Dimsum In Ongpin

Before going to the boxing gym, I met up my friend at her workplace and I wanted something hot to eat like arroz caldo or chicken mami. So, I drove back to Sta. Cruz for breakfast at Ambos Mundos. Sadly, the restaurant was still closed at 7 a.m.

            We agreed that we’re better off going to Chinatown. We parked just outside a pharmacy and proceeded to walk to Ongpin St. most restaurants were closed. Finally, we saw MXT Teahouse. For dimsum, we had chicken mami, siomai, fried dumplings and chuen yuen rectangular fried sticky rice with chives and brown sauce and Chinese mustard). I excused myself to find my favorite fried siopao and there it was two doors up at stall no. 918. They are selling 4 pieces of siopao for 62 pesos.

            The chicken mami was alright not as good as I thought. The fried dumplings were a winner. The chuen yuen was an acquired taste I didn’t like it. It really had a strong Chinese flavor. The siomai according to my friend was just fine. The total bill was 353 pesos which is relatively cheap for two people.

           

Ambos Mundos

      

            I coaxed my friend into driving me to Ambos Mundos, which is considered to be the oldest restaurant in Manila. The restaurant was built in 1888 by the Gaudinez family who were immigrants from Spain. The restaurant is located at 750 Florentino Torres Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila.

            We stopped and asked questions for directions. We ended up circling around Recto Avenue and Tomas Mapua Street to get to Florentino Torres Street. There were a lot of no U-turn signs and no left turn signs. We had to go 2 blocks to go straight to Florentino Torres Street. When we got there it was a one way street, we went to Recto Avenue to turn right to go back to Florentino Torres Street. 

           I spotted an open pay parking lot and I told my friend to park there and we will just walk to Florentino Street because we were not sure if there was a parking space in front of Ambos Mundos. We walked almost two blocks going to the restaurant. The place was dingy and I would suggest not to wear anything fancy that would attract attention because this place is notorious for muggers and snatchers.

         As we entered the restaurant, two black boars greeted us by the door. Just like Wah Sun Panciteria (owned by the Leung family whose descendant is married to a Gaudinez); across the Street two black boars are placed by the entrance. According to my research the owners put them there for good luck.

        I asked the waiter if we could go upstairs to be seated and he obliged. We were given a menu it contains Spanish, Filipino and Chinese cuisine. I ordered the asado rolls and arroz caldo and my friend ordered the pancit canton.

      When our order came, the pancit was on a big plate good for 3 to 4 people for a regular size it costs around 240 pesos. The 2 asado rolls were huge at 75 pesos each. The arroz caldo was also in a huge bowl good for 2 people at 129 pesos. I must say that the arroz caldo was one of the best arroz caldo I’ve tasted. The asado rolls were very good too and the pancit canton was very tasty. Our total bill was 541 pesos which I find reasonable.

       This gastronomic experience is unforgettable. If one is in search of history and good food, I would recommend Ambos Mundos.

My Enchantment to the Old Army and Navy Club

I went back to the old Army and Navy Club in Manila today. I saw a group of men converging inside the gate. I asked a security guard if I could go in and see the interior of the once beautiful building. But he said that it was not open to the public and that there would be a press conference that is why the gate was open. Still stubborn, I went on the other side of the building where there was a small puddle before the gate and I asked my friend if she could drive me inside the open gate. As soon as we got in, a group of vagabonds were in sight and a man moved away once we got in. My friend was afraid for my safety but I told her that it was alright. I went out of the car and approached the man and he was friendly. I asked him if there was an entrance at the side of the building he said I have to go in front or visit the Army and Navy Club pool and I told him that I was just interested seeing the building. I thanked him and then we drove to the old Elks Building which is now the Museo Pambata.

This day was our day out to take my niece and nephew to the museum and take a side trip to see my favorite old buildings. My friend and I took the kids inside the museum and let them play until 12 noon. The museum closes from 12 noon to 1 p.m. for lunch; so, I told the children that we will go out for lunch and come back again at 1 p.m.

After lunch at our favorite Matura Bayashi, a Japanese restaurant in Mabini; I persuaded my friend to drive back to the old Army and Navy Club and I was really determined to get answers. I saw three men in blue uniforms possibly the caretakers of the building and asked one of them if I could see the architecture inside the building and he said I have to go to the Manila City Hall to get a permit to see the building. The caretaker also told me that the building was closed since 2007. With a deep sigh, we drove back to the Museo Pambata.

Manila

     I am listening to J.S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue No. 10 in E minor BWV 855 while writing this article. The music is so fitting with the images I search online. I go back in time viewing the Elks Club and the Army and Navy Club both located along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. These were magnificent structures built in the early 20th century during the American Colonial Era.

     I have lived in New York for almost a decade and came back to the Philippines at the latter part of 1995. I loved the museums in New York City particularly The Metropolitan Museum, The Guggenheim Museum and the Frick Collection located on the Upper East Side. My love for the arts never ceased when I came back to Manila. I would visit museums like the old National Museum, Fort Santiago, the Metropolitan Museum to name a few.  

     Last week, I visited the former Elks Club building which is now the Museo Pambata with my girlfriend and niece. I must say that they did a good job restoring the place. I wanted to go to the Army and Navy Club which is now called Museo ng Maynila but it was closed that day. While searching for photographs online, I was in awe by the architecture of both buildings with its high ceilings, the black and white tiles of the Army and Navy Club which I rarely see nowadays.

Manila City Hall

     I am sorry to say that most of us here do not value our heritage and history. I am sad when I see historical sites that were allowed to deteriorate like Intramuros, the Manila Metropolitan Theater; some were torn down like the Mehan Garden.   

        I love my country's history and heritage. Whenever I have time, I would visit   historical sites again and again just to get a feel of the past. I love Manila because I could find everything there. It is soulful and rich in culture. It seems that every turn leads to that one place- my beloved Intramuros.  

Intramuros

Moving On

       It's been quite some time since my last post. Life could be such a breeze. I went through different upheavals these past two years. I don't know if I want to tackle that now. Perhaps I should. We lost two people in our extended family. An aunt and an uncle. We were close because they were like our second set of parents. In between these time period. They came home to for a brief visit from New York and little did they know that their visit would be permanent; they spent the last two years of their lives here. My aunt was recovering from her lung operation. She had an early stage of lung cancer but she never smoked. She said it was second hand smoke from her office mates back then.
 
      On a Sunday afternoon, my aunt and uncle went to a lunch gathering where they served cholesterol laden food: smoked pork, fried garlic prawns, etc. The following morning, my aunt had a stroke. In the next two weeks, my uncle was having problems with his back and he was in pain. He was diagnosed having fourth stage bone and prostrate cancer. For the last two years of their lives, they were bedridden. As a family, together with my parents and siblings we tried to take care of them the best way we could.

    On July 22, 2010, my uncle passed away; this time the cancer has spread to his colon. A week after, on July 29, 2010, we lost our aunt from pneumonia. It was very painful, losing both of them. I still miss them now. I hope that in that span of time they felt that they were loved.