Next Stop: Pampanga (1st of 3)

Google "Pampanga" and "food" and you'll surely have more hits than when you google "Bulacan" and "food." If only for this reason, we thought our food trip in Pampanga would be more exciting, the food choices more diverse, the cuisine more dynamic.

So one sleepy Saturday, Jeremy, Anie, and I met up for another food trip, this time, in neighboring Pampanga. We fetched Ronna from Guiguinto and by 10:30, we were still on the road looking for our first stop, Susie's Cuisine. It was a bit difficult to find. I was so hungry that I kidded, "eh kung mag-drive thru na lang kaya tayo?" After a few wrong turns, we finally found it. Susie's!

We were the only patrons. Susie's Cuisine is famous for their Tibok-Tibok, a native delicacy with a consistency resembling that of maja blanca, and made with carabao's milk and topped with latik, but because we were so hungry, we had to order something more filling. Jeremy, Anie and I tried their palabok while Ronna got puto and dinuguan.






The palabok definitely looks tempting. It is actually delicious, except for the not-so-crunchy chicharon toppings, but their Tibok-Tibok (P20 per slice) is heavenly, and if only for that, we forgave them for everything else.



Pasalubong

Wow Kasuy

Next stop, the Sisig Queen, Aling Lucing's! It was unfortunate that the sisig queen, Lucia Cunanan, died in 2008, we would have wanted to interview her. I am sure Anthony Bourdain would have wanted to see her, too. Bourdain sampled Pampanga's most famous food, sisig, when he was in the Philippines early this year.

Cute signage

Jeremy Bourdain meets Anthony Bourdain meets Aling Lucing

Foodies cum photographers Jeremy and Anie

I heart Sisig
I liked their sisig, the meat is soft and juicy, not crunchy, as other adaptations tend to be. It was presented simply, no embellishments like eggs or mayonnaise that alter the taste of sisig. I wonder what Anthony Bourdain had to say about this dish.###

Coming up: A Taste of The World: Italy and Mexico in Pampanga