About
Tapsi Ni Vivian at Bulalohan
By Jar Concengco
Tapsi Ni Vivian at Bulalohan is a 24-hour open restaurant started by Vivian del Rosario. As it currently enjoys 6 branches all around Metro Manila, Tapsi Ni Vivian’s road to success was not always smooth. The restaurant persevered because of Vivian’s diligence and dedication.
With some starting capital she borrowed from her father, Vivian and her husband sold pig meat at the Cubao Farmer’s Market in 1977. This business did not last long however as some of Vivian’s clients gave her bouncing checks and some grew remiss in paying back their debts to her. They closed down shop and had to sell their automobile for PHP 50,000.00 to be able to start again.
This time she set up a small cart to sell meals for Jeepney drivers along Lauan St. in Cubao, Quezon City. “Palibhasa nagsisimula, siyempre ako lahat. Gumigising ako nang maaga, ako ang namamalegke ako ang nagluluto, ako na rin ang nagtitinda (Because we were starting, of course it was all me. I woke up early in the morning, I would buy the ingredients in the market, I would cook, and I would also be the one to sell),” says Vivian. She marinated and cured beef – called Tapa – that was a popular dish of hers. She noticed that not only Jeepney drivers nearby ate at her cart anymore. People from afar traveled to her to taste her tapa. At the time, mobile shops on carts were not allowed along Aurora Boulevard so when police would come, Vivian would have to quickly pack everything up in her cart and roll away in her high heels.
Not long after, she was able to open up her very first branch of Tapsi ni Vivian in Lauan St. The term Tapsi (short for Tapsilog) is a term coined by Vivian herself. The dish has three main components: tapa, sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (egg). “Naisipan ko na magimbento ng pangalan – yun nga sinasabi nilang tapa, sinangag, itlog. Ang tapa, sinangag, itlog shinort-cut ko ng Tapsilog. Ako ang kaunaunahang nagimbento ng tapa, sinangag, itlog. (I thought about inventing a name [for it] – what they say tapa, fried rice, and egg. I abbreviated tapa, fried rice and egg into the word Tapsilog. I was the very first to invent [the meal composed of] tapa, fried rice and egg.)” says Vivian proudly.
Her version of tapa also went up against two other tapa brands in a blind taste test in 2015 organized by Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. People tasted the three types of tapa and had to choose their favorite without knowing the restaurant behind it. The tapa of Tapsi Ni Vivian won as everyone’s favorite. After this episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho aired, Miles Legaspi, Operations Manager of Tapsi ni Vivian says, “Dinumog kami! (People flocked to us!)”
Bulalo, a Filipino clear soup made primarily of beef shank and bone marrow, is also a specialty of Vivian’s. She has perfected the broth with so much flavor without using store bought seasoning packs. Vivian is so confident that everyone will love it that she has decided to include a complimentary bowl of piping hot bulalo broth to any meal.
Another standout dish of Tapsi Ni Vivian is their Fresh Lumpia which they make from scratch. From the house made wrapper to the thick peanut sauce, this version of Fresh Lumpia is crafted with so much attention to detail.
Vivian is well into her 60’s but that does not stop her from caring for her brand. “Tutok talaga ako. Mula noon hanggang ngayon, hindi puweedeng hindi ko puntahan lahat ng branch. Iba talaga ‘yung nandun ako at nakikita ng mga customer. Kahit kung tutuusin ay puwede na akong mag-retire at ipaubaya sa mga anak at apo ang pagpapatakbo sa negosyo pero hindi ko matiis. Parang magkakasakit ako ‘pag hindi ako nagtatrabaho (I keep a close eye. From then up to now, I can not not visit all the branches. It’s really different if I am there and the customers see me. I can opt to retire and let my children and grandchildren run the business but I can’t help it. I feel like I will fall ill if I don’t work), ” Vivian explains.
Despite starting off as a street vendor, Vivian is proud to say that she now lives in comfortable home and even owns a farm and rest house in Antipolo. She was able to send her children to prestigious schools all because of Tapsi Ni Vivian. She has advice for those starting out with their own business, “Magsikap sila. Mahirap talaga ang nagsisimula lalo’t maliit lang ang puhunan. Limitado ang budget. Dapat magsikap at magsipag. Huwag silang hihinto sa pangangarap. Nung nagtayo ako ng Tapsi noon nangarap agad ako na magkaroon ng pangalawang branch, nung sumunod pangatlo. Hangang sa nadagdagan nang nadagdagan. (They need to persevere. It’s really difficult to start especially if you have small capital or limited budget. Persevere and work hard. They should not stop dreaming. When I put up Tapsi before, right away I dreamed of putting up my 2nd branch. Then my 3rd branch. Until it grew.)”