A simple hole in the wall eatery which is merely 20 square meter and has seven table that offers authentic Bacolod food that opened 20 years ago is now a  36 branch chain of  restaurant all over the country including one at Baguio just 50 meters across the City Hall compound.

Popular actor Joel Torre, who started JT’s Manukan Grille with wife Cristy, said the small eatery they established in 2003 near Sampaguita Studio along Valencia Street in New Manila, Quezon City that offers “street food” is “lucky enough that people started patronizing them by coming back.”

With the success of their New Manila eatery that offers authentic Bacolod chicken inasal, a new branch was opened in Quezon City, one that is near the former ABS CBN studio at Mother Ignacia Street at Scout Borromeo which was followed by another one in Makati.

“From there we opened our second and third branches, the first of this two  near ABS CBN and the other in Makati,” said  Torre, who is in Baguio to celebrate the branch’s second year Tuesday.

It would later have its first franchisee at Banaue Street also in Quezon City  owned by a Chinese family.

What makes patron come back to JT’s, explained Torre, is it “offers authentic Ilonggo inasal, a simple Bacolod food that is consistent in every branch.”

Said Torre: “We take good care of our food that is known for its simplicity.”

Aside from its chicken inasal, JT’s is also known for its   liempo, pancit, soup and  liver offering, Torre added.

JT’s can be found in almost all Metro Manila cities and municipalities.

It’s provincial branches in Luzon include Bicol as its southernmost and as far north as Baguio as well as in Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Pampanga, Bataan and Olongapo City.