ABE'S FARM / MARCH 26,2011 =)

With our recent road trip to Pampanga leaving us wanting for more, Hubby Sweet decided to use his one weekend off to go back. There were so many other places on the list that we have not yet gone to, but this particular weekend, he decided to reserve for Abe's Farm. Our original roadtrip for two eventually expanded to include Father, Sister Pusjing, Bro-in-Law G-Genius and Patita. Mother was feeling under the weather and decided to stay home in House Better. Bro I-gue and fam had somewhere else to go to. We also invited Panet (Eduardo's Executive Chef ;D), but she sadly had to go to work. Oh, well. Next time.

Abe's Farm is part of the LJC Group of Restaurants, and I suppose, among all the restaurants under its wing (Cafe Havana, Cafe Adriatico, Cafe Remedios, Fely J, Lorenzo's Way, Larry's Bar, etc.), the Farm is the showcase for everything that is important to its founder. First, it is quite a drive from Manila (take the NLEX, exit in Angeles. At the rotonda, choose the node that will take you down Magalang Ave., go straight until you hit Petron, turn left, then turn right on the first block, go straight until you hit an Munisipyo / Agricultural school, then just go down the offroad until you see the sign). It's pretty easy to find (much easier than Everybody's Cafe, haha), but it is far. Have you ever travelled with a kid in tow? Never mind that Patita is actually an adult in the body of a 7-year-old. The entire trip, we had to keep her entertained because as soon as she had time to think, the inevitable comes up: "Are we there yet?", followed by permutations of "How much farther?" and "How much longer?" Hahaha. =) The fact that the trip was worth it, however, can be seen in the way Patita lit up as soon as the farm gates were opened to let us in.

Now, be warned that the food at Abe's Farm is exactly the same as the one they serve in the Serendra outlet and in some of the other LJC restaurants. I put that up front so that you can manage your expectations (and in case you're the type who would go, "I travelled this far for food I can actually order in Manila?!"). That said, LJC food is good in any of its Manila branches, but it is much better enjoyed in the sanctuary that is Abe's Farm. (Same taste, different ambience, haha.) For this trip, we enjoyed the usual suspects, and then some. =)

Chicharon Bulaklak. No trip to any LJC restaurant is complete without it. There was a debate as to whether we should order only one (health advocates) or two (realists, haha). We decided on two, taking into consideration that we had both Hubby Sweet and G-Genius present at the table. Good call! The pic below is only half a serving. It was half-finished by the time I managed to get a pic. Like I said, two servings, good call! Haha. =)

Pako (Fern) Salad. Now the LJC group is not particularly known for this type of salad, but truth be told, I've always been intrigued by it ever since I read an article about how Patis Tesoro's guests would automatically look for it everytime they visited Kusina Salud. I therefore welcomed the opportunity to finally satisfy my curiosity. I figured, net of the dressing, what I really wanted to check out was how a fern would taste like. I tried. OK lang. I did not particularly like it. Haha. It was a bit "slimy" and I generally don't like slimy food (think okra and some types of seaweeds). Thought balloon: hala, curiosity killed the cat. Haha. =D

Kamaru. We rounded up the appetizers with this Pampanga delicacy (which, I think, is not served in any of the Manila restaurants.) Father and Hubby Sweet immediately dug in. G-Genius and Sister Pusjing decided to take a moment to collect their bearings before trying it. Patita was adamant. No. Haha. =D Still, the crickets at Abe's Farm looked less Fear-Factor worthy than those we tried at Everybody's Cafe. They were smaller, less plump and roasted much drier, plus the "adobo seasoning" at Abe's was much stronger compared to EC's sauteed version so the natural woody taste was a bit more masked and subdued.

Binukadkad na Plapla. We moved on to the main course with this. The men raved about the mustasa and balaw-balaw that was served with it, rolling the fermented rice in the mustard leaves and popping them into their mouths in quick succession. Sister Pusjing and I gladly gave up our "share" as we did not see the point in eating (even trying!) fermented rice. =D

Gising-gising. We enjoyed our fried fish instead with this recipe of chopped up Baguio beans (or was it kangkong) with coco cream and--I'm fairly sure--a dash of bagoong and siling haba. I happen to think that gising-gising is eaten best with grilled meat, but we decided to stay away from dishes we can cook at home. Once the mustasa and balaw-balaw were wiped out, the men moved on to help us with this one. =)

Tidtad. The other native Pampanga dish ordered from the menu. It is a drier version of dinuguan. Love. Enough said. =)

Lamb Adobo. Rounding up the main dishes is another LJC specialty which G-Genius insisted on ordering. I do remember devouring Adobong Kambing in Cafe Havana with BFFs Cheffy and Mrs. Smith during The Wander Years, and actually looked forward to giving this dish a go. I loved, but I still think I like the Adobong Kambing version better. (Then again, the darn adobong kambing did not have to compete with other great dishes on the same table, haha.)

We also ordered Bicol Express but were unpleasantly surprised to find out that it was a Vegetarian version. Gulay only. No meat. Ngyar. =S

Cups of coffee and tea, served with shared dessert plates of Buko-Pandan, Sticky Rice with Mangoes and Banana-Ube Halaya Turon capped our lunch off. (Forgot to take pics, sorry. =))Busog to the max, we each wanted to sequester some of the daybeds that were made available for the guests in some of the sections of the house. Patita, unfortunately, beat us to the one nearest our table. Nancy Drew in hand, she seemed content with reading the afternoon away.

