Aling Lucing's Sisig

We had to drop by SM Sta Mesa to check out if the department store there have the stock of  the Merrell sandals, at the specific size, we are eyeing. 

We didnt plan to have dinner at that mall, but when we passed by the food court, we saw Aling Lucing's Sisig. 

I wondered if this is by the same owners of the original Aling Lucing im Pampanga, the inventor of that killer of a dish, the bane of all batoks, the vein clogger of all beer drinkers, the undefeatable pulutan... Sisig. 

We asked the lady counter if theyre affiliated with the Pampanga carinderia, but she didnt know. And we also havent been to the original. Weve been planning to some time (and also try to hit the original Razon's in one trip), but we dont have Googlemap before, so still no cigar.

Anyway, at 98 pesos, you are given an ample serving of tasty sisig. Talampunay ordered grilled liempo with the added Sinigang option at 110 PhP. She said the liempo is unremarkable.

The sisig is really fatty, perhaps 40% fat composition as shown in this picture. At one point when a spoonful lands in your mouth, you can feel the creaminess of fat swimming in your tongue. Creamy coagulation starting to do its magic. Wow.  

Although I would choose the crunchy variant of sisig, some purists say that that is not the original sisig, but just sizzling chicharon. They have a point. 

If the indication of how genuine a sisig is in how painful your nape feels 30 minutes after eating, then this sisig is truly authentic. I had trouble driving on the way home. 

Banana Peanut Shake Heaven

We first became aware of the Banana Peanut Shake possibility because of Big Chill. It's probably one of the least ordered compared to the usual Mango Shake, but when we tried it, it's a nice enough refreshment, yes, yes.

It's actually a better option than mango shake, when 1) the movie is starting in 5 mins, and you havent had dinner yet. 2) you need to go to the gym, and you dont want to wait one hour after a full meal before working out.

But Big Chill's concoction is inconsistent, depending on how big was the banana supplied that day (they put just one lakatan regardless of size), how much ice was poured in, and how pulverized the peanut became after the osterizing.

And so, at home, we make it a point to be ready to make a more premium version whenever we can. This means no banana scrimping, and then we use Peter Pan Crunchy peanut butter (instead of dry peanuts) and add a bit of Alaska evap as bonus.

But then, we just came from CDO and had these--

Iligan's pride Cheding's roasted peanut. Taste is close to cashew.

Smallest mani. Sweet.

And then from Trinoma, Talampunay bought this big, slender, beautiful banana. (smooth-to-the touch skin, aah)

It is organic eklat eklabush yes, but the taste is truly different from ordinary lacatan. Just right on the sweetness department and doesnt attack your tongue with big banana flavor.

So add the ingredients, plus a bit of Alaska (the one with the scary boy on the label, not the evaporada type). And then some ice....

Equals banana peanut heaven.

Just make sure to grind the pebbles of peanut (from Peter Pan crunchy) and ice sufficiently. Let the mixture (more like a colloid) shake for a while.

Creamiest smoothiest bestest banana drink. No sugar necessary. The truest, most elegant Banana Peanut shake that you can get on earth.

Overpackaging

Step 1. Get scissors, open quartery packaging. The plastic bag that was sealed in olden times by folding the plastic edge and passing it on a lighted candle. Many fingers are coated by hot plastic in those days. 

Step 2: Carefully get one piece from the bunch.Make sure you get only one, so as not to be tempted to go over your daily calorie intake. 

 Step 3. Carefully pull the edge of the tertiary packaging, a green cellophane. Do not pull too hard or the soft candy will be deformed and lose its attractiveness, according to the obsessive-compulsives.

Step 4: Open the whole package. and be surprised by the spring-like recoil of the two other packaging inside.

Step 5: You suddenly think about how three packaging materials were force-folded. The materials' natural form is in sheets, not rolls. You are surprised that there is still one plastic before the product. So, two plastics, sandwiching a white paper. You wonder about the functional purpose of each three packaging material. 

Step 6: You simultaneously think about the man-hours wasted wrapping the small thing, cutting the cellophane and paper to size. and that the cost is also multiplied because of the extra manufacturing process. 

Step 7. You also say that that all these are probably a complete waste, given a product that will be consumed in one loading... youre about to ramble complaints, but then you notice how your hand, in all its dryness, look old.  

