After that filling start of the tour in Adarna, we boarded our Wi-Fi Bus, yes with wi-fi so everyone was tweeting, updating status messages and the like while on the road.
Our next stop was Nathaniel’s, a popular food takeout place that originated in San Fernando, Pamapanga. they are popular for the oh so sinful frozen buko pandan and the quirky puto pao. Their first store in Metro Manila has a lot of food items available, packed in different sizes and even serve some meals.
I had already tasted their frozen buko pandan many many times before to the consternation of my waist line. The trick to eating this is waiting a while for it to partially melt before digging in to the creamy, sweet and cold concoction. The half gallon container costs P450.
The puto pao is a quirky product that has been copied by many of its competitors in Pampanga, but the original is still the best. It is a mix of puto (rice cake) and siopao (steamed bun) hence the name puto pao. I first tasted this a few year ago when a friend brought this to a get together, from then on I was hooked. It is still basically a sioapo but the bun has been replaced by puto and topped with slices of duck egg, makes it more sinful.
I’m glad that Nathaniel’s opened a store here so there’s no more need to troop to Pampanga to buy these wonderfully addictive delights.
Nathaniel’s
ITC Commerical Complex,
Timog cor. Panay Avenue,
Quezon City
332.1305
After that quick stopover, we boarded the bus and headed off to Kabigting’s Halo-Halo, the first branch of the popular Arayat, Pampanga dessert stop
Their unique version of the halo-halo is made from only three ingredients namely cream corn, mashed beans and pastillas cooked using carabao’s milk. I found it a little hard to mix the thick beans and pastillas with the finely shaven ice, but after a while, success.
Kabigting’s Halo-Halo
592 N.S. Amoranto (for. Retiro)
After the twin frozen food stops in Quezon City, our merry band of eager purveyors of Filipino cuisine proceed to Quiapo, epicenter of culture in times of yore. Our first stop in Quiapo was the muslim side, I admit this was my first time to ever set foot there.The place was an assault on the senses with lots of new things to see and smell.
After a short walk we reached Nihayah Halal Food, a typical halal turo-turo (point-point) restaurant serving different dishes everyday. The placed smelled strongly of spices, the kinds prevalent in Maranao cuisine.Halal cuisine signifies that the ingredients used are killed without the animals experiencing any suffering.
Inaluban (P70) This dish tasted strongly of curry and was a little spicy. I had only a little piece since we were only just half way through the tour and also because I was not in the mood to look for fish bones.
Atay Papag with Coconut(P40),Yellow Fin Kinilaw (P40) and Badak (P25). The only dish I tasted was the bottom one which was badak, langka cooked in curry and spices. The langka was very soft in texture and the flavor seeped all throughout. This reminded me of the Filipino dish that’s almost the same but uses coconut milk instead of curry and is a lot less spicy.
Beef Rendang (P60). This beef dish would have been more enjoyable if it was a tad less spicy. I only had a piece before my taste buds cried uncle.
That was quite an experience but the cuisine is just too spicy for my tastes but I love the strong curry flavors.
Nihayah Halal Fastfood & Restaurant
Quiapo
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I envy the food trip and the wi-fi bus!!
Pampanga is known as the Culinary Capital of the Philippines for all the mouthwatering reasons. A Pampanga food trip is all you need to taste the best dishes that the province has to offer.