The adults decided to walk what felt like a ton of food settling in our stomachs. Roaming around, it no longer surprised me to find Hubby Sweet clowning around with the staff. Seeing them clown around with him made me realize that Abe's Farm is less of a restaurant than it is a house that we have been "allowed" to visit. =)

Beyond the menu, what made the trip worthwhile is the place itself. This was the view of the grounds from the dining area.

After lunch, guests can choose to laze around and read....

Or play pool.......

Or just explore the the grounds.......

...to eventually find your own sweet spot where you can choose to sleep an entire afternoon away. Nurture Spa actually operates within the farm, but we ran out of time. Next time, maybe. =)

My favorite activity in places like these? Walk around and take as much of it in. Oh, and yes. Dream. Dream that somehow, someday, I am going to spend my retirement years in a place just like it. Yey. =D

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Abe's Farm sits at the foot of Mt. Arayat. For inquiries and reservations, call (045) 8651930 or visit their website for more details. =)

FOOD TRIP: PAMPANGA, PART 2 / MARCH 4,2011 =)

Tummies full, Hubby Sweet and I decided to head out again, this time to Angeles where all the other stops seemed to be. We had a single objective: Aling Lucing's, the birthplace of the most revered of Filipino beer chow. If we could, we'd have lunch there. (The magazine article specified that it only opens 5:00 p.m. onwards.) It was only 10:45 on our watch. Would we really want to wait for dusk just to try it and brave the horrendous EDSA rush hour traffic once we enter Manila? We decided to just "cross the bridge" when we get there (all pun intended). For now, it would be good to just head on back to the NLEX.

Midway, we decided we were still too full to go straight to lunch so we decided to check out the Duty-Free shops in Clark. Instead of exiting in Angeles, we decided to exit in Dau instead. Three salescons and several ocular trips have taught me that, from the Dau exit, the Clark Airbase Main Gate is just a stoplight and a left turn away (allowing us to also skip the Angeles town proper traffic).

Now it must be said that whereas 10 years ago, one could spend an entire day skipping from one duty-free shop to the next, only Puregold seems to be thriving inside Clark these days. All the others have been boarded up, and even the selection in Puregold is a fraction of what it used to be. I suppose with all the "PX Goods" now being readily available in any Metro Manila supermarket (yes, kids, there was a time we had to travel far for a pack of Pringles and Chips Ahoy =)), the only advantage of duty-free shopping is its price. (For reference, a can of Spam is only P84.00 in Clark against the P100+ in Robinson's Pioneer). In any case, since we know how crazy duty-free shopping could be, I set a $100 limit for this particular trip. Once we go over, we have to start putting stuff back. (We must be prudent in anticipation of the House Mahogany turnover.)

Still, our big discovery on this trip wouldn't be the imported goods inside, but the adorable puppies being sold on a shopping cart outside the Puregold entrance. Hubby Sweet automatically gravitated toward the pups; I stayed a good distance (thus, no pictures). I knew it would be heart-wrenching to see the puppies and choose not to bring any of them home. Heck, it would've been heart-wrenching to bring home only one instead of all of them! When Hubby Sweet walked back, he quite expectedly, was begging to bring home a pup.

"They're a cross between a collie and a malamute. Bred and born in Baguio. Blue ang eyes. No papers nga lang, but P1,000.00 lang, Tweet. P1,000.00 lang! Banzo would have a proper playmate," he declared smugly.

I looked at him and momentarily thought, "Well, birthday naman niya....", but got hold of myself just in time.

"We could save one more puppy, Tweet!" he exclaimed, knowing exactly which heartstrings to pull.

"We've saved enough puppies for now," I said, walking away, mustering all the willpower that I had, lest I rush over to the Ale to buy an entire shopping cart full of Collie-Malamute mix-bred pups. Hay! =S Still, I tagged the place in my mind for the next time we get crazy enough to add another pup to our, uh, growing family. =)

We walked down each aisle quite leisurely as we saw it as a good way to let our heavy San Fernando breakfast go down. $105.00 later, we walked out with several bags filled with mostly hard-to-find Asian condiments and a few other stuff we would be hard-pressed to find in Manila. Everything else that we could buy in Robinson's Pioneer, we decided to leave behind. It was time to head out to the "railroad", the only landmark reference for our sisig quest.

Quite expectedly, as we drove out of the Clark Main Gate and asked for directions to Aling Lucing, we got a "derecho lang hanggang lampas ng tulay, tapos dun sa kalyeng pwede kang kumanan o kumaliwa (which we interpreted to be the first big intersection after the bridge =)), kumaliwa kayo. Malapit sa riles." Easy enough. Yes...=)

We arrived at Aling Lucing's to find no customers and only the "boy" mopping the floors. Uh-oh...not a good sign. Maybe they do really open only at 5:00 p.m.

"Kuya!!! Bukas ba kayo?" I called out through a rolled-down window. We had a back-up plan to go for any other Pampanga sisig, but we were hoping that we would get to try the one sisig that really mattered.

"Opo," he nodded. Yey!

Apparently, Aling Lucing is usually open for lunch, but primarily only for the "turo-turo / binalot" dishes that were laid out in several chafing dishes.

"Sisig, Kuya," I haltingly asked, "Meron?"

"Meron pa," he grinned. Yey!

That said, we ordered sisig, 2 cups of rice and a bottle of regular Coke and a bottle of Royal. (Kuya looked at me weirdly when I asked for Coke Light. Haha.)

