The best of Kapampangan cuisine at Mama Gie

CEBU, Philippines - In the late 60s, Cebuanos were introduced to the smorgasbord dining concept a.k.a. “buffet” via the La Pampagueña Café in F. Ramos Street. It was epic, the foodies say, as busloads of tourists and hungry diners convened to this full service restaurant daily to sample Kapampangan cuisine. Who doesn’t love Kapampangan dishes, anyway?

Recently, I met the woman at the helm of that gastronomic haven, Virginia “Mama Gie” P. Costales, who at 76, is still the master of the kitchen. She was hands-on in the kitchen though she refused to get all the credit since her late husband Alfredo E. Costales took care of the business aspect for La Pampangueña. The 150 square-meter restaurant, according to Mama Gie, was designed to provide excellent food at affordable price to the discriminating Cebuanos. Indeed, it got everyone raving and gushing about the Kapampangan’s classic, best kept culinary secrets. And the top seller was ribs pochero, Mama Gie recalled.

Years passed, La Pampangueña stopped its operations yet the couple swiftly opened a snack fast food counter named Mama Gie, still at Ramos, but it took a different address — in what used to be a garden, which is currently Raintree Mall. The 20-seater counter in high chairs served all-time Kapampangan snack favorites such as pancit palabok, fresh lumpia, dinuguan with puto, guinata-an bilo bilo, goto tokwa’t baboy, sago’t gulaman, halo-halo, among others. “Mama Gie was the first to introduce pancit palabok in Cebu,” quipped Mrs. Costales. Surprisingly, Cebuanos patronized Mama Gie’s home-cooked snacks where during merienda time, “kuwang ra ang 100 plates,” she said.

Barely a year in the dining scene, the couple opted to expand into an al fresco setting. With the expansion also came the intro of Kapampangan delicacies – Boneless Bangus, kalderetang Kapampangan, kare-kare, tokwa’t baboy, humba, kilayin menudo, callos, beef steak, etc.

Fast track to 1994, Mama Gie foodstall in SM Foodcourt was unveiled. In a press statement: “Mama Gie ranks number one in terms of sales in SM City Cebu Foodcourt since the second quarter of 1998 to present.” Reason for its success is its good food, fast service and quality-not-to-be-compromised philosophy. The long line of diners is proof to this.

Customers who dare not brave the long line may now proceed to Mama Gie’s newest baby, Mama Gie Café in Bigfoot, F. Ramos Street, formerly Big Bucks. They’re back in the exact spot that is steeped in history, where La Pampangueña was erected.  

In Mama Gie Café, there’s a self-service soup station, pastries and native delicacies alongside the top sellers: lechon kawali, pork tocino, caldereta, beef pochero, boneless bangus, dinuguan, kilayin menudo, among many others included in the glossy, extensive menu.