My Favorite Pancit

Today was Binondo Day!  Hahaha! In  my calendar.  My friends and I went to Ongpin to eat Pancit at the President Grand Palace.  The Sizzling Noodles with Shrimps and Pork is my all-time favorite!!!



  I could eat one platter all by myself!  We ordered 2 kinds of sizzling noodles, the other one was with Assorted Seafood.



It was Mona's treat.

It was also Celine's first time to try the noodles and she liked it also.  The noodles were deep fried and placed on a sizzling plate, topped with meat and thick sauce.  It arrived at our table "sizzling" hot.



We did not order anything anymore because we only wanted to eat the noodles.

We bought lychees from the street vendor for our dessert.



Celine bought "tubo" or sugarcane from a young man.



He is only 13 years old but very hardworking.  The last time I ate "tubo" was more than 30 years ago.  I think I was in grade 2.

I bought Pancit Canton noodles at the Lingnam Noodle Factory along T. Alonzo St.






I will use it on Saturday for our weekly family lunch.  It does not taste stale nor rancid.  Sometimes when I buy from the grocery, the noodles would give off a "used" cooking oil kind of taste.

I also bought fresh wanton wrappers which  I stored in the freezer and will cook Pancit Molo one of these days.



I prefer their wanton wrappers than the ones you can buy from the supermarkets.

In our food adventures, we still find time to visit the Church (Sta. Cruz) and say a prayer of Thanksgiving.



We always say,  Thank you, Lord for giving us the opportunity and the means to be able to go around and satisfy our food cravings.

Today was another good day with friends filled with fun and delicious Pancit!

P.S. Balamban Liempo of Cebu

It is a bad situation if I have a craving.  I could not wait anymore to go to Mercato on Saturday, so I looked for the nearest branch of Balamban Liempo.  Found one in San Rafael St., Kapitolyo, Pasig. 

Celine and I braved the afternoon rains just to go to Pasig.  If it was bright and sunny, I would have brought my car.  But I can not drive when it is raining.  We had to take the MRT and rode a cab!!!  Such dedication to passion!  Hahahahaha!

We ordered a whole slab for the two of us and white rice!  Plus the vinegar/soy  dipping sauce.


My friend liked it.  The branch we went to was a franchise.  The liempo in Pasig was good but I prefer the one from Mercato.  The flavor taste the same but much juicer and a bit more tender in Mercato.  But if you have the craving.... it is good enough!

Still....  I can not wait for Saturday!  I know what I am going to prepare for my family.  Bulalo Soup, Pancit Canton and Balamban Liempo!!!!

Mercato Centrale and Mercato Midnite

Mercato is located in Bonifacio Global City.  If you are coming from Market!Market!, it is on the right side of the main road just before Home Depot.  Took me a while to check out this place because I did not know where it was.

I was killing time today  before meeting with Celine at Resortsworld, so I went to Mercato Centrale.(Saturday and Sunday 7:00 am to 2:00 p.m.)  I looked around first before buying from Balamban Liempo.






Marianne, gave me a flier a couple of months ago and I am glad, I was able to try it finally.

I really, really, really loved it!!!!  When they were chopping it, I asked why was the meat pinkish in color, the guy said it was because they cured it before roasting.



I was not disappointed!  The meat was tender and so flavorful.  If I close my eyes, I could imagine myself eating CNT Lechon from Cebu.  Meaning, it was salty and "herb-y" - Cebu Lechon style.  I dipped the meat in vinegar and soy sauce.  The skin was crunchy but do not expect the smooth skin of the regular Lechon.

I want it to be Saturday morning already so I can go back and buy a slab for my family for lunch.  I hope they like it because it is not the usual Lechon.  Will just let them try it, they prefer the Manila kind of Lechon with liver sauce.

I also bought from Merry Moo Ice cream.



I got the Almond Honey Chocolate, it was a bit sweet for me, probably because of the honey.  I prefer the Honeycomb.



They have interesting flavors such as Strawberry and Black Pepper, Poprock and Mallows, Early Grey, Strawberry Basil, etc.

The other vendors of Mercato Centrale:















































The Mercato Midnite starts at 9:30 pm up to the wee hours of the morning every Friday and Saturday.   They do have an air-conditioned tent for the Centrale and Midnite.  I have been to the night market several times already.  There are more people during the evening.

My friends and I have tried the Bagnet with Rice,





Ilocos Empanada,





Poutine,







Pork Barbeque,



Baby back ribs, Cebu Lechon, Taclings,



 Shabu Shabu, Manang's Fried Chicken - sort of like Bon Chon chicken







Bagwang,



it was like bagnet but more garlicky in flavor and bacon thin




and a whole lot more food stalls to choose from. 





I prefer to go to Mercato Midnite because there are more food choices and much cooler.  I am willing to go during the day only because of the Balamban Liempo.  Some vendors sell at both Mercato.

I am still dreaming of the liempo I ate today.  I want the days to go very quickly!!!  Dear Lord, let it be Saturday already!