When he laid down the sizzling plate, we got too excited and automatically dug in. It was only when we were halfway through that I realized I forgot to take a pic. Ay! =D (Must take pic from a different angle then, haha. =))

In No Reservations: Philippines, Anthony Bourdain declared, "For me, the Come-to-Mama-Moment of my trip so far is that most-loved of Filipino street foods, the strangely addictive, sizzling-hot melange of hacked-up pork face--a crispy, chewy, spicy, savory and all-together damn wonderful melange of textures that just sings. Everything I like on a smoking-hot sizzle platter. Oh, sweet symphony of pig parts. Oh, yes! The fierce love, the misty-eyed reminisces of Filipinos in the U.S. looking back on the food of their country, Sisig always comes up first and most emotionally, and I completely understand why...This is magical stuff. It's genius....This is just awesome. One more."

What a wonderful way to describe the experience that is Aling Lucing's Sisig. How particularly apt too . Even more impressive when you think that the late Aling Lucing did not really have any formal culinary training and only invented the dish from all the "free pig heads and excess onions" that used to be given away regularly at the nearby Clark Airbase. And yet with her one practical "invention", she has changed the way Filipinos eat and drink--not just in Pampanga, but practically everywhere else in the archipelago.

One serving wasn't enough for Anthony Bourdain. Neither was it for us. We had to order one more. =D Midway through the second, we decided to bring another serving home for dinner. Sadly, they had run out.

"Ubos na po eh," Kuya apologized, "Pag hapon po kase siya niluluto."

A father and daughter (who also looked like they were also from Manila) then arrived, looking to order sisig. The look of disappointment on their faces upon being told that the sisig had run out was directly proportional to the realization of just how lucky we were. We wanted one more, but there was no more. Oh, well. We'd be back again next time. Definitely. =)

Next on the agenda was a trip to Nepo Mart where all the landmark shops for native candies and kakanin seemed to be located. Susie's Cuisine for native kakanin; Rosie's Candy for supposedly really good pastillas. We decided to go there first before proceeding to the other food destination on our list, Armando's Pizzeria, where we had earlier decided to take our afternoon merienda.

We had to contend with traffic going to Nepo Mart, but it was something to be expected along provincial roads that lead to the palengkes. The palengkes are to the provincial folks as the malls are to Manilenos (never mind that Pampanga is more progressive than most provinces). The chaos brought about not just by cars, but also by people walking to and fro made it difficult for us to find our destination. In fact, we had almost passed Susie's Cuisine before Hubby Sweet spotted it from his peripheral vision.

The steady stream of people coming in and out of Susie's seemed to validate the article's declaration that it was the go-to place for native kakanin. Hubby Sweet and I walked in to find the dining area with only a few empty seats left. Taking our cue from the people who walked in before us, we headed straight to the counter to check out the goods and place our orders.

We decided to take a sampler of the kakanins that intrigued us among the seeming million-and-one varieties (I exaggerate, of course) that were laid out for people to choose from.

Being a Cassava Cake Monster, Hubby Sweet just had to ask for a slice. It was good, but we both agreed that we have tasted better cassava cake elsewhere. We liked our cassava cake a bit more sinful. We wanted it a tad more chewy, with a topping so buttery, one's lips would glisten with it.

If the Hubby had cassava cake as a must-try, I had Bibingkang Kanin as mine. See, the dish always evoked holiday memories as it is part of the usual Christmas spread at Eduardo's (our ancestral home). I suppose it is convenient to have an entire bilao ready to be served as friends and family arrive for the usual Christmas visit. That said, I take my bibingkang kanin seriously, and the one at Susie's--while good--cannot hold a candle to the one we usually devour over the holidays. I prefer my bibingkang kanin much softer, and the latik topping much thicker (and consequently more indulgent =)) than Susie's version. Susie's version looked good though. =)

Next on the list of our must-try was the Mochi. We ordered it because I've heard so much about it at the office. Everytime there is scheduled trade visit to Pampanga, someone inevitably requests for mochi as pasalubong. I do remember tasting a portion once and liking it. (I only tasted a portion because it was a limited edition pasalubong and would therefore have to be rationed. =)) Mochi is sweet coconut (not quite bukayo but almost) and red beans wrapped in glutinous rice. Each is served topped with a generous serving of coco cream. Think deconstructed Ginataang Bilo-bilo, but simpler. It is pure love (if you choose to ignore the fact that too much of it would also lead to major love handles). =)

Our primary objective for the visit to Susie's Cuisine, however, was Tibok-Tibok, a type of kakanin so named because it supposedly jiggles like a beating heart when it is transported. The article sang praises to it and confidently declared that no other version comes close to Susie's.


I admittedly had low expectations as I thought it would only be akin to...uh...maja blanca (which I am not particularly fond of). A single forkful, however, was enough to turn me into a convert. It was the farthest thing from maja blanca. It was milky in taste, silky in texture. Think panna cotta, but lighter, with a distinctly Filipino taste. I would soon find out that the distinct taste comes from carabao's milk, laced with dayap. The dried coconut sprinkles broke through the creaminess and was particularly helpful in lessening the dish' potential for being cloying. Hubby Sweet and I wanted to bring some back to Manila for the usual Sunday get-together at Eduardo's, but were told that it does not really keep too long even when it is refrigerated. We decided to bring home Mochi instead.

