After 20 years of working in Dubai, Ronie Fernando Dones, a 42-year-old resident of Barangay Julugan in Tanza, Cavite, has finally fulfilled his dream of opening his own restaurant. His new venture, “Kusina XPRESS by Boy Legit,” is located in the same building as New W Mart Supermarket in Muraqqabat, directly opposite Reef Mall.
The restaurant is gaining popularity for its affordable Filipino street food and kanto-style Pinoy pizza, which is sold for just AED10.
Dones, who has worked his way up from a cook to a manager at various casual dining restaurants in Dubai, is currently the general manager at a Chowking branch. He takes pride in the unique taste of his dishes, especially the pizza, which he says has a distinct “Pinas na Pinas ang lasa” flavor. The menu at Kusina XPRESS includes pizza in flavors like Hawaiian, Pepperoni, and Beef Ham & Cheese, alongside combo meals of two viands for AED15, and Silog meals with free coffee for AED10. Filipino street food favorites like Kwek-Kwek, Fish Ball, and Kikiam are also available.
In addition to his culinary career, Dones has built a strong online presence through his digital content, “Boy Legit Stories,” which has garnered 311,000 followers on Facebook and amassed over 4 million views in a single day. The success of his social media platform, streamed in collaboration with “Project Manok,” has played a pivotal role in marketing his restaurant and attracting customers.
Dones’ journey to opening his restaurant has not been without challenges. Diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in 2009, he underwent a kidney transplant with his brother Bryan as the donor. After the successful surgery, Dones returned to Dubai to continue working in the restaurant industry, determined to support his family and maintain his health.
