Tuesday, February 25, 2014

THE GREAT PANSIT MARATHON

12 NOON of Day 1 (Talisay, Batangas)

Is Club Balai Isabel owned by Kuh Ledesma and named after her daughter?

Duh!

What I cared about is the sinaing na tulingan which blended well with the pancit canton and what looked like a Greek feta salad that we had for lunch.


That was before the putong binan during breakfast and turon drenched with an amazing sweet sauce for the morning snack, and after at least two rolls of fried lumpia in the afternoon, before riding the van to Manila.

9 PM of Day 2 (Quezon City)

Baluarte JTG was packed.


The lechon from Quezon, the halabos na hipon from Bulacan, the tiim na bibe from Nueva Ecija, and bilaos of pansit from wherever were gone.

I did managed to salvage half of a steamed boneless bangus and eased into the comforts of a wine bottle as the Dutch lady sang with the one-handed guitar man while the strings of Jess Santiago's ukelele rioted with the shrill of a harmonica, the wailing of a violin, and the explosions from a variety of drums.


The thing is, the first bus to San Jose City leaves at 4 am even if it's a Saturday.  

9 AM of Day 2 (Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija)

I had N3 [palabok with french fries and black coffee], Balong opted for Jollibee's newest longga breakfast value meal, while Bulan decided on the familiarity of Chicken Joy.

1:30 PM of Day 2 (Cabanatuan City)

Again, Jollibee palabok for lunch but with corn on the side that time.

That was because Jollibee Circumferential is the eat nearest to the Kapitan Pepe Lodge and its snack menu of bihon guisado, fresh lumpia rolls, and chicken sandwiches before moving to the Amaranth District Convention where I graciously refused a styro-packed pansit.

Later that night though in the 4th floor restaurant of Marry's Hotel [that's right, 2 Rs], I just can't refuse a freshly cooked spread of bihon guisado with chop suey and sweet fish fillet.

Day 3 (Bacal 2, Talavera, Nueva Ecija)

I am nearing pansit overdose so it was adobong sitaw and daing na bangus for breakfast at Epay's in CLSU after the prologue of our maiden bike ride and before the first lap of our own Tour ng Model Lodge.

Lunch was a forgettable deep fried bits of pink salmon plus whatever. 

Dinner was more memorable with nilagang kasim ng baboy and pangasius fillet in orange sauce.  

11:30 AM of Day 3 (Greenbelt, Makati)

Manila through TPLEX was a breeze.

Early lunch was originally at Red Crab's.

Take God we didn't.

The shabu-shabu was superb [I had a seafood platter] and a fitting exclamation mark to an almost sleepless 3-days of something worthy enough to be a pansit festival.

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