Dinner with KC and Yeng at Castro Valley’s Dampa

CASTRO VALLEY, Bay Area, California—There’s no arguing that the wet, nippy breeze tearing the rainy night of Saturday, November 5, failed to put a damper on the warm friendship KC Concepcion and Yeng Constantino, and dozens of their fans from everywhere shared with one another.

The ‘instant connection’ took place at the intimate meet-and-greet cum dinner affair hosted by couple Sunthie and Marites Calalo at their Dampa Restaurant for the visiting stars and fans.  KC and Yeng’s dinner stop at Dampa with kababayan was a sidelight of the San Francisco leg of the “Piolo & KC” U.S. concert tour top billed by Piolo Pascual.

At the time, Piolo was at the Bench store in Serramonte Shopping Center, Daly City, to greet fans as well.  The trio’s concert the following night, November 6, at Union City’s James Logan High School auditorium was actually the last leg of their US tour, after performances in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

As soon as they arrived, KC, who possesses every inch of the finest features and manners of parents Gabby Concepcion and Sharon Cuneta, and Yeng, the “rockacoustic princess” of Philippine entertainment, engulfed themselves in the warm hugs and embraces of their kababayan.  Many of them have come not only from all over the Bay Area, but also from other US cities including New York and Chicago.

But one, Rizz Angeles, had flown to all four US city venues from across Africa and the Atlantic.  Said Rizz, who lives and works in Qatar, to FilAm Star in Pilipino:  “I really enjoy following Piolo and KC around.  I will try my best to be with them, too, when they take this concert to Japan on November 27.”

For someone who perhaps seldom enjoys Filipino cooking, Rizz must have tremendously enjoyed Chef Sunthie’s sumptuous creations, just as everyone did especially including KC and Yeng.   The spread –potato corn with basil, pork ribs, creamy pasta with chicken, pork sirloin with apple, shrimp creole, and chicken with black beans – showcased yet again the superb cuisine of Dampa.

But of late, the Calalos’ foray into the celebrity meet-and-greet scene is further pushing Dampa to the top of the Pinoy list of leisure and dining destinations in the Bay Area.  Last month, Coco Martin and Jovit Baldovino brought the house down, with their fans spilling well outside of the cozy restaurant.  Next, and soon enough, it’s Kim Chui’s turn to huddle, up close and personal, with Fil-Ams.

“Deliberately or not, Sunthie and I are taking Dampa to that dimension of the restaurant business where we are able to offer the legendary Filipino warmth and hospitality,” Marites told FilAm Star.  “That’s what makes Dampa just like a home ….. no one is too shy and everyone’s just nice.”

And judging from the interaction between the pair of KC and Yeng and their fans, it does seem Dampa has arrived home.