MAY I be allowed to beat my chest and proclaim that nobody can beat my mother’s adobo. And aside from adobo, her specialties include swam mais, bulanglang, lagat paro with kamias, butul butul babi with bule (beans) baluga. All these were my favorites. My mom, Apung Batik, as we she was called all over town, owned a carinderia in the market of Porac and counted as customers even rich families of the town. Her friends, kins and customers can vouch for what I declared. Ang sarap magluto ng Ima ko. Till today I terribly miss her cooking. And each time I thought smell the aroma of her dishes I can’t help but swallow my saliva and puck my lips. Now the controversy about the adobo. Why now the controversy on how to prepare and cook the adobo as it is being declared the pambansang ulam?
Let’s talk more about food. Here in Pampanga, particularly in Angeles City, there was a dramatic change on the dining habit of many Capampangans. Before only the upper crust make trips to high-end restos. In my teenage years there was the Blue Ribbon Steak House at the basement of Marlim Mansion Hotel and Jack's in the same building. Of course there was Maranao of Oasis Hotel which until today is well patronized. There are few more. C closed its operation some years ago when the late Chef Cris moved to Manila, but returned to Royce Hotel management put up an Italian restaurant under his name, the Amare by Chef Chris. Another Italian restaurant as a must visit is Picolo Padre of Danilo Giampolo on the ground floor of Prime Asia Hotel. Unfortunately because of the pandemic, it will temporarily close and reopening must be one or two more years, according to Aida, Dan’s Filipina wife from Masbate.
In the early years, there was Everybody's of the Santos family which was a destination restaurant for most travelers. (I remember the late Ka Blas F. Ople who made periodic trips in San Fernando for the paksing bangus and adobong Kamaro). Now in Clark Freeport alone, there is Binulo managed by Maricar Angeles and the Matam-ih owned by former Capas Mayor TJ Rodriguez. And for gourmets, try Deli which located in front of Widus Casino. Cafe Mesa draws those who love watching long legged waitresses who are hot like my steaming sumiyaki.
Outside Clark Freeport, Korean and Japanese restaurants mushroomed. During lunch hours and dinner time, you are most likely to get caught in traffic because of customers weaving in and out of the Friendship highway where most of the restos are located. Halla is the pioneer Korean restaurant on that strip. And now there is Anmyundo, Bongganae, Jungs Ktichen, Jungwon, Guyiga and many more which all make the Korean dishes affordable to most with their unlimited sangyupsal.
Still leading as number one Chinese restaurant is the Fortune. Too bad William Kwong’s Shanghai restaurant ceased operations. So is Peking by the late Ramon Tang. Lately SM Clark, inspired by high spending spree of both the locals and the influx of Korean tourists lined up several dining outlets. Aside from the traditionals like Max's, Gerry's Grill, Mang Inasal, Susie's Cuisine, and Ikabud, among others, there are now fuzion restaurants offering Lebanese, Japanese and Italian dishes.
There is no more reason for Capampangans and their guests to go home for lunch or serve dinner at home, even if it's your birthday or wedding anniversary. A bit of advice: if you have a small capital and you believe you can be enterprising, put up a restaurant offering different types of adobo cooking.