Malabon Food Tour

Like most Malabon residents, I already had my own Malabon food favorites cultivated over the years.  But I recently discovered that it's still possible to keep adding to this list -- that I can actually make new food memories, so that "comfort food" is not just the food that I grew up with when I was younger.  It can also be recent food discoveries that I love going back to, that in the process they become "comfort food" as well.

I recently made two such Malabon food discoveries that I've come to regard as "comfort food." Eager to savor these and other long-time favorites, I joined the MALABON FOOD TOUR led by Richard Bautista last Saturday for the Pinoy Frugal Chowhounds. 



MELY'S CARINDERIA

Lunch at MELY'S CARINDERIA with its selection of of home-cooked dishes.   Some favorites include beef mechado, rellenong pusit and tapang kabayo.  MELY'S CARINDERIA is a recent discovery courtesy of Richard. 

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Beef mechado the way my Mom used to cook it - slowly simmered in finely chopped onions and tomatoes.  Just looking at the picture makes me want to come back for another serving.

 

MELY'S CARINDERIA is on A. Bonifacio Street in Barangay Flores, Tel. Nos. 281.6316 and 282.6299.

XXXxxxTESSIE'S TURON PINIPIG

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TESSIE'S TURON PINIPIG

Our dessert, another recent food discovery - Turon pinipig with its crunchy caramel coating.

If you can chance upon the turon still hot and freshly fried -- yum...  Sometimes I buy this by the dozen to take home.  But I usually bring my own plastic container to put the turon in, making sure not to put the lid on or enclose the turon.  That way I can preserve the crunchiness for a longer period of time. 

The turon pinipig is available at ALING TESSIE'S PUTO STORE on Flores Street, Tel. No. 281.5804.  From MELY'S CARINDERIA, simply turn right on the first corner.  It's a little past the Sta. Peregrina Learning Center on the right side.

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ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON

A Malabon food trip won't be complete without PANCIT MALABON.  Unfortunately, ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON was closed because ALING ROSY PACHECO passed away the night before.  We were so sorry to hear about her demise.  Over the years ALING ROSY had acquired iconic stature as she maintained the excellent quality and emotional appeal of her product set in the quiet simplicity Malabon residents have always known.   We dropped by the wake to pay our respects.

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ALING UPENG'S SPECIAL QUEKIAM

Aling Upeng's Quekiam on C. Arellano Street in Cuatro Cantos.

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ALING UPENG'S QUEKIAM is also available at the Visita (the Barangay Concepcion Public Market). 

ARNY-DADING'S PEACHY PEACHY

ARNY-DADING'S PEACHY-PEACHY on C. Arellano Street, Barangay Baritan, Tel. Nos. 281.0637 and 281.0641

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CONCEPCION BAKERY

CONCEPCION BAKERY is known for its camachile, pianono and pan de sal.  Located on General Luna Street in Barangay Concepcion.

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DOLOR'S KAKANIN

DOLOR'S KAKANIN is now available throughout Metro Manila because of its many outlets.  Nevertheless, we passed by the original store on Escanilla Street in Barangay Concepcion because this is where it all began.  See my blog posting on DOLOR'S KAKANIN for Malabon addresses and telephone numbers:  Another Food Treasure of Malabon: Dolor's Kakanin

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LUGAW NI ONOY

LUGAW NI ONOY on General Luna Street near the Immaculate Conception Church.

For the adventurous foodie:  Soup No. 5

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TAPANG KABAYO AT THE VISITA

Again, for the adventurous:  TAPANG KABAYO (salted horsemeat)

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JUDY ANN'S CRISPY PATA

Another must:  JUDY ANN CRISPY PATA.

Mouth-watering appearance and aroma.

BETSY'S CAKE CENTER

BETSY'S cakes have made many a birthday celebration in Malabon truly happy and memorable.

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BETSY'S is popular for its broas and rolls.

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Located at 70 Rizal Avenue near the Malabon City Hall, Tel. Nos. 281.1127 and 281.1131.

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I LOVE Pancit Malabon..!

