We drove out of town one weekday and found ourselves in the newly-opened SM Clark, inside the Economic Zone. What we found practical is the section they call the Home Grown area, around the activity center of the ground level. Here the kakanin makers/sellers are gathered, each offering their specialties. Manilans who go to Clark will find it much easier to get their favorite Kapampangan delicacyies, as well as those from neighboring provinces like Panganinan. To start with, other than the popular Razon’s, there’s Lola Bebang Halo-halo (P50) which one can take after a plate of Pancit Palabok. Betty’s has native cakes, dumon (suman-like made of glutinous rice at P13 a piece), calamay ube (also P13), tibok-tibok. They can be ordered in bilaos/trays for big gatherings. Honey and Daisy’s specialties are polvoron and pastillas. There’s ‘Queen of Sisig’ Aling Lucing, as well as Aling Naty also with sisig. If you’re looking for bread, bakes and pastries, Michele’s has them, like what one finds in a popular Singapore bread chain.
The family discovered another restaurant in the Westgate area of Filinvest in Muntinlupa with a very Hawaian name, Hula-Hula, but its menu carries a very extensive selection ranging from grills to paella. It has a unique way of serving the dishes. You get a list of meat and seafood to barbecue and a selection of basting mixes (Manila smoked, teriyaki, etc). Then you choose two sidings, potato wedges, crazy rice (with bits of vegetables), among others. Bamboo and wood are used to serve food and a most amazing technique is how a collective pack of barbecues and their garnishing is offered. The big meal packages good for a group of guests come arranged neatly on a slab of wood, measuring about two feet by two. From the kitchen, the waiter negotiates two flights of stairs holding the "table" adeptly over his head. It’s quite a feat. We recommend the Vietnamese rice with a subtle hint of ginger and curry, plus the grilled squid.
We spent more time looking at what Earle’s (we apologize for misspelling this name in a previous column) is selling on the street level of South Supermarket. Actually, after having a good fresh corned beef meal, we thought we’d do our own for the family. A sister directed us to this chain for the fresh corned beef brisket at P300 a kilo. The girl behind the counter told us how to cook it. We found it a bit salty, so you might want to add more water when boiling, then reduce the liquid. Likewise some of the saltiness would also be absorbed by the potatoes. They carry a selection of healthy bread dips as well as mayonnaise with garlic. To go with the sausages, there’s bottled sauerkraut. Browse through the racks, but bring cash. No credit cards are accepted–yet.
South is a place with rare finds. Quails are not always available in supermarkets, but they have it here in packs of five. They also carry frogs’ legs, which may cause some people to squirm. But both are delicious, done properly. The quails should be cleaned well, marinated in adobo mix of vinegar, light soy sauce, a lot of crushed garlic, ground pepper and peppercorns. After a few hours, boil and tenderize. Deep fry the birds until crispy. Serve the sauce on the side. Do your family/guests a favor and flake them for easier dining. The frogs’ legs are also cooked like adobo. Right after it is done, if you are not worried about calories, lace them with pork lard. Some people enjoy life by indulging in some sinful food. But don’t do this very often.