S&R is back!

By the time you read this, all S&R stores will have re-opened: in Westgate, Filinvest, Alabang, at The Fort, on Bradco Avenue, Aseana Business Park in Parañaque and on Congressional Avenue in Quezon City. This reverts the chain to its original name, which for sometime was known as PriceSmart. It is still a membership shopping outfit and by the time we renewed our card, it was nearly opening date. The Alabang staff was (and hopefully will remain) as accommodating as they have always been. They walked us and other prospective shoppers through the store, although nothing can be bought yet. They were filling up the shelves and price tags had not been organized.

Looking at what we saw and from information we gathered, S&R will surely re-establish itself as one of the main shopping centers in the metropolis. We were assured they’d have the same meat supplier, which means we get good quality beef, pork and fowl. There’s going to be a deli and a bakery. They have the same selection of vitamins at very competitive prices. Imported chocolates (mainly from Belgium) are attractively boxed in varied sizes. Oils, including the house brand of canola, are available. Seafood and vegetables will also be carried. We are happy to note that their dry goods section includes paper towels for the kitchen, plastic spoons and forks and industrial size aluminum foil and sarap-type wrap. And yes, the pizza, hotdogs and baked chicken will be available at the snack section for dining and take out. By now, we are quite sure that lines have formed around the stores.

With some time to kill, we dropped in on Cherry Foodarama on Shaw Boulevard, which we feel needs a once-over. Prior to going in, we tried to look at the food stalls around and stopped by Dimsum and Dumplings, having been attracted to what they call "paopets", little siopaos which come in two’s with different stuffing–ube, mongo, chicken and bola-bola. A serving is between P25 and P35, depending on the filling. We got the ube, which was like jalaya in bread. The store has also expanded their food line to include fried rice, which comes either as a combo (with four pieces of siopao) or solo in two sizes — small and large. Yangchow for P55 and P85, chicken garlic or mixed seafood at P65 and P95, and beef brisket at P59 and P89. They should be filling enough for lunch or snack.

We wandered into the Impakadsat Trade Fair featuring products from the Cordilleras on the second level of Carousel Court of Festival Supermall in Alabang. Talking to some of the organizers we gathered that such fairs are organized under the umbrella of the Department of Trade in cooperation with the manufacturers and suppliers. The sad thing is while year-in and year-out these events happen, the products are hardly seen in commercial stores, much less malls. We would like to repeat the idea which we have espoused for so long: that there be a permanent trade fair or display of regional products, specially in Metro Manila, so consumers can buy without having to contact provincial producers. Here, there is greater possibility for them to get into the international market. Perhaps we can learn from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia on how they have succeeded in getting their respective products in to many countries, including the Philippines.

Exhibitors included those from Abra, Apayao, Baguio, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and the Mountain Province, each displaying products ranging from wood carvings, furniture, baskets, mats, bags and of course food. In a recent trade fair in Cavite, we were introduced to coffee and mango wines. In this event, we found ube wine (from Benguet) and herbal tea from the Gipah plant (must be native to the place). Sagada coffee, said to be stronger in aroma than the Arabica but subtle in flavor, comes from the Mountain Province, as does the Lang-Ay wine made from rice and cacao.

There were some guest exhibitors, like the Hero group of sausages which we see in practically every trade Fair. EJ’s Meat shop was also selling Vigan longganisa, bagnet and pork tapa. Bagnet as usual was at a high of P350 a kilo. One thing new to us is the Crispy Opia from Dang and Dong of Pandayan, Ilocos Sur. They are apa-type biscuits shaped like empty empanadas, made of glutinous rice and sugar. From Pangalatok’s Pangasinan Deli, also a regular at fairs, are boneless bangus, bagoong and a collection of kakanin.

Maybe we should venture a visit to Market!Market! and check if any of the regional stalls carry any of these.

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