Philippine restaurant seeks to feed the soul

MANILA — In the Philippines' only Catholic-themed restaurant, Sister Evangeline Paras aims to enrich the soul as much as excite the palate.As head chef, the Theresian nun oversees operations at the Ristorante delle Mitre (Restaurant of the Mitre) and a menu made in honour of the Catholic church's bishops but priced to suit all members of the flock.The restaurant, which opened last year, aims to bring the church closer to the people in Asia's bastion of Catholicism at a time when controversies such as sexual abuse scandals have alienated many believers."We want to show the positive side of the church... I consider this another ministry of the church," Paras told AFP amid frenzied cooking by her five assistants in the well-lit kitchen."It also gives you a glimpse of how the priests and bishops live, what they do and how they eat."In the dining area, waiters move quickly between tables, explaining the story behind each dish on the menu to an eclectic crowd, from labourers and unionists in casual clothes to smartly-dressed bankers.Several hearing and speech-impaired workers under the restaurant's equal opportunities programme also engage diners with animated hand gestures.Hanging on the walls are photographs in sepia of the church's past and present bishops and cardinals, as well as various memorabilia celebrating Catholicism in the Philippines.A pianist plays "Amazing Grace", a popular Christian hymn written by English clergyman John Newton in the 18th Century.The soothing music envelopes the restaurant in a religious ambiance that is occasionally broken by the clanking of utensils and the muffled voices of orders being barked in the kitchen.The name of the restaurant is derived from bishops' hats that are their symbol of authority.The glass-encased mitres of three late Filipino prelates nominated for beatification are displayed in a corner, while a bookcase full of religious tomes offers diners a history of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.A life-sized mannequin in a cardinal's vestments stares from a

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