rice. It was sensorily overwhelming. It took me many minutes of sitting still and observing to figure out what exactly was going on.
The Ever-attentive Rice Warrior
He has mastered the art of showing up when our rice is running low and dishes the softest, stickiest rice to go with the grilled chicken.
Being the tourists we were, my partner and I wanted to try the dish in other restaurants after dining at Mang's for a few days straight. We decided to visit Haim's Chicken and ordered the usual- chicken breast for him, chicken leg for me, unlimited rice for both. Haim's menu was way more extensive, focused on large sharable platters. The tables were long and complete with benches instead, creating many booths with their own space. The restaurant was loud not because of a massive crowd but families enjoying their meal.
We were sorely disappointed. Haim's ran out of chicken breast, there was no condiment bar to get our chili, lime, and soy sauce, and worst of all, we didn't know how to get our second helping of rice. In all fairness, we were in the wrong. Haim's is a family restaurant focused on providing good feasts for celebrations but we were hungry rice monsters who wanted to get value out of money. I left Haim's feeling guilty for betraying Mang and remembered what branding is all about.
People like to think that branding is just a beautiful logo and a set of color and font rules to follow. But the core of branding is defining what you want your business to be and what you want to deliver. These decisions trickle down to every aspect of supporting the business. In the above scenario, we see differences in
Menu: Focus on a single type of dish with minimal choices, or an equal emphasis on all dishes
Operations: Self-collection of orders and condiments, or waitstaff bringing them to guests
Staffing: A dedicated staff whose only job is in refilling rice, or rice filling being another duty on top of serving food
Furnishing: Modular tables that can be moved around easily, or long benches and booths
Atmosphere: Busy and chaotic but efficient using the speaker, or slower and calmer with no overhead speaker
Good branding is hard to achieve because it is about building a unified ecosystem that supports the business. The purpose and promise drive every aspect of the business, from operations to hiring to outward expression and communications. Every piece of the puzzle must fit with another, with all of them coming together to emphasize one unified message. Most importantly, every employee must be aligned with the brand's purpose and execute it in their respective job function.
Branding is not about going through a brand exercise to define your purpose and promise once (or twice in a rebranding) and not executing it throughout the business decisions. It's also not about coming up with a set of beautiful visual designs while leaving a huge blank for why the business exists and why people should care about it.
For my partner and I, Mang was the chicken place for us because we wanted efficiency and a steady stream of rice. Even when we visited a different outlet, we knew precisely what it will be like: a heavy crowd, a voice over the speaker, and the most important value proposition to us- unlimited rice. For that, we are loyal customers of Mang Inasal. I'm not sure if this is brag-worthy, but the counter staff knows my partner's name by now and he hardly has to tell them our order. I may not be able to eat chicken for a bit after leaving Puerto Princesa but Mang will always have a special place in my heart. There is no question that I'll return to Mang the next time I visit this Palawan island.