We walked around Nepo Mart after Susie's, and quickly realized that it would take a lot to burn everything we've eaten so far that day. We decided to put off everything else on our list for another trip. We checked the time. A little past 4:00 p.m. Right enough to get back to Manila before the major rush hour traffic hits.

Everything else would have to wait until the next trip, Pampanga. Don't you worry. We'll be back soon. =)

FOOD TRIP: PAMPANGA, PART 1 / MARCH 4,2011 =)

With "plated food" coming out of the Hubby's ears, his birthday celebration had to be somewhere other than any Metro Manila restaurant. Whereas our past food adventures were about trying the latest Chinese, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, Persian, etc., etc. restaurant in the metro, Hubby Sweet was, this time, craving for something simpler. Something more basic. Something closer to the roots.

Inspiration came in the form of a complimentary copy of Food Magazine that was lying around in House Pioneer. A road trip! A food trip! Yessssssssssss. =D We haven't gone on one in ages (largely due to the vast difference in our scheds), and it seemed like the perfect time to go on. VL's were filed (it was the only way, really, we could sync our schedules these days). With nothing but a magazine on hand, we set off early Friday a.m.

Driving down the NLEX was a breeze (if a bit expensive). We were adamant about getting to Pampanga in time for breakfast, but a series of road signs leading to the Barasoain Church proved intriguing. Hubby Sweet decided it was just right for him to visit a church on his birthday, and he supposed the Barasoain Church would be as good as any other church. To cut a long story short, we got lost. A few stops, a few turns and a few u-turns (on a very wide highway!) later, we found ourselves on a very narrow street (like a barangay road, really) which was supposed to lead us to the historic church.

"Goodness," I thought, "Traffic must have been horrendous here when Erap decided to take his oath as the President of the Republic."

We arrived to find several busloads of high school students on a field trip. I suppose it's par for the course since the church was the site of the Malolos Constitution (that of the first Philippine Republic). As with most teenagers, however, the significance of the church was lost on them, as they seemed keen only on taking group photos beside the massive church doors in "Japan-Japan" poses. Haha.

In any case, the Hubby and I were there for a different matter entirely so we proceeded inside. Having said our prayers, we did proceed to walk around. There is something about old churches and old buildings that fascinate me. It always makes me wonder about how it was to live in a different (albeit, not necessarily better) time. More gentle, I suppose, yes, but also more restricted. I don't think I would have survived.

Before deciding to go, we also took pictures of the structures as pegs for the time when Hubby Sweet finally gets around to restoring the house he grew up in in Marinduque.

Now, if we got lost trying to get to Barasoain, we got even more lost trying to get back to the NLEX! Naku! Apparently, unlike the SLEX were the entry/exit points are matched on opposite sides of the road, that for the north version is slightly more complex. After a few starts and stops for directions (some correct, some not), we finally found ourselves crossing the bridge that would get us back on track. (Apparently, bridges are big as far as landmarks go as all the directions we received on this trip were in permutations of "bago mag-tulay", "pagkatapos ng tulay", "sa ilalim ng tulay", etc., etc. =))

We had earlier decided to eat breakfast in Everybody's Cafe. It was the home of authentic Pampanga cuisine, the article declared, listing two branches: one along McArthur Highway in San Fernando, the other in Nepo Mart in Angeles. I suggested that we go straight to Angeles since all other "stops" seemed to be close to the area, but Hubby was adamant about going for the original place in San Fernando.

Thus, "Along McArthur Highway" was all we had to go with. We both thought that would be simple enough, until we realized we have passed all the buildings and were already traversing on a wide highway with open fields on either side. Hubby Sweet decided to stop at a nearby precinct and asked Mamang Pulis for directions. True enough, we overshot in a major way and they advised us to drive back to town and ask for directions. A few stops and starts and a "wag kayong aakyat ng tulay, sa ilalim kayo dumaan, kanan tapos sa rotonda kaliwa" later, we found ourselves in front of an old house that looked like the 70's version of Boots Anson Roa would choose to live in. (OK, I apparently watched too many Tagalog afternoon movies as a kid. ;p) It was 9:30 a.m.--way past our normal breakfast hours, but we, at least, have finally arrived.

The people at Everybody's Cafe are the nicest people in the world. They had none of the airs about things being a certain way because that's how it's done. Surveying the turo-turo line-up, we asked how big the servings are, and were told that they were good enough for two. Yikes! =S We explained to the good Ate that we were actually on a road trip, showed her the mag, and really wanted to try as much of their cuisine as we could. Being only two, it would be virtually impossible for us to do so if we got the regular serving sizes. Her face lit up at our story, and smiling, she said, "Sige, pwede siguro small size na lang. Para lahat ma-try niyo." Yey! ^_^ And so it goes that we had these authentic Pampangueno dishes for breakfast.

Tapang Damulag. Sweet-sour cured carabao meat. Every restaurant in Pampanga probably has their own version, but the one in Everybody's Cafe is wonderfully balanced. Not too sweet. Not too sour. Not too gamey. Perfect! =) We also ordered homemade longganisa, but I forgot to take a picture. Caramelized perfectly, that one is also a must-try!

