A taste drive through Pampanga

With the Lenten break just around the corner, everybody is just too eager to flee from the concrete jungle’s searing heat. The mass exodus to the north (mostly to Baguio) may start as early as Palm Sunday, but many others may opt for a midnight run to avoid the traffic rush. But with the ongoing repair of the North Luzon Expressway (oh, such a perfect timing!), it’ll surely be absolute madness. It’s enough penitence, much like carrying a cross.

But hold it! There’s an alternate route you may want to consider. The nine-kilometer stretch between Sto. Domingo and San Fernando could be the killer. A counter flow is schemed on the southbound lane, making it a bottleneck either way.

My brother Mario Tayag suggested this route (and column title), which he once took with his foodie friend Sandy Daza. I must warn you though that this is a leisurely drive with plenty of stopovers worthy of serendipitous discoveries. So, better be sure you’re not in a hurry (you’ll get stuck in traffic anyway) and bring along with you a hearty appetite. After all, getting there is already half the fun.

Actually, the following itinerary isn’t a bad idea for a day-trip from Manila.

Taking the San Simon exit, proceed past the town proper of San Luis, Mexico, Sta. Ana, and then to Arayat town. Of course, along the way you may want to stop at each town’s church for a visita iglesia.

In Arayat poblacion, head past the marketplace, and just some 25 meters diagonally across Sta. Catalina parish church is a two-storey nondescript house, with Kabigting Sari-Sari Store on the ground floor. But unknown to many, this hole-in-the-wall (so tiny a joint, it can seat only eight persons) serves one of the best halo-halo there is, and nothing but.

Here, you’ll be amply rewarded for the detour. If you’re expecting the roadside sandosenang-halo, sandosenang-sarap-type (a dozen multi-colored delights, but mostly bland and full of artificial coloring), you’re in for a big letdown. What makes this one great is its utter simplicity – the mix consists only of whole sweet corn kernels, mashed white kidney beans (heavenly in itself) and a spoonful of carabao’s milk jalea (to die for, that’s the same dulce gatas to the Ilonggos) and the finest hand-shaved ice (unlike the machine-crushed, which makes rather rough and granulated ice). It simply is incomparable (a serving costs P40) and will cool any overheating tempers in this summer heat. By the way, the jalea is sold at P300 per kilo, and the mashed beans at P200 per kilo.

From Arayat town, backtrack a bit westward towards Magalang. Once you’re on the Ninoy Aquino byway, just about 100 meters before entering the poblacion, there’s this roadside Baby’s karinderia to your right. It serves carabeef bulalo (at P100 per order) and many more dishes most karinderias are known for – simple but delicious homecooked dishes at very low prices. And just like most Pampanga eateries, it is heavy on pork dishes. On the day we went, there was on the glass-encased food counter menudo, bopis, kare-kareng pata, dinuguan na pata, bistig ba baboy, kilain (similar to the Ilocanos’ igado), and a token fried hito. It is unpretentious and doesn’t worry about ambience but puts all its effort into its food. By 3 p.m., we were told, merienda fare would be offered: Halo-halo, pancit luglog, and tidtad bituka (that’s dinuguan na laman loob) – all uniformly priced at P20 per serving.

In Magalang town proper, once you see the municipal hall to your right, turn left on Dizon St. along the town park. At the start of this street is Pabalan Delicacies, while at the other end, down the road, is Magalang Espesyal. Both sell homemade sweets and pastries. These delicacies are not your usual branded candies, but could satisfy any sweet tooth craving nonetheless. They are still made from scratch the old-fashioned way: Slow-cooked on charcoal-fired stoves using large brass vats and with all-natural ingredients. Sold by the box, one could get a mixed sampling of their pastillas de leche, caramel, polvoron, yema, casuy tartlets, empanaditas, brazo de mercedes and many more.

From Magalang town, one would have two choices. If you’re apt to make up for lost time (which is unlikely, having had all the wonderful delights), head towards Capas back on Ninoy Aquino byway and turn right abruptly to Concepcion, just a few hundred meters after an itik farm (balut-producing ducks). Following this route, you’ll pass La Paz and Victoria towns, and end up on MacArthur Highway in Gerona or even Paniqui. You’d have bypassed the snail-pace traffic in Luisita and Tarlac proper.

The other route would be through Capas town on MacArthur Highway. Just past the newly inaugurated Wall of Heroes Memorial at the Capas National Shrine, a stopover at the May Farm is a must. If you’re the adventurous type and game na game for game, this place is it. Well, we’ll save that for another column, perhaps on the return trip. Burrrrrrrp.

Bon voyage and bon appetit!

* * *

Postscript: While we’re on traveling (the car’s belly needs to be filled, too), I’m a bit baffled about the different names of branded gasoline products. Forgive my ignorance. Basically, there’s diesel and there’s unleaded gasoline. I normally go for Caltex Vortex Silver, but when I happen to be in other gas stations, I am at a lost as to what to fill my tank with. Shell has Velocity, Petron has Blaze, XCS Plus and plain unleaded. Then there’s Total’s Protec and PTT’s Performia 95 to contend with. So, which is which?

It’s all a marketing ploy, if you ask me. Why can’t they simply call a spade a spade? Simplify, simplify!

* * *

Kabigting Store is at the corner of Espino and Mutuc Sts., Arayat, Pampanga, with tel. no. (045)630-1219; Baby’s Karinderia is along Ninoy Aquino Highway, Magalang, Pampanga; Pabalan Delicacies is at the corner of Dizon St. and Ninoy Aquino Highway (just across the municipal hall) in Magalang, Pampanga, with tel. no. (045)866-0855; and Magalang Espesyal is on Dizon St., Magalang, Pampanga, with tel. no. (045)866-0609.