If there's one thing I'm proud of for being Kapampangan, it's the food. Lutung Kapampangan, or Kapampangan cuisine, is widely considered to be the best and most refined cuisine among its regional counterparts in the country. (Even though my favorite food is laing from Bicol.) The saying goes: if you're Kapampangan, you know how to cook! (Not true.)
But, here's a video to support my claim (sorry, no subs, just lots of eye candy):
So, what is Kapampangan food? Basically, it's the regional variant of Filipino food found in Pampanga. Since the Philippines is composed of various ethnic groups, dishes of the same name are prepared differently from region to region. For example, Ilocanos prefer more vegetables in their meals while Bicolanos like everything spicy.
And then there are local specialties.
The most famous Kapampangan dish is sisig. A creation of the late Aling Lucing of Angeles City, it's become the pulutan (snack) of choice for inuman (drinking) sessions.
If you happen to go to Pampanga, my suggestion is to get to know a local... and then get invited to their house. Hehe. Most Kapampangan families are always more than happy to cook for their guests. And when I say cook, I actually mean, prepare a buffet. Another thing about Kapampangans is that when they cook, they usually cook a lot, especially when a visitor is present.
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| "Meet my friends from America." "Yeah? Tell them to come eat with us!" Bam. |
But if you're not into meeting fifty new people in one day, maybe you'd like to try the restaurants I frequented while I was there last summer, though it's up to you to find them!
Jun Jun's Bibingka and Barbeque
I was told these guys have been around since the 60s. My parents said they would come here for lunch during their college years. The thing about this place is that it's a local favorite and not many outsiders actually know about it. In the several times I've gone here, I've always gotten the pork barbeque and sisig combo. Now, I'm my mom's cooking's number one fan, but these guys' pork barbeque beats my mom's own by a huge margin. (Sorry, Mom!)
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| Taken during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. [facebook] |
Toll House
My mom used to take me here when I was five and I couldn't believe it still existed when I was there last summer. The restaurant is more Western-style, but there are still plenty of local dishes on the menu. They're more known for their awesome desserts. It's also another favorite eating establishment for students, particularly from nearby Holy Angel University.
Capampangan Island Grill and Restaurant
I think this one's a fairly new establishment. I never really thought Filipino buffets would ever exist in my lifetime, much less a Kapampangan one. The food was good and authentic. It was also incredibly cheap at P280 per person if I remember correctly.
Coffee Academy (Cofi Acad)
I went here several times because my uncle works at a nearby internet cafe. It's a pretty classy hangout spot for the younger gens and they always have live music at night. I honestly think their coffee is better than Starbucks. This was also where I had a 10th-year reunion with my best friends from 4th grade.
Angeles Fried Chicken (AFC)
The reason why there aren't any KFC establishments in Balibago is because of this place. They've been dominating the local fried chicken scene since before I was born. The restaurant may have been a product of the presence of American G.I.s, but it's been embraced and transformed by locals ever since.
Food carts outside AUF
I always say to try food carts wherever you go since, not only are they cheap, but they give you a more local experience. Since these food carts catered to Angeles University Foundation students, the food they sold was also relatively cheap and plenty. However, the food wasn't exactly what you would've considered local. I got some sort of ham and egg sandwich, but it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten in this country. I was actually surprised it came from a local food cart.
And that's my small contribution to what Pampanga has to offer. Obviously, there are far more places to eat there than I could ever name. I actually only covered an extremely tiny part of the province. Let the search begin!
What's your favorite Kapampangan food or restaurant? Please share it with me in the comments below!
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