On the road, I always make it a point to feed only on the local (or regional) cuisine. Why go to Jollibee for lunch in Cagayan de Oro when I can have Chicken Joy back home anytime I want? This sometimes miffs my traveling companions who have to endure walking with me looking for the perfect lunch at 1:30 in the afternoon.
But this is usually the case for lunch and dinner. Finding a breakfast on the road is more difficult because the turo-turo and carinderias where local food is usually served opens up late in the morning (except the 24-hour bus and truck stops). And since I usually start my travel early in the morning when traffic is light and the sun more forgiving, there is no choice but fast food breakfast fare for me. But it better be Chowking or its brunch.
I don’t really like the Chowking fare because it’s too greasy for my taste. I go there for their classic beef-wanton noodles and asado siopao. I eat it Chinese style with bamboo chopsticks, slurping the soup straight from the bowl after every bite of siopao sopped in their wonderful sarsa. In the city, I go for Pan de Manila’s filling pandesal in lieu of the siopao. And sometimes, I can’t resist indulging myself with a bowl of Fiesta Halo-halo for the finale. At 8 o’clock in the morning.
A Taste of Thailand
Wife once asked me if Thai noodles are really good. So we went hunting for a Thai restaurant and found Oody’s at the Market! Market! Mall in Taguig. We ordered Phad Thai.
“How was it?” I asked.
“Masarap”, she said while picking on her Thai noodles. “Pero mas masarap pa rin ang pansit canton ko”, she added.
I agree.
PHOTOS (top to bottom): (1) My Chowking protocol of classic beef-wanton noodles, siopao and iced tea. (2) The heavenly hot pandesals of Pan de Manila. (3) Phad Thai’s main ingredient is stir-fried rice noodles garnished with tokwa, hipon, manok strips, fried scrambled eggs, and toge and flavored with patis, sampalok juice, crushed chili, ground mani, a slice of lime, and a leaf that my friend Ponga has described as “lasang putang-ina”.
pre, you should try Soms just near Powerplant. its authentic pad thai. turo turo style din and thai owned.
ReplyDeleteAng gusto ko sa Chowking yung color scheme nila. =)
ReplyDeleteSusunod yung mga noodles.
Gusto kong kopyahin yung parang alamang na maanghang na ihinahalo sa noodles, pero di ko alam kung pano gawin. :D
Goodluck rin kay Bulan sa provincial level.
chowking? may magandang experience ako dyan sa cebu.
ReplyDeletegutom dahil kabababa lang ng eroplano sa super agang flight. chowking ang pinakamalapit na makakainan sa hotel.
food attendant: "what's your order sir?"
ako: "Lauriat A."
food attendant: "Come again sir?"
inulit ko.
food attendant: "Sir, A as in Apple or Elephant?"
tanong nya na kinainisan ko.
Ako: "Miss, there's only one A in the alphabet."
mula noon, di na ako bumalik pa sa chowking.