ISLA

October 4 Saturday

First time I would be going out after a week of hibernation.
Bong’s San Beda classmate is in town for a week and they’re bringing him to lunch. I strode along.
We picked him up from Motel 6 very near the headquarters of Oracle.
We drove for some 20 minutes to Newark, where Len and Bong like to bring their guests.

Isla first opened in San Bruno on April 10, 2009. Riding in their success, they opened this second branch on September 27, 2013.

The owner’s name is Melvin Pare, hence,  Calamare ni Pare.

The owners , Melvin and wife Angel,  imported one 40 footer container-load of furniture and decor from Pampanga to make the ambiance authentically Filipino, specifically, Kapampangan.  The tables and chairs were made in Betis, Pampanga,  the other supplies like kaserola were from Florida, Pampanga.

Aileen ordered the Bilao with complete meal of unlimited rice, chicharon, kropek, inihaw na pusit, langgonisa, manggang hilaw, alamang, okra, inihaw na liempo, pritong daing na bangus,  smelt, nilagang itlog and tinadtad na kamatis.

Do you see the small spring rolls on the right side?  From this day forward,  they are no longer called lumpiang shanghai.  Call this dish LUMPIANG MAYNILA.   Stop paying tribute to a country that’s bullying us.

I couldn’t resist the chicharon,  so delicious lalo na with vinegar, ang sarap papakin.

Sinigang na Bangus

Joevel and Bong

Aileen and I shared one order of halohalo

Bong and Joevel Rivera with Isla’s original staff,  Ed Aquino.  He said Melvin Pare studied culinary and first worked as assistant cook.  Back in his Pampanga days,  mahilig na daw talagang magluto yang si Melvin.

On our way out,  pinatunog ko yung bell.  Aileen thought I should not have.  “Ateeee”.  HIndi nya kasi nakita yung Satisfied? Belll me.

Dakal pung salamat.

My father grew up in San Fernando Pampanga.  That’s were he studied elementary and high school.  I never heard him speak in Kapampangan or Chavacano.   Sayang,  if he were alive,  I would bring him on a culinary tour to try delicious Kapampangan dishes, to bring back memories of his childhood.    I wish.

#culinarytour    #kapampangandishes     #pinoyfood