Step 8, You just decide to take a bite, it's all right.

Step 9, Then you appreciate the tastiness of yema made from pure carabao's milk. As Dora the Explorer's backpack says, "Delicioso!"

The Joy of Chicken

However unappetizing it looks, you should have a bite of this Filipino icon once a month.

One more shot from inside JB's kitchen:

Everything's a blur in fast food. As a crew, you almost never sit for one 9-hour shift

Makes you stop and appreciate the college degree that your parents pushed you through to finish.

To be on the other side of the counter, buying Chickenjoy,

...rather than thinking of the next minimum wage you will receive.

Ganito ang tamang pagkain ng masarap na Menudo...

Isang garapong taho

Antagal ko nang nakain nang taho, isa ito sa mga paborito ko. Napanood ko rin ang taho ichi na pinagbibidahan ni Dolphy, pero ngayon ko lang napagtanto na pwede nga namang istrohin ang taho.

Bagamat ang mga nilalakong taho sa ngayon ay di na lasang-lasa ang linamnam nang soya (kumbaga'y matabang na sya), nandyan naman ang soy yummy sa mga mall na mainit init pa ang bawat luto at mukhang puro ang pagkaka-pormula nang taho.

Bagamat hindi ito soy yummy...

mukhang nakatsamba kami nang isang source na malapit ang linamnam sa mas mahal na soy yummy.

Gayunpaman, napakaigi nang isang garapong taho, dahil habang kumakain ka, komportable ang damdamin mo na di ka mabibitin. Lalasapin o lalagukin mo lang ang bawat higop o kutsara nang taho nang buong saya at satisfaction, walang alinlangan na baka maubos na sya mayamaya.

Ang sabi nang aking kapatid ay baka larawan na ito nang kasibaan--sa tingin ko'y di naman. (kuwarenta pesos ang nang-uumapaw na garapong taho na ito).

Nakakapagpasakit daw nang tuhod at kasu-kasuan ang taho dahil sa taas nang uric acid nang pagkaing ito, pero di ko naman naramdaman ang kahit anong kirot sa kahit saang joints.

Aaah, isang garapong taho, bibilhin kitang muli. 

Aahh, Chocomani!

This is the ChocoMani being used by Red Ribbon in their Choc-o-nut roll.

Chocnut apparently is too big for Red Ribbon and they refused to serve Red Ribbon's needed flavor.

I tried Chocomani earlier this morning, and it tastes nuttier-better than Chocnut. Could this be a case of a key employee of Chonut leaving for ChocoMani?

I also like Chocomani's jumbo size. It provides the right amount of dose to jolt anyone's flatlining office afternoons.

Though I wish it should add more mani to the bar. Let the natural sweetness of the nut blend-in. Do not artificially infuse with tons of sugar!

Aahh, Chocnut

It’s always good to start a day with two bars of Chocnut. The nutty-sweetness taste is always a welcome jolt in the morning.

And then it also reminds you that this delicacy is ours. It’s Filipino. (In the famous Intramuros Tour by Carlos Celdran, this candy is being served, and the tourist love them).

Lately though, I seem to be getting pcs which are too sweet. Damn to sweet. I hope the Chocnut makers get their QA right and bring consistently nuttier flavor than those that plain kill us with sugar. Don’t let that Chinese peanut bar (which may have melamine, btw) beat our icon. 

Bistro Coron

In Coron, you only need one place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This restaurant is called...

In BISTRO CORON, the food is differently delicioso, sumptuously surprising on most cases, gourmet-like plated food choices which are not available widely. Bottom-line, something that you don’t see and eat in Manila everyday, ever month, every week (unless you live in Forbes). Even if you order an ordinary bolognese spaghetti, there is still a twist. Here are some examples: 

[yummy, big hotdog schnitzel]. 

this bolognese has a deliciously strong herb taste. 

(this pizza has raw egg put on the center. crust is also a bit soft in the center; different from restaurants in manila)

(even this pinoy fare has a delicious twist with the herb and soupy concoction added)  

A peek at the kitchen (from the small window) shows a full range of cooking armaments, giving the guests a clue of the serious food conjuring that happens inside.

