Lugawan sa Pasong Tamo

Rice Porridge in its many variations- my go to comfort food is one of its simplest form: plain rice porridge with kusahos bits on top (marinated, dried, then fried and shredded beef). This has helped me get through fevers and headaches. On a casual night out with my friends last week, I happen to eat at one of the more visited 'hangover-cure' goto establishment in Makati. 

E: So anong pinagkaiba ng lugaw sa goto?

R: Goto is a variation of lugaw.

Manong: May lamang loob sa goto.

Sadly, our goto special only came with egg and kinuhusan (fat rendered till its oil comes out and all that's left is..fried pork fat: crispy and salty). So yesterday, I prodded manong to visit the lugawan that was recommended by pedicab driver. It's a common stop for commuters- apparent in the nearby establishments. You've got the Generic Pharmacy, MCDO, Jollibee, Dunkin Donuts and 711. The small neighborhood also houses a lot of affordable, familiar food.

The place is accessible by jeepney. Its a jeepney ride from Guadalupe Station (MRT), one of the longer stretch of Pasong Tamo near Sta. Ana (Manila) area.

Lugawan sa Pasong Tamo (serves affordable goto)

The tokwa't baboy was served a bit cold. I'd skip this one and instead go for the freshly fried lumpia toge.

 Conversation with ate:
A: Ano order mo?
E: Ate isang goto. Ano po ba laman niya?
A: Mga lamang loob (shows me the contents). Eto tuwalya, puso..
E: Ate pano kung papadagdag ko na rin ng itlog.
A: Hindi na yun goto, lugaw na yun.
...Dumbfounded that I can't have egg on the goto. I just settled on my seat with Mountain Dew and tokwa.

Try asking for kuya to serve you the freshly cooked tokwa. That's one big slab of pork skin.

 They're open till the wee hours. Dine in with your fellow night owls. 

Php30 goto, tokwa't baboy and mountain dew. Plus they're very generous with the garlic bits.

They have an assortment of condiments on the side. Patis, pepper, toyo't suka't sili combo

Lugawan sa Pasong Tamo

Among the other places you can eat is the tapsilogan in fron of Lugawan sa Pasong Tamo. They have an assortment of the usual Pinoy breakfast fares.

 A few blocks ahead (before MCDO), you will see this barbecue stands with people lining up to order grilled meat in all its assortment. (baticulon, atay, isaw, chicken parts and pork).

Before you order something "different"

We finally decided to try Nihon Bashitei in Makati because it was recommended by a friend. This has become the go-to-place for most because it serves affordable and delicious Japanese food.

The place did not disappoint. After trying it out I understand how this can be an easy favorite. The place has ample parking, has an attentive staff and fast service . I was amazed that their kitchen has 10 people just making sushi and grilling. Their food is also affordable. And clearly, you'll get your money's worth with their huge servings.

So what to eat on a Thursday night? It was Rex's urging that we try out items we don't normally order. I repelled this idea just cause I don't want to endure an agonizing meal and pay a ludicrous amount for something I abhor. Normally, I'd go for maki/sashimi staples and retreating to more familiar Japanese fares like tempura, grilled salmon, tonkatsu, etc. But lately, Rex's cooking made these items quite the ordinary so I just had to agree that we do need to order something else.

Cara's favorite is the Toro Spicy Maki . Look at those? THEY'RE HUGE. I can't even eat it without slicing the thing with my chopsticks. Can someone educate me how to eat this properly? How does one fit it in his mouth without sloppily massacring the whole thing?!

Rex thinks that their uni is "the better one in Manila". I shot back, "why have something better when you can have the best?" I had the fresh one in Bohol. The fisherman just broke the sea urchin into half and gave us the meat. It was tender, juicy and surprisingly sweet. Nihon Bashitei's version was a bit chewy. Then again, Rex said it could have been worse. At least, this one didn't have the awful aftertaste. He credits this to "freezing it immediately" so this was somehow preserved better (e.g. hindi nasisira kaagad). True enough, the thing was creamy and has a bit of the sweet taste (and thank God, none of that malansa flavor).

Later during the meal, Rex wanted to have tofu steak. I was never a fan of this meal, having tried it at Chef Robert's in Banawe, its just tofu and a bit of dressing and flakes. Nihon's version was a bit dry though. Rex ended up eating the whole thing.

I wanted to order the Unagi rice meal but since we are on a pseudo-diet, I opted to order the ala carte version instead. Unfortunately meal #73, wasn't it. The waitress approached us back again to tell us that she gave the wrong description, and it wasn't the ala carte version of the grilled unagi. Sadly, it was already ready to serve (and Rex not having it in his heart to send it back and have the waitress pay for it), we just ate the whole thing instead. It was unagi with egg. It was quite a pleasant surprise. This would've worked perfectly with rice. 

Ordering something different has its hits and misses. In the end, I find our "order by mistake" quite delightful .  And I'm definitely coming back again for the tuna. I would've even dare to try the unagi with rice, if Ate didn't assure me that it's quite delicious (for a moment there, I thought she was just pushing it, so she won't be charged).  At least, I did myself a favor and not order the gyoza or chicken teryaki. All this time I had this "talk" about being more adventurous. Let's start with trying something different for a change? I might have ended up a bit disappointed with some choices (yes I still hate the tofu steak) but at least I can proudly say, "this dish is my favorite". I figured, one can never have a favorite if its the only thing one has eaten from the menu anyway. :D 

Len's Favorite Persian Restaurant (Persia Grill)

I admit it, I never ate at this restaurant because the first time I saw the restaurant on tv it was Kian promoting it. Famous for being inside the PBB house, I always thought its another celebrity run fare. I always dismiss restos with celebrity names under its belt because most of it weren't good (except for JT's)and most businessmen only get celebs to give the place some cred.

It was only years after that I'd give it a try because it was a favorite of Len. Len always has this thing for  Persian food. There must be this lure of Shawarma and Kebab that I never really fully understood except for those post inuman sessions.

She recommended that I try their Valero branch (other branches being not so consistent in their taste).

 We wanted to try their Baba Ganoush (eggplant and spices) but it wasn't available at that time so we had Hummus instead.

Beer prices in Makati is expensive. I'd always settle for Perspolis P33 beer. :) But the Shawarma's worth it.

Meals were affordable. Rex swears by their Shawarma plate, being "beef'y " and all. While the kebab's  tastes the same as any other kebab. The hot sauce didn't disappoint though. I knew it was supposed to be what hot sauce should be like HOT; and not watered down, tasting more like 80% water and 20% chili with most chili settling in the bottom.

And I wouldn't want to miss Len's favorite liver plate. The whole thing is sauteed liver with tomatoes and onions. I had to hand it though, the liver's fresh. I know, how can it not be? Most restaurants, I get the bitter- tasting tough ones. This dish, like the one's I have back home, tender without the pungent and grainy texture that most liver dishes have here.

Considering its in Makati and the cheapest meal I can get their is fastfood or jolly jeep, this one's quite in the affordable range. For around 80-100, you can get by with a shawarma or the liver plate. Not so bad, you can opt to get the Business meal for around 130 (your choice of shawarma, tika etc with tomato and buttered rice). At least they don't lie about the buttered rice being butter and not Star :)