SUPREME IN MALATE

From Maalat to Lagunoi but whatever was its origins, Malate still reigns supreme in Manila!

Well, at least it was once the exclusive residence of Manila's rich and famous, it has 438 years of history from the day it was claimed by Spain, a 155-year old church that houses the patron saint of childbrith, and two of Manila's culinary gems.

We opted to stay at Red Planet along the sleaze of Mabini Street so I can take my wife to Cafe Adriatico, once the epicenter of fne dining in Manila that was the place to be for an assortment of celebrities.

Cafe Adriatico along Remedios Circle is certainly old: it is tight and stuffy, and the servers seem to be tired, but our beef salpicao and callos are good although I thought I've been had with the Cuba Libre.

If it is a gem, Cafe Adritico's luster has faded, eclipsed by an eclectic array of massage parlors, bars, and Korean and Japanese restaurants that littered the length of Adriatico Street.      

The next day, I took the wife for breakfast at one of Manila's oldest operating reaturants [since 1928] that was born from a mother's love for cooking.

It was from its humble origins as a carinderia catering to students that The Aristocrat rose to culinary greatness, inventing its famous Adobo Sandwich in 1936 as an option to American junk food, pioneering the Filipino concept of a rolling store in 1940 to reach more costumers, serving its now famous Chicken Barbecue in 1946 to discourage clients of their beach resort from bringing food, Lola Asiang being recognized as the Mother of Filipino Cooking in 1980, and the distinction of having a historical marker of its own in 2016.

It was too early for the Chicken Barbecue so we had omellete instead and after we left, The Aristocrat was closed down for illegally dumping waste water into Manila Bay.   

We were the among the early birds and the first to register for the Supreme Vist of the Supreme Royal Matron.

We both served as Grand Officers for the first time, me sa Grand Warder and her as Grand Historian. 

Our District had the biggest number of delegation, our folk dance presentation was well applauded and that plus the dinner and breakfast in Malate made us supremely happy!

FISH-OFF

First, Khao Tom Pla Kimpo is No. 2 in the list of "16 must-try authentic local food in Bangkok you'll never find out if you don't have Thai friends".

Second, it is said to be the best fish soup in Bangkok.

Third, it is Michellin-listed.

And lastly, I gave a lot trying to find it but it was still closed when I finally found it.

Finally on Tuesday, I said I would make up for not being able to respond to the Consul General's previous three invitations for a food walk so off we went to Charoen Krung Road and were not disappointed. 

The core ingredients are fish, squid and shrimp prepared as salad, with soup or ala arroz caldo.

The soup is created from boiled fish bones and it was bland at first until a few drops of Thai patis unleash its sublime flavor that is allegedly to die for.

My personal take is it is good but I will not die for it.

That was two huge bowls of rice soup and spicy salad that required some burning so I relented when the Consul General invited me to take a look at Bangkok's newest mall at ICONSIAM along the Chao Phraya River.

It was cool alright with a recreated floating market and street food section but I'm not a mall rat and I hate fakes so when told that beer is out for the night, I invited the Consul General to buy me his promised birthday beer at my place instead.

Bangkok for me is the epitome of good food and I'm not referring to the lunch buffet at the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel where I indulged myself with sashimi and mussels during two days of the 78th ABAC Meeting, but to the usual fare in small family-owned shops like Khao Tom Pla Kimpo and those sold in street stalls.

What I particularly like with Red Planet Hotel is it does not serve breakfast which gives me the freedom to break my fast the way I want it, and I choose the early morning breakfast stalls along Sukumvit Road.  

And on that note, I conclude that the pandan chicken and omelette at Suda Restaurant near Red Planet-Asoke sucks but their grilled pork can pass.

CLEMENTINE@49

PROLOGUE: Clementine is the first name of Baroness Spencer Churchill, wife of Winston Churchill, illicit daughter of an affair between Lady Blanche [move over Lady Chatterley!] and a "noted horseman". "Oh My Darling Clementine" was a Spanish ballad popularized by Mexican miners during the California Gold Rush, Anglicized by certain persons, made famous by Bing Cosby to becoming one of the Top 100 Western Songs of all time, and my birthday song.  

"Through the ricefields

O'er the mountains

Burning fat and calories

Hails a biker 20-niner 

And his age is 49"  

"Oh my uric, oh my sugar

Oh my amputated bile

I have aged [Yes!] 

I am old [No!]

It's great to be 49"

EPILOUGE: Clementine is a tangor, a cross between a tangerine and an orange, sweet and easy to peel  and is locally known in the Munoz Public Market as kyat-kyat. Clementine has nothing to do with the photo below although I did a duet with  Kuya Monic on "Oh My Darling Clementine" a day after turning 49, and that is what's on my mind while eating my phad thai and drinking my Chang. 

NOTE: This is to acknowledge Wikipedia as the sole source of all information on Clementine cited here.