(see also the full-fledged automatic fryer a la the chickenjoy machine in jollibee)

The menu is a tackily laminated print-out of a deskjet, which will probably mislead some on the “seriousness” of the meal. Bistro Coron will not serve you a plated carinderia or fast-food food. 

The menu also shows a prices a bit on the high side, but look into the other table the moment you arrive.When you see that the servings are easily good for two (e.g. the smallest pizza at 190 PhP serve 3 males), you will believe the price is well worth it.  

Another plus: you wont be able to sample everything even if you stay one week in Coron. There's just so many in the menu. We wonder how this small bistro keeps stock of all the raw materials needed everyday to have all these selections ready (although we see some note in the menu that some items need to be ordered a day ahead). 

The place is owned by Bruno, a retired anthropologist. You can see him having drinks at the bar after cooking some of the meals--probably some in the menu that still interests him, or a fare that he wants to keep consistent quality and plating of. We werent able to shake the hands of the chef because he is busy chatting with [perhaps] personal guests. 

Ah, some caveats: the pizza takes time to prepare, and the place gets full during meal hours, so be in early especially if you want pizza.

Bottomline, we'll sum it this way: To have these cuisines in Manila will cost you easily 5-fold than the price here. So each dinner or lunch is like profiting 4-fold in experience and taste. A visit to Coron is not complete without a meal in the town's famous 'Bistro.' That's for sure. 

Treatise sa Masarap na Halo Halo

Ang hindi ko maintindihan ay kung bakit hindi gawing masarap nang lahat nang nagtitinda nang halo-halo ang kanilang kanya-kanyang halo-halo na inaalok sa publiko. Hindi na sikreto ang mga nagpapasarap sa masarap na halo-halo. Kayhirap naman talaga itago ang rekado nang halo-halo, at sigurado kong lantad na ang mga nagpapasarap ditto. Ito ang mga panuntunan na ito ang magpapa-heaven nang isang halo-halo, ayon sa aking masusing paninikim:

1) Hindi dapat lagyan nang asukal ang halo-halo. Ang tamis ay kailangang manggaling sa sariling malapot na sabaw nang mga sangkap. Ang pinakamasarap na minatamis na katas ay yaong sa saging, o yaong sa pinakamalapot na krema nang macapuno--para pa ngang nagiging lapot nang masarap na semi-icecream o parfait ang dating pag mahusay ang pagkakaluto nang macapuno. Pwede ring sa makremang leche flan (na madaling madurog), o sa ube, o kaya sa ice cream, ang magdulot nang tamis sa halo-halo. Ang prublema lang ay pag ang customer ay pinipilit na kainin ang leche flan, ube, o ice cream (na karaniwang nakatumpok ibabaw) nang hiwalay, at hindi haluin sila sa halo-halo. Pero anupaman, muli, hindi dapat sa asukal manggaling ang tamis nang halo-halo. At pinakanakakabwisit ay ang tinderang sobrang galit maglagay nang asukal. Parang nasa isip nang tindera na babawiin siguro nang kakulangan nang sarap nang kanyang halo-halo ang paglagay nang sangkatutak na asukal. Mali iyon. Mali!

2) Ang pinakasusunod na nakakabwisit sa halo-halo ay kapag ang yelo ay sinlalaki nang graba! Ay ideyal ay pinong-pinong parang buhangin dapat ang pagkakakayas nang yelo. At dapat kayasin lamang ito kapag ihahain na ang halo-halo, para hindi pagdikit-dikit ang magbloke-bloke muli ang yelo na nakaayas na dapat, pero natengga.

3) Ang gatas ay hindi dapat tipirin. Ang gatas at tamis nang katas (tignan ang numero 1) ang bubuhay sa sabaw nang halo-halo.

4) Hindi mo mapapasaya ang lahat nang customer sa kombinasyon nang sangkap. Ibig sabihin, walang isang tamang kombinasyon. Merong likas na di kumakain nang pinipig, may maarte namang di kumakain nang kaong. Pero walang may gusto na halos naglalakihang sago at gulaman lamang ang sangkap nang halo-halo. May mga halo-halong masyadong tinipid na di mo na mahanting sa loob ang kakarampot na beans at nata. Katarantaduhan! Kasi pag ganito, dapat bumili na lamang nang gulaman at sago na may gatas ang customer!