Kilain. Pampanga's version of adobo, but without the soy sauce--made with pork cube, liver and lungs. I also wanted to try the adobong dumara (wild duck), but the duck was too big and I realized we wouldn't have enough space for it. Next time. Next time. =)

Dinuguan. It was the Pampanga version with the blood coagulated as opposed to being added as part of the soup. We really should have skipped it because it tasted too close to the Kilain (save for the interesting flavor bouquet that Hubby Sweet said came from the innards), but the Hubby is a dinuguan monster. Oh, well. For the record, it was good, but it shouldn't be ordered in the same meal as the Kilain. =)

Mechado. This one was recommended by Ate, supposedly because it was one of their specialties. We decided to try it because, unlike the Mechado we grew up with, this one did not have any tomato sauce nor did we see any beef cubes. We thought it might be closer to Morcon, but wondered about why it was wrapped in I-forgot-what-it's-called which is usually used for wrapping embotido or longganisa. When it was served, we discovered why. It is so because it is a form of embotido, but saltier, more flavorful.

Now what kind of foodies would we be if we went all the way to San Fernando to try authentic Pampangueno cuisine and didn't order these? =D

Betuteh. Stuffed Frog. Yes. It's breakfast, Fear Factor edition. Still, I do remember being forced to try deep-fried frog's legs when I was a kid because one of my aunts (who married a blood-tito) was Pampanguena. I do remember thinking it wasn't half-bad--that with eyes closed, one can actually fool herself into thinking she's only eating a chicken wing. But stuffed frog, I haven't tried. Especially since it was stuffed to look like a whole frog and goodness knows what they stuffed it with.

Ah, heck! Hubby Sweet just ripped the frog open and dug in. I watched him, waiting for him to lurch, but his eyes lit up.

"Masarap," he declared, nodding, "Not necessarily something I would choose to eat for breakfast on a regular basis, but it's not bad."

The frog was apparently stuffed with ground pork, tomatoes and aragao leaves. I dug in. Not bad really, not bad at all. Think relleno--except that this one's made with field frogs. Ngyah. =)

Oh, but my prior experience with frog's legs as a kid prepared me for the betuteh, but this...this (!), I have previously sworn I will never eat--EVER (!)--in my life. What kind of person would choose to eat an insect?! Then again, we went all the way to San Fernando, so I might as well try the other fear-factor breakfast option. Wah. =S

Kamaru. Mole-crickets, now harvested from the rice fields of Nueva Ecija (I suppose because the rice fields of Pampanga have since given way to development). Manong explained that they are actually sold in the palengkes, but those would still have the wings and limbs intact. To prepare the kamaru, the wings and limbs are taken off, then what is left is sauteed in tomatoes and onions then cooked/roasted until they are almost dry. Now, this, I really almost passed up on. I mean, really! Look at it. (OK, if you're squeamish, don't.) Still, I got it through my thick head that we drove all the way to San Fernando for an authentic experience and this (this!) is part of it.

Eyes closed, I picked one up and was half-tempted to just swallow it without chewing so I can finally lay claim to eating one without actually experiencing the grossness that has already been built in my mind. That said, my mind refused to let me cheat. My neurons probably sent some signal to my mouth because despite all my intentions, as soon as I popped one in, I automatically, almost involuntarily....chewed. @_@ It's not bad really. Actually good if you try real hard to think that you're not eating an insect. It's part-crunchy, part-chewy with a slightly woody taste (mole crickets feed on rice roots). It's like a mini-chicharon bulaklak, except higher in protein and lower in cholesterol. That said, would I eat it again? Uh, no. OK na ang one time. Haha! =D

While leisurely eating what remained of our breakfast spread, we decided to go somewhere else for dessert. There was a list of places we could go to, but they were all in Angeles, and really, we needed something closer to cap off our authentic Pampanguena breakfast. We tried calling some of the few ensaimada places in San Fernando, but a lot of them apparently listed phone details for their Manila branches and the Hubby Sweet thought it too much of a hassle to get directions to the San Fernando outlets.

Which is why we ended up at Razon's. Yey! =) We passed by it on one of the intersections along McArthur Highway while we were going around in circles trying to find Everybody's Cafe. While a kiosk now exists in Market, Market, I figured eating Razon's Halo-halo in Pampanga still counts as an authentic experience. =)

Razon's Halo-halo is relatively simple. No ice cream, no pinipig, no halaya, no beans, no langka. Just ultra-fine shaved ice, ultra-creamy leche flan, ultra-smooth macapuno and ultra-soft sweet bananas. Which is why, once you've mixed it up, every spoonful gives you a wonderfully-blended creamy dessert with an almost silky texture. None of the watery feel of coarsely-crushed ice, no need to bite on any of the ingredients. I also don't know if I'm just imagining things, but the Razon's in Pampanga tasted way better than the one I sometimes buy in Market, Market. =)

Over halo-halo, we did a quick run-through of the magazine article. With most of them talking about ensaimadas and native kakanin, we decided to just leave the rest of the San Fernando destinations for another visit. It was time to drive out again.

DESTINATION: ANGELES. Next! =D

A TASTE OF SINGAPORE =)

During our late high school and early college years, Father was based in Singapore. For practical reasons (mostly so as not to disrupt our schooling), Mother deigned it better for us to stay in Manila. Consequently, long weekends would find Father flying back home; summer and Christmas breaks would find us flying to the Lion City.

Now, I've always loved the city. Never mind that some people find it boring.

I suppose it had a lot to do with the fact that the first time we landed was in December 1988--when all of Orchard Road looked like some Christmas Giant threw up sparkles, lights and decors all over the buildings and trees. It was so festive, you'd think the primary religion was Christianity when it was really not. Never mind that Singapore did it for the tourists, I do remember the scene automatically dispelling the melancholy I felt about being away from the clan on a holiday that we, as a family, usually spend with them.

