We found Nathaniel’s!

The place is ideal for merienda or even a light meal as they serve different kinds of pancit, dinuguan, BBQ, fresh lumpia, pasta, and arroz caldo. It is also here that the delicate tibok-tibok, the Pampango dessert, is sold.

Whenever we travel North (Pampanga, Baguio, Pangasinan), on our way back we would always pass by Nathaniel’s on Km 69 in San Fernando, Pampanga. This is the place which has become a must-stop because of their buco-pandan salad, a luscious blend of  young coconut and pandan-flavored jelly, in rich coconut cream. It is a conversation piece at any gathering, as it is delicious.

But Pampanga is too far to satisfy an instant craving for those of us based in the South, unless we travel that way again, which is not often. They have opened branches in other Pampanga towns and then in Quezon City, which is still quite a distance from us.

Then one day recently, courtesy of a friend who loves sourcing all types of food, we found Nathaniel’s at its newest branch, in the Molito Commercial complex on the Alabang-Zapote Road, Muntinlupa City, tel. no. 403-8784.

That day we were looking for something we could give our lunch hosts. This was the perfect place for a good food token we were sure would be appreciated. We ordered the buco-pandan salad, which is sold in two sizes, small at P260 and big for P500.

We lingered a while to look at all the products laid out on the counters. They have siopao, something we have not tried before, so we sat down and shared a siopao to taste-test it. It passed our screening, thus we ordered a pack of 10 (small for P115.) We brought home a box of small macapuno pies (box of six at P125), a pack of chicharon with laman (pork crackling) for P160. The place is ideal for merienda or even a light meal as they serve different kinds of pancit, dinuguan, BBQ, fresh lumpia, pasta, and arroz caldo. It is also here that the delicate tibok-tibok, the Pampango dessert, is sold (P100). The list is endless, it is worth a visit.

After a long while, we decided to check out Robinson’s in BF Parañaque. Parking was a problem, but we managed to find a space. We were in the course of replenishing the contents of our pantry and basically looking for spices and condiments for our weekly menu, which this time was focused on curries and similarly spicy dishes. We got McCormick’s curry powder blend (35 gms for P37.50) and ground oregano leaves (25 gms at P41.25), a bottle of  Kabinsili ground red hot cayenne, manufactured in Cavinti, Laguna by One Green Thumb Asia (45 gms for P98). Because our cook has recently retired, we got some of Lee Kum Kee’s quick mixes, the tomato-garlic  prawn sauce and the spicy eggplant garlic sauce, each for P38.50. They make our chores much easier until a replacement comes, very soon. 

Bangus was at a high, costing P170 a kilo, while medium-size prawns were at P430. Pork spare ribs which we use for adobo sold at P265, ground pork at P170. Prices here are a few pesos less than in other supermarkets. Moving farther down the meat section, for our cocido we got Monterey kalitiran at P429 a kilo and for Tagalog steak we bought sirloin at P452 a kilo. Bounty Fresh chicken costs much less at P109 a kilo.

Finally, we got sweet potatoes for P60 a kilo, cabbage for the same price, leeks at P19 a stalk, celery at P24.86 a stalk, squash at P25 a kilo and native garlic at P194 a kilo. That was one pleasant shopping experience at Robinsons.

A timely book has recently been released by Anvil Publishing Inc. and Emergency Research Center, Inc., a non-stock, not-for-profit organization which supports the notion that all Filipinos must be provided with appropriate life-saving resources. The book is titled  “Let’s Get Ready,” a  preparedness guide written by survival experts Regi Cruz and Louie Domingo.  With colorful and attractive illustrations, the book is meant to teach parents and children how to be ready when natural and man-made calamities happen. Considering the recent devastating attacks in America, we might as well be prepared for whatever can/will happen, God forbid!     

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