5) Bagamat di lahat nang tao ay kumakain nang beans, pulang munggo, at nata, dapat meron nito ang halo-halo. Unang-una, nakakapagpaganda sya sa hitsura nang transparent na baso nang halo-halo. Sila ang nagsasabi sa isang tingin pa lang na, "oy, halo-halo kami!" Ang mga kakilala kong hindi kumakain nang beans ay tanggap na sila ang may diprensya, at nag-eenjoy sila sa pag-iwas sa beans. Nag-eenjoy din ako sa pagkuha nang beans at munggo mula sa kanila.

6) Ngayon, ayon sa nakasaad sa numero 5), matatawag bang halo-halo ang halo-halo sa Razon's? Masarap nga yaon, dahil ginamit ang macapuno na pampatamis ayon sa number 1), pero hindi matatawag na isang full-fledged na halo-halo ang sa Razon. At sa tingin ko, tanggap din nang mga taga-Razon na di solido ang kanilang mga halo-halo. Talagang sinadya nila ang ganito para magkaroon nang ika nga "niche" sa larangan nang pag-ha-halo-halo. Beri gud na rin para sa industriya.

7) Hindi dapat ituring na awtomatikong comfort food ang halo-halo. Maaari siyang pagmulan nang sustansya at kuhanan nang carbo load kung mamarapatin. At sinabi na nga sa number 1), hindi kailangang patayin sa tamis ang halo-halo.

8) Maraming may ayaw nang pinipig, at pasosyal na conflakes ang ginagamit na pamalit. Kailangang irespeto ang kanya-kanyang gusto, pero hanggang maaari irespeto rin sana ang halo-halo bilang isang pagkaing pinoy. Isa ang pinipig sa nakakapagpapilipino nang halo-halo. Sa Mountain Province, nakatikim din ako nang minatamis na macaroni na sangkap sa halo-halo. Ang macaroni ay pagkaing-italyano, pero mayroong isang pinoy na nakaisip na matamisin sya, gawing kakaiba, parang wirdo, pero masarap, tinirang innovation, nakakatuwa, inampon, at isinapilipino. Sa tour nga nang sikat na si Carlos Celdran sa Intramuros na aming napuntahan, inksplika nya na ang halo-halo ay sumasalamin sa atin bilang mix-mix na kultura. At bilang simbolismo, naghahain sya nang halo-halo sa pagtatapos nang kanyang tour, biruin mo.

9) Nuong aking kamusmusan, mas inuuna kong ubusin ang sabaw bago kainin ang mga sangkap. Iniiwasan ko pa ngang masama ang pinipig sa aking pag-inom. Kailangang makita kong sama-sama ang sangkap bago ko sila kutsarahin. At sabi ko sa mga kalaro at kamag-anak, bakit ba hindi nyo ko gayahin? Bakit ganyan kayo (na pilit hinuhuli at inuubos ang sangkap bago inumin ang sabaw). Subalit ngayon, wala nang pagtatalo. Mukhang kailangan talagang tirahin muna ang sangkap, bago inumin. Sumasalamin ito sa pagkain muna nang kanin bago uminom nang tubig pampawi nang uhaw (isa pang rason kaya di dapat talaga sobrang tamis nang halo-halo!). Kailangan ding unahin ang sangkap para bigyan nang panahon na matunaw ang yelo nang husto, at inumin nang isang tiradang malamiiig. Kasarap.

10) Nakakapagparelax ang isang masarap na halo-halo. Kapang masarap na tunay ang isang halo-halo, no match maski ilan mang pasosyal at pagkamahal na tasa nang istarbaks.

Tunay na masarap!

Ang magic ng tuyo ay syempre, mapaparami ka nang kanin... 

Nakakatakam talaga pati ang scrambled na itlog na galing sa native na inahin. 

Is this photoshopped?

Possible connotations:

• Fat + Stupid = Happy 
• Or "Fat, Stupid, But Happy"
• Philippines is unique for loving our own Fat Bee

Lunch of a cubicle dweller

FATTY PORK ADOBO

KOREAN EGGPLANT SOMETHING SOMETHING

Costs 60 pesos each. Cooked in the morning, ready by 10am. By 12NN, when you order, store pops it in a microwave for 30 seconds... then good to chow.

It's not that bad (in taste) as it looks, though. And still a source of nourishment that you need for the afternoon office action.