I suppose it also had a lot to do with the fact that Singapore was, for lack of a better term, efficient. And clean. And orderly. And green. And smoke-free. And everything else that I wished Manila could be--if only we had the political will and commitment to do it. It's not from a lack of trying. I'm not sure if you actually noticed that, with every change in administration, trees inevitably get planted along the main roads, and signs are put up proclaiming the "Greening of Metro Manila"--only to find the same trees wilted and covered with dust a month later. The thing is, we treat the trees as decor, when we ought to treat them as a commitment. (Sidenote: I'm glad that they actually passed a law that requires people to pay extra for shopping bags every Wednesday; it's, at least, a good start.) To say that I was fascinated with the city transforming itself from an urban jungle into a garden state was an understatement. I suppose though, it is really much easier to focus on "aesthetics" when one does not need to worry about having to feed practically 80% of its population.

I digress.

The other thing I loved about Singapore is the food. I have yet to eat anything there that I did not like. Weekends would inevitably find us in one of the Hawker's Centers each downing a bowl of Hainanese Chicken Rice and wolfing down Chili Crabs like there was no tomorrow. Good food. Good price. =)

Which leads me to the point of this post. Good Chili Crabs, one can find in Manila. Good Hainanese Chicken Rice is not as easy to find.

I serendipitously came upon really good Chicken Rice at the old Philippine Plaza coffee shop, but I don't think they retained it in the menu after they renovated the coffee shop into Spiral. People tell me that there is this restaurant in front of Pan Pacific in Malete where they serve authentic Chicken Rice (the Chef is Singaporean), but they said it's quite pricey. Besides, I no longer have the patience to weave through Malate traffic, much less the patience to find a decent/relatively safe parking space--at least no longer at the levels I used to have during the Wander Years. I also tried the Chicken Rice at Makansutra at the Manila Ocean Park, but it was only "OK lang" and failed to live up to my high hopes. During one stop at Edsa Shang, Hubby Sweet and I also decided to try the version at Penang Hill. Two words: STAY AWAY. Variation to the two words: DON'T TRY. I wanted to cry after trying that version. Naku! =D

Father has since moved from Singapore to Glendale then back to Manila, and yet the family's craving for a decent Chicken Rice has remained. I mean, it is not really too big of an expectation really. Our thinking was that we used to eat good Chicken Rice in the hawker's centers (which is a levelled-up version of the local carinderia). How can the local restaurants not get it right?

Well, someone finally did! =)

Cousin-in-law Mi was the first person who asked me to try it. I think the owner was a personal friend. Admittedly though, I have not gotten around to it, until last June when we were originally supposed to go out for Father's Day, but had to cancel because Mother was not feeling well the entire week. It was a sort of Eureka moment when the idea of ordering Hainanese Chicken Rice for take-out danced around like a lightbulb in my head.

Stevie's Hainanese Chicken Rice to the rescue! =)

I had to scramble around the internet to find the contact details because I couldn't find Mi's original email, what with all the junk in my inbox. I did not have a hard time because, apparently, in the time between Mi's original email and me finally getting around to actually trying it, most of the leading bloggers in Manila have already had their fill and were singing high praises to it. (Click on the link for the posted reviews on Dessert Comes First and Market Manila.) All the reviews got me even more excited. Yey! ^_^

Calling was easy enough. With the entire family (including yayas) descending on House Better for Father's Day, we ordered four orders. On the side, Sister Pusjing decided they will also drop by Pixie's to get several orders of their much-raved about inihaw na bangus. I gave them an 11:00 am pick-up time, and asked Sister Pusjing to pass by for it on their way to House Better. All set. =)

Except that come Sunday, it was already way past 11:30 am and Sister Pusjing and family were nowhere near House Better. I gave them directions to Stevie's (go to the Bel-Air gate near Shell Buendia), but apparently they did not need it. There was a looooooong line outside--about 20 cars or so--all waiting for their orders! Naku. =D They finally got to House Better at 12:30 with 7-year old Patita declaring as soon as she stepped through the front door, "That Chicken Rice is sheer torture!" Hahaha. As Sister Pusjing explained, it soon became clear that she wasn't referring to the long line and the long wait. Apparently, the entire trip home, the scent of the Chicken Rice wafted through the car and Patita had to endure the entire trip smelling it, but having to wait to get to House Better before she can eat it. Haha! ;D

Stevie's did not disappoint (although, when I first saw it, I thought, "Ay, mas maraming chicken kesa rice!" Haha. How plebian. =))

The chicken was moist and flavorful. I was a bit surprised to find it "swimming in broth" as I was used to the Hainanese Chicken already being served "dry" on top of the rice. Still, no biggie. We all used the broth as "soup" of sorts to top our rice. Haha.

Oh, the rice. Fragrant, flavorful, jasmine rice. None of the cheap kind that comes out either hard or clumpy. Good Hainanese Chicken Rice lives and dies by the quality of the rice, and Stevie (naks, parang kilala ko siya, haha) made sure that their rice lived up to expectations.

The entire set came with traditional dipping sauces: smashed ginger in sesame oil, chili sauce (which was not to spicy actually =(), and the sweet-salty soy sauce mix.

It also came with a glazing sauce which we were supposed to pour over the chicken if we wanted to reheat it. It was supposed to prevent the chicken from drying up (which also, by the way, explained why the chicken was set in broth still).

Reheat? We did not. We did not even re-plate. Haha. The entire thing (aluminum trays, plastic cups and all) were placed on the lazy Susan soon as it arrived. Game na ang lunch agad.

