Malabon: Much more than pancit

MANILA, Philippines - Food is quite possibly the most enjoyable way of discovering the culture of a country, city or even a village. If there’s one city in the metropolis known for its food, it must be Malabon, since even a pancit is named after it.

A recent familiarization trip, organized by the local government of Malabon, allowed members of media to spend a day exploring the culinary offerings of the city.

The tour started off with a sumptuous lunch at Jamico’s Restaurant which highlighted the popular Judy Ann’s crispy pata. It’s an unassuming restaurant that has been around since 1972 and those in the know tag it as a must-visit when in Malabon. The group was greeted by sisters Susan Antonio-Corvera and Judy Ann Francisco, daughters of the restaurant’s founder, Remigio.

Hearty appetites were assuaged by several servings of camaron rebosado, vegetables, bowls of fried rice and of course, crispy pata served with soy sauce and a spicy dipping sauce. Judy Ann explained that they add secret spices to the  pata, which makes it extra flavorful. True to reputation, the pata was deliciously crispy on the outside and surprisingly tender and juicy on the inside – so tender you can slice it with a fork. No wonder it’s one of Malabon’s most famous dishes!

Next stop was Palmeras, a casual dining restaurant which serves familiar dishes with a little surprise, such as tokwa’t baboy twist. Here, instead of the usual diced bean curd, the fried tofu was cut into long thick strips then stacked on top of each other. They also had the deconstructed pla-pla, shrimp salpicao, beef caldereta and creamy tomato seafood pasta.

Then it was on to Cups & Cones, a cute little café that serves sandwiches, desserts and coffee. They use Illy, an Italian espresso brand, but their coffees are priced reasonably between P100 to P200. On the table was fish salad as well as the s’mores cake. The restaurant’s tapang kabayo was a surprise – albeit a pleasant one – all around.

After coffee and dessert – and more! – the group headed to the house of Angel Cacnio just a few minutes away. Angel Cacnio is one of the country’s esteemed artists who designed the one-centavo and 50-centavo coins as well as the old P20 and P100 bills.

The ground floor of the house is a gallery where his paintings are displayed, as well as collectible items most of which are older than the visiting members of media. His paintings are arresting images depicting rural life. There are also several brass sculptures on display which were created by his sons, Michael and Ferdinand.

The house itself is a throwback to a more genteel and storied past, with Vigan tiles, capiz sliding windows, stained glass, and carved wooden furniture – hard to believe, then, that the house is just 14 years old!

After a quick tour around the property, the group headed to Cocina Luna. The black façade and the fire-engine red door seemed more like Manila, incongruous and out of place in Malabon.

The interior had an urban feel and a British pub vibe. The walls were left unfinished but there was a Union Jack painted under the stairs where there was a small stage set up for band gigs. There was Beatles artwork and a lot of inspirational quotes painted on the walls.

The owner, Katrina Alcala, is both the chef and the designer of the restaurant that serves all-day breakfast food, sliders, fish and chips and quesadillas. The tapa is shredded and topped with toasted garlic then served with a sweet and salty homemade vinegar.

It was then a short walk from the Malabon City Hall to the San Bartolome de Malabon Church just across it. The church just celebrated its 400th year, making it one of the oldest churches in the country. The church, recently renovated for the anniversary, looked very grand with its chandeliers, gold trimmings and domed ceiling.

Capping the tour was – what else? – more food, at a picnic which featured Malabon delicacies. It wouldn’t be complete without the kakanin, maja blanca and kutsinta from Dolor’s Kakanin and, of course, Pansit Malabon. There was also a cooking demonstration by chef Quiel Salanga, where he made a quiron (coined from his name and turon) with ube halaya and langka sauce.

Aling Upeng’s quekiam proved to be much tastier than the commercial ones sold. An open secret among Malabonians, Aling Upeng’s  fried quekiam – ground meat and vegetables in bean curd wrapper – is a definite must-try.

After all the flavors and calories, one thing is sure: once is definitely not enough. A second – and a third and maybe even fourth – serving of Malabon’s culinary delights is definitely recommended!