The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-A year and a half later, the dream is still true for Manila Bay Café owners Christina and Jon Betts.

"I still love doing what I do," said Chef Jon Betts. "I love creating stuff. We use local produce from vendors like Hidden Garden Farms, Frog Hollow Farm, Rey's Roast Coffee, Hayshaker Farm, Little Dipper Dairy and Mary's Candies, to create specialty items."

Christina Betts said she thinks Dayton is a great place to raise their three children.

"This is a nice, quiet town. We're settled. We know most of the people in town," she said.

In August 2015, the Betts' took over the Manila Bay Café from former owners Roger Tumbocon and Justin Jaech, who essentially gave them the business.

The Betts closed the restaurant the first week in January of this year, causing some consternation for their regular customers. But that soon abated when they reopened a week later to showcase some major work that had been done to the interior.

Betts said his mother, stepfather, brother and sister helped with the sanding and painting, and they finished just in time for the scheduled reopening on Jan. 11.

The goal was to achieve a more modern, more open, exciting, and fresh vibe for the restaurant, he said. But Christina added that the interior still retains some of its country appeal.

The new color palette? "Tri-corn Black, Earl Grey, Ultra White and Jolly Green," said Christina Betts. "Our customers say it's a lot bigger, and more open, and they love it."

Manila Bay Café is located at 311 East Main Street, in Dayton. The Restaurant is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday hours are 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Betts's can be reached at (509) 593-0486 or online at: http://www.manilabaycafe.com.