I will keep a secret how long it took for us to finish the entire thing. Haha! ;D

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If you want to try Stevie's Hainanese Chicken Rice To Go, call 0906-5084155. It's P950 per set (at the time we bought anyway), good for 4 people. =) Go. Now na. ;p

DOS PALMAS TWICE OVER / 2006 & 2009 =)

I fell in love with Puerto Princesa the first time I went there. I suppose it had a lot to do with the fact that I was starry-eyed-looking-at-love-through-rose-colored-glasses-in-love the first time I went there.

It was soon after Hubby Sweet and I got married, back in 2006. Having separately travelled to different places with other people during our individual Wander Years, we had decided to go someplace neither of us had been to before. Given time and budget constraints back then, it was quite serendipitous that we discovered Dos Palmas.

The resort was, at that time, reeling from a series of unfortunate (high-profile) incidents. With the Abu Sayyaf and Rico Yan fresh on everybody’s minds, Dos Palmas, I suppose, was bent on dispelling the jinx image that had been seared onto everyone’s minds. Php 12,000 per person, inclusive of airfare, transfers, use of facilities, accommodations and full-board meals for 4D/3N. We checked out the website. Nice. =)

Hubby and I discussed it, and decided that we were not really superstitious people. Still we had a good laugh over whether we should stay in one of the Bay Cottages (where the folks kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf stayed) or in one of the Garden Villas (where Rico Yan unexpectedly died). In the end, we decided that the probability of a second Abu Sayyaf outing is likely much less than the probability of a moomoo sighting. Bay cottage, it is then! Haha. =)

Dos Palmas is not for the impatient. After landing in Puerto Princesa, one needs to take a 30-minute road trip to the port, after which (depending on the speed of your assigned boat), one needs to take an hour to 1-1/2 hour trip to the island. It was so remote, it was easy to understand how bandits could speed away with a horde of tourists without the authorities managing to catch up. Legend has it that the Abu Sayyaf were actually targeting the posh island of Amanpulo, but took a wrong turn and ended up in Dos Palmas instead.

Times have changed.

Since then, Honda Bay security has been beefed up, and on one morning during which Hubby Sweet and I woke up particularly early, we walked out of the cottage and realized that the super friendly security staff were actually Marines-in-disguise. (Truth be told, when we first got on the island, we both thought that their security was much more fit and disciplined—despite their amiable personalities and their perpetual smiles—than the average Manong Guard. =))

That said, the security details are masked and actually blend well with the resort feel of the island. Dos Palmas is all about relaxation and being in a world far removed from the urban jungle.

It is all about spending quality time with the people you’re with.

You can have long conversations while stuffing yourself silly at their fabulous buffets. You can lounge around by the pool. You can go snorkeling. You can hike. You can bike. You can play billiards or pingpong. You can sing your lungs out at the videoke room.

If you think you have either the stamina or the courage for it, you can even kayak through the mangroves and row around (yes, around) the island. Hubby Sweet and I actually tried it, and it goes down in our personal history as our first-ever-fight ever as a married couple. Halfway through, I had a panic attack and wanted to turn back. He, on the other hand, reasoned we would row the same distance back as we would if we just kept going forward! I, of course, retorted that if we turned around, we would be going through a route that we already know. Usually, I'm the more adventurous one between the two of us, except when it comes to anything that involves deep water. Naku, stalemate in the middle of Honday Bay. Hahaha! We ended up going forward only because I realized that I cannot row all the way back by myself, whereas he can actually move the kayak forward without any help from me. Haha. Ngyah. =D)

That said, what you cannot do on Dos Palmas is watch TV. There are none—at least not in the rooms. The lone concession is the TV hanging over the bar (which actually has a complete set of free TV and cable channels), but you sit there only if you happen to like the TV taste of the first person who asked the bartender to put it on. Haha!

GARDEN OR BAY: WHERE TO STAY

Back in 2006, we stayed at one of the the Bay Cottages where most couples usually stay. I suppose there’s something to be said about having the bay as your view and about sitting out on your veranda to find schools of multi-colored and multi-sized schools of fish below. We even had sightings of baby stingrays (or were they manta-rays?).

The Bay Cottages were meant to provide more privacy, being situated away from the “main island” where most of the activities are.

In 2009, I had wanted to book the Bay Cottages (never mind that we were a group/family), but every single one was taken. Besides, the beds were not enough to fit all of us. Haha.

So we decided to stay in the newly-renovated Garden Villas instead.

Not bad, really. Not bad at all. =)

WHAT TO DO

There are enough activities to go by if you’re not expecting the vibe of Boracay. One can actually choose to be marooned on the island and not leave its premises during the entire stay. However, if you decide that you want to explore the world beyond the island, the resort can actually arrange for other “Puerto Princesa” activities.

Honda Bay Island Hopping would always be tops for me. When you arrange it with Dos Palmas, the trip usually starts with lunch at Isla Puting Buhangin (or is it Isla Puting Bato? I forget. Haha).

There’s something to be said about having lunch on a sandbar in the middle of a tranquil bay.

Oh, that, and feasting on a buffet of freshly grilled fish, liempo, shellfish, along with servings of manggang hilaw with bagoong. Down it with ice-cold softdrinks and you’re pretty much set for an afternoon of swimming around, running after (or, in some cases, running from) schools of fish of different shapes, sizes and territorial temperaments.

