A very late Sunday lunch

That is what a family like ours can expect when we begin the day with an unusual breakfast of spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. And Gatorade to replace my pick-me-upper coffee.

Since my daughter Kimi and I caught a tummy bug, we've been indoors all week, except for a morning when I visited a friend who was weaker than me.

So Sunday, our boss Rolly said it was gonna be his treat again. We didn't leave the house until past 2 p.m., but we weren't feeling particularly ravenous because we snacked on Marie's beautiful chocolate cake and pastillas-flavored florettes.

By the time we parked at Mario's, the Sunday lunchtime buffet crowd was gone, and we went a la carte: parmesan chicken and pasta for the younger girls, split USDA steak, well done, and mashed potatoes with side veggies of okra (my fave!) for the oldies. I can't believe I'm in the latter category, but at 57 who can deny that?

Here we are before and after our meals. Satisfied customers, as usual.

There's something about a red and white checkered tablecloth that stirs the appetite.

Here's Butones doing her version of "Bow Bow Belinda" in front of the menu board.

This girl loves warm and plain dinner rolls.

We love this area by the main entrance. It has a super-cushy couch and that elegant stone arc dividing it from the bar. We've had our Christmas photos taken here in the past.

And that's our squeeze doll on the left.

We are family, except for Butones's Tita Ida whom we miss on occasions like this. 

Photos by Kimi Fernandez and Babeth Lolarga