Browsing through the many photos that One Valenzuela saved in the recent months, she clicked a folder which held several shots of a restaurant in Barangay Mabolo named Lee Hong Kong Panciteria. She made that visit one December evening last year, during the long vacation. Lee Hong Kong Panciteria can be easily spotted in the barangay because of its yellow paint and it being situated in a location where public utility vehicles also pass by.
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Lee Hong Kong Panciteria at Barangay Mabolo.
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One Valenzuela remembered roaming around the old restaurant, looking at several small photographs of people in frames hanging on the wall, while waiting for their order to come. Who are these people? How she wished to know more about them and those good memories made in the restaurant! The waiter whom she tried to ask did not know that much about how old the place is. He said that it is definitely a long standing restaurant in Mabolo. He mentioned a few lines with the word "Macao", but One Valenzuela was not able to take down notes.
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| Some interesting framed photographs hang on the wall of Lee Hong Kong Panciteria. Surely, good memories. |
You will know that Lee Hong Kong Panciteria offers a lot of dishes just by looking at its menu. There are beef, chicken, pork, seafood, vegetable, and sizzling dishes. Several kinds of soups, noodles, sandwiches, and pulutan are also on the list. Price-wise, the restaurant is certainly pocket-friendly. The waiter recommended the Hong Kong chicken. The chicken, blanketed with thick and savory sauce, took the attention of One Valenzuela.
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| Silog list at Lee Hong Kong Panciteria on the entrance of Lee Hong Kong Panciteria. You should check their menu inside for more dishes. |
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Some fried rice (Php20.00) and crisp veggies in the chopsuey (Php100.00).
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A notable dish of Lee Hong Kong Panciteria. You should order this Hong Kong chicken when you go there
(Php140.00, half order).
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Just this March, she tried to look for some information on the web about the restaurant but she did not find anything factual and significant other than being cited in the Valenzuela City Government's official website: "Known landmarks in the area [Mabolo] include the San Roque Chapel, Miriam School, and a branch of the Hong Kong Panciteria". Through a question posted in social media, somebody commented that she like the restaurant's pancit canton and sisig tofu. Somebody recommended the pata tim. Somebody said that local politicians eat there during the feast of San Roque. Another commented that it is probably about 30 years old since it has been there way, way back even before they were born.
With the photo of the Hong Kong chicken that One Valenzuela had on that December evening and the Valenzuelanos who gave their thoughts about Lee Hong Kong Panciteria, she longed to visit it on another day. And she did.
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| Lee Hong Kong Panciteria |
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| Customers waiting for their takeout order. The place gets a lot of foot traffic on fiestas. |
This time around, One Valenzuela tried the pata tim which a Valenzuelano recommended. The sauce of the pata tim is simialr with the Hong Kong chicken which she had before and it feels like reliving the experience. While eating, a kind-looking elderly woman entered the main door. Later on, One Valenzuela learned that she is Mrs. Zennie Deato-Lee, the owner of the restaurant. She said that she and her late husband (a Macao; of Fukien decent) began serving Valenzuelanos good and affordable food way back in 1972. "Pang-masa talaga ang presyo," Mrs. Lee mentioned. Their restaurant was once named Fiesta Grande and was located along McArthur Highway in Barangay Malanday. Eventually, the restaurant transferred to Barangay Mabolo in 1986. If you do the Math, that's a total of 45 years since 1972!
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| Camaron rebusado (Php120.00) and a bowl of fried rice (php100.) |
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| Lee Hong Kong Panciteria's pata tim (Php180.00, half order). Other than the food in the photos, Mrs. Lee recommended that one should try the pancit as well. |
Good food gives lasting memories yet knowing more about the toils to come up with what one eats will help deepen the appreciation. It is going beyond what is served on the plate. Thus, One Valenzuela hopes that Valenzuelanos will leave some comments below to share those memories of eating in the said restaurant and eventually build up a shared food community history.
Lee Hong Kong Panciteria
Address: No. 39 M.H. Del Pilar Street, Barangay Mabolo, Valenzuela City
Tel. No.: (02)961-4984
Open Hours: 9:30am to 9:00pm, daily (confirmed via phone call)
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