I’ve been to many snorkeling spots and the diversity of the types of fish one can see on Honda Bay is impressive. I won’t elaborate further. I did write about it in a previous blog though (during a different trip to Puerto Princesa). Read about it here na lang. =)

When you get tired of snorkeling, the island hopping trip ends with fishing. Now, Dos Palmas is a marine sanctuary so fishing would have to be done a good distance away.

Now, I’ve never fished in my entire life prior to Dos Palmas. Come to think of it, I’ve only attempted fishing in Dos Palmas. I say “attempt” because, whether in 2006 or in 2009, I did not actually catch a single fish. Still, there is something quaint, I suppose, about being able to say “I tried fishing”. Haha. (The picture below is with Manong Security Detail who actually reeled in the fish while I was sitting next to him so I decided it...uh...counts. Haha.)

When you do catch a fish, if it’s too small, you have to throw it back. If it’s big enough (and I use the term “big” loosely here, haha), you can actually choose to throw it back OR bring it back to the resort and have it cooked. Manage your expectations though. Both times, we’ve only managed to catch “bisugo” which I know only as the kind of fish you make paksiw. Haha. ;p

While it is not practical, Dos Palmas can also arrange for trips to the now-famous St. Paul Subterranean River Park (more popularly known as the Underground River). I say it is not practical because one would have to take the 1-1/2 hour boat trip back to the mainland, then take another 2-1/2 to 3 hour road trip to another port, after which you take another 30-minute banca ride to the island where the Underground River is. Now imagine that you have to do the same thing to get back to the island. Naku!

This was “manageable” back in 2006 (it just means you kill practically an entire day travelling to ride through the Underground River for 30 minutes), but after the site zoomed to the top of the updated list of Seven Wonders of the World, I’ve been told the lines and the waits have increased to box-office proportions. (As one of my officemates once said, albeit she said it about the long lines during an S&R sale, “Hindi Titanic ang katapat. Pang-Avatar ang level!” Haha.) For perspective, my other officemate, last December, had to wait 5 hours just to hop onto a banca that would take them to the island where the Underground River is!

That said, if your primary intention for going to Puerto Princesa is to go to the Underground River, it would be best to just stay in one of the city hotels instead of staying in Dos Palmas. (Two more tips: First, be careful of the "monkey snatchers". You'll know what I mean once you get on the island. Second, if you do manage to get to the Underground River, maneuver your way to the front seat of the kayak. That way, you get to hold the floodlight that will allow everyone to see inside the cave. After all, he who holds the lamp gets to focus it on whatever he wants. Haha! ;p)

THE FOOD

The food is what makes Dos Palmas—more than anything—worth it. Usually, if it’s a full-board meal, I have learned not to expect much. At Dos Palmas, “much and much more” is what they give! I suppose they realize that with no other option to go to, they better give their guests good food, lest they grumble and complain for 3-4 days. Haha!

The breakfast buffet usually has a Filipino station (with the usual tapa, tocino, longganisa, danggit, fried rice, egg, etc., etc.). On the side, there would either be a vat of lugaw (with the usual condiments of fried garlic, spring onions, calamansi, etc.) or mami. For the foreigners, they also have an American breakfast station (with the usual ham, bacon, sausages, eggs, French toast or pancakes, cereals, dried fruits, etc., etc.). A separate table would contain native kakanins for dessert in addition to the fresh fruit platters. That said, on a daily basis, we would have a Filipino AND an American breakfast with kakanins AND fresh fruit for dessert. Haha! The usual joke after one comes back to the table with a heaping plate is, “Hindi ka naka-decide kung ano gusto mo?” *Insert sheepish grin here. =D*

The lunch buffet is decidedly much simpler as most guests opt to do their off-resort activities. Still, the buffet would have a good mix of native salads (sometimes lato or seaweeds with tomatoes and onions, dipped either in calamansi or vinegar or diced manggang hilaw with bagoong), grilled fish and meat and a soup viand (sinigang or nilaga, etc.).

The dinner buffet, however, is something else. It could be set within the usual café or on the beach with sulos providing light or by the pool with a small band playing. The dinner buffet is usually themed. One night, it was Japanese. Another night, it was Mongolian. Usually, if there’s a big group leaving the next day, the dinner buffet even has different stations. On our final night during our last trip, there was a steak grilling station, there was a Japanese station, there was an Italian Station, there was a Mongolian Station. That dinner, di din kami naka-decide. Haha! ;D

OVER-ALL

Staying at Dos Palmas provides good value for money. Actually, that’s a wrong statement as it makes staying Dos Palmas seem like ”it’s pwede na for the amount that you pay for it”, when what I meant to say is that, “you actually get much, much more than what you pay for”.

What is not worth it, though, is for you to go on a Day Trip to Dos Palmas (I found out that such is actually included in the day tour packages of some of the city hotels).

To truly appreciate Dos Palmas, you have to stay in it. So that, for a good 3-4 days, you can forget that the hurried life you lead in the urban jungle is, technically, only a boat ride and a plane-hop away.

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You can arrange for the plane trip and the resort stay separately, but both times, I found that PALakbayan actually provides a simpler option (book everything once) at good value. Click on the link for more details.

P.S. - The photos are a mix of pics from my 2006 trip (with Hubby Sweet) & my 2009 trip (with Mother, Father, Tita Doy, Rhae, Dooders and MJ). This would explain why, in some pictures, I'm payat (yey!), while in some pictures, I'm...uh...pleasantly plump.

Haha! =D