I couldn't get any more heartfelt than this in declaring my love for pancit malabon!

 Growing up four houses away from the old Pluming's Pancit Malabon may have had something to do with it.  Whenever my Mom was pressed for time to cook or needed something to quickly serve to unexpected guests - or the family simply had a hankering (which was often) - she would just send someone to Pluming's and in fifteen minutes, there was pancit malabon on the table. So we grew up with pancit malabon.

But the really special pancit malabon treat for me from as far back as I could remember, has always been ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON. 


ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON
We made a sentimental visit to ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON in Cuatro Cantos the other Sunday just to have another taste of their delicious pancit.

Entering the place, I felt an instant familiarity because nothing seems to have changed after all these years.  It still looked and felt very homey - except initially for the blaring of a radio, which thankfully, the guy assisting us quickly turned off.  We ordered a plate each of the pancit, camachile biscuits, and coke.  Such a simple lunch but I was ecstatic.  What with all the familiar flavors instantly flooding my tastebuds -- the rich, delectable shrimp paste coating the noodles, and the freshest seafoods, pork chunks and vegetable garnish.  But more than the "in the moment" appreciation of good food, there was also that flashback to all the good memories our family has shared, with ROSY's pancit malabon gracing our table.

A feast for the eyes and the palate

ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON - circa 1940s?

The original eatery - on a poster in Rosy's Pancit Malabon

According to one of the many write-ups posted on the wall of ROSY's, it was more than 60 years ago that Aling Felisa Pacheco opened a small eatery at Cuatro Cantos serving only pancit malabon and tokwa at baboy.  As her brood of seven children grew older, they learned the secret of preparing what came to be known as the best tasting pancit malabon.  Mang Silvestre soon expanded the small eatery started by his wife.

With the passing of Aling Felisa in 1951, eldest daughter Rosy took over the operations, assisted by her brothers and sisters. The siblings still continue to operate the eatery both at the original site in Cuatro Cantos and at their branch in Philtrade across the Department of Foreign Affairs.

One of Rosy's customers - a very young and good-looking Eddie Gutierrez

Just one of many write-ups about Rosy's posted on their wall

ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON - JULY 2010

Aside from the scrumptious pancit malabon, the Pachecos of ROSY'S are also known for the Santacruzans that they sponsor as "hermana mayor" in May each year, where they invite reigning beauty queens and movie stars as sagalas.  This is an event that Malabon residents have come to look forward to.




NANAY'S PANCIT MALABON
NANAY'S PANCIT MALABON by Nanay Remedios Cruz, is also good and has become increasingly popular with a new generation of pancit malabon-lovers.  It is more conveniently located on Governor Pascual Avenue in Barangay Concepcion.

My NANAY'S pancit malabon memories don't go a long way back, but nowadays we tend to order NANAY'S more because it is just a walking distance from my Dad's house. It has its own delicious flavor that has acquired a huge following among Malabon residents and out-of-towners.  The eatery also looks and feels very homey.

I've tasted other kinds of pancit malabon, both within Malabon and outside of it.  I have to admit that other restaurants and individuals have also been successful at cooking the dish extremely well.

But it is not just taste that completes the eating experience - it's also how the food makes you feel and where it takes you.  Eating, after all, is also an emotional experience.

...And part of that emotional experience is how you find yourself reassured that, no matter how everything else may change, some things in life are constant and comforting, like a plateful of vibrant, delicious pancit malabon -- right here in MALABON!



ROSY'S PANCIT MALABON
Cuatro Cantos
C. Arellano corner A. Bonifacio Streets
Malabon City

NANAY'S PANCIT MALABON
Governor Pascual Avenue corner Sta. Ana Street
Malabon City
(near the entrance of Sto. Rosario Village)


To get to ROSY'S and NANAY'S from Monumento:
Take a jeepney at Dagohoy Road near the corner of Samson Road
going MALABON passing through Governor Pascual Avenue.
Tell the driver if you're going down at either NANAY'S or ROSY'S
so he knows where to let you get off.

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