Isis shares her journey of turning her last money into La Elotes, a successful restaurant built on passion, hard work, and love for food.
This is one of those stories that make you go, “Grabe, paano niya nagawa yun?” Meet Isis, a 25-year-old former art student who turned her last ₱2,000 into La Elotes—a cozy Mexican restaurant right along Taft Avenue in Manila.
Let’s rewind to 2020. Isis was just 20, a full-time art student. Life was normal until, well, nagka-pandemic. That’s when everything changed. Her family, originally from Pampanga, suddenly had no income. Wala nang pumapasok na pera, pero tuloy parin ang mga gastusin.
“I was still in school, and no one in my family had income, so I had to do something for us to be able to pay our bills,” Isis recalls.
Growing up, food was always a big part of Isis’s life. Mahilig talaga siya magluto, and for her, cooking is more than just preparing meals.
“What inspired me is probably because my family is from Pampanga, and growing up I’ve always been surrounded and fed with great food,” she says. “I always tell people na kapag ipinagluto kita, ibig sabihin nun importante ka sakin or it’s because I love you, because that really is my love language.”
Before the pandemic, she and her partner, JP, stumbled across a Facebook video about Mexican street corn called elotes (pronounced eh-loh-teh). They tried making it at home, and they fell in love with it.
With only ₱2000 left, Isis decided to take a risk. Bumili siya ng corn sa market and used mayonnaise and cheese na meron na sila sa bahay. She made her first batch of elotes and posted it on social media. The big question is—may bibili kaya?
“Nakakatakot pero mas nangibabaw yung excitement. Ang repetitive ng life ko before, pero now, I was doing something consistently and perfecting a product that I knew one day may change our lives or, at that time, may be able to help us make ends meet,” she shares.
She handled most of the work herself—prepping, cooking, and delivering—during the pandemic. Hindi madali, but JP stepped in to help whenever he could, cheering her on every step of the way. Together, they also expanded the menu, adding drinks, birria tacos, and a few more items that their customers quickly loved.
The neighborhood caught on quickly. People loved her elotes so much na nauwi sa pila sa garahe nila.
“Nung makita namin na maraming pumipila sa garahe namin, we realized na we’d already outgrown it,” she says. “The pandemic was over, and we realized that our garage had already served its purpose.”
Opening a physical store was a huge step. It wasn’t just about finding a space—it meant saving money, building a team, and starting fresh. Nakakapagod, pero alam ni Isis na kakayanin niya.
“Tiring, very tiring. You have to adjust to a new system when you’re already used to a certain one, and you’re building a trustworthy team to help you run your business,” she explains.
La Elotes quickly became a favorite. People weren’t just coming for the food—they were rooting for Isis and her story. Random strangers even showed their support.
“There would be random individuals who would offer to pray for us at times when we feel burnt out and anxious,” she shares.
Starting and running a business is no joke at maraming natutunan si Isis along the way.
“It’s never easy. It doesn’t get easy; as you progress, things get hard, but you get really good at it, and you get better,” she says. “When you’re bound for great things, the road ahead will always be more challenging.”
One regret? Not investing more in marketing earlier.
“I would probably invest more in marketing since I think even though we have a great community, that’s what I’m struggling with most right now,” she admits.
Her advice for anyone thinking of starting their own business?
“Don’t just do it. Calculate your steps and find your niche, and just give it your all and show people your passion. Make sure you stand out amongst others. Because doing a business is painful and expensive; it’s very important to study what you’re getting into first.”
Isis has big plans for La Elotes. She wants to open more branches, create jobs, and expand the menu.
“We’re very keen on pursuing bigger stuff for next year,” she reveals. “Part of growing is expanding.”
She’s also working on more menu items.
“We’ll also be releasing a lot of new stuff from our elote line,” she adds.
And her personal favorite? The Shrimp Torta.
“Very underrated but one of the best sandwiches ever,” she says with a smile.
Natatakam na nga ako habang nagso-scroll sa mga photos nila sa page!
For Isis, La Elotes is personal. It’s her lifeline.
“On a deeper level, it actually saved me—from the pandemic and my declining mental health. It gave me this new sense of purpose as I was a college dropout; though not by force but due to the pandemic,” she confides.
Whenever burnout hits, she leans on her family, JP, and her own self-care routines.
“There are a lot of burnout days, but I take it one step at a time. I read a lot and absorb a lot of information. I also try to keep my mind still and grounded because I also get panic attacks,” she shares. “You need to have a support system that can bring you back in a snap.”
Her biggest inspirations? Her family and her partner, JP.
“My family and my partner, who I’m working really hard for. I want to give them a secured future and, of course, to be able to live a comfortable life,” she says.
Grabe, what a journey! Ang dami niyang pinagdaanan, pero look at where she is now—living proof na with passion, grit, and a little creativity, you can make big things happen.
Honestly, it’s stories like this that makes us think, “Kaya ko rin kaya magtayo ng sarili kong restaurant in the future?” Haha! Imagine serving people food you love and watching it bring them joy. Super nakakainspire. Maybe one day, I’ll take the leap din. Who knows? For now, I’m just in awe of how La Elotes started and how far it’s come. Hats off to Isis and her team!
Nagutom ka rin ba? Kung oo, visit La Elotes at 2611-C Bautista St., Manila, Philippines, and experience some of the best elotes and tacos in town.
Follow them on Facebook for updates, promos, and more at La Elotes Facebook Page or call 0969 488 9675 for inquiries.
