Welcome Home: Papito's Food House of Barangay Rincon, Valenzuela City

Papito's Food House is a new food spot to eatsplore in Rincon, Valenzuela City. The Cuevas family opened their home to provide good food to be enjoyed by everyone, especially Valenzuelanos, this April 2, 2017 and mainly serves as their way of honoring their parents. If you are a Valenzuela resident, you will definitely be familiar with the Cuevas Bakery branches in the city. Demetrio M. Cuevas, Sr., their father, is the founder of the bakery which was established way back in 1972.

Papito's Food House: Opening one's home to serve good comfort food.

Being a home to the Cuevas' for so many years, one will feel the warm connection that the place brings to its guests. While waiting for the orders to arrive, reading the story behind Papito's will give you a better understanding and appreciation of the family's history:
"Ang Papito ay salitang Espanyol na ang ibig sabihin sa Tagalog ay 'Lolo'. Ito ang tawag ng mga apo sa aming ama na si G. Demetrio M. Cuevas Sr. na mas kilala sa tawag na 'Ka Metring'. Si Ka Metring o Papito para sa kanyang mga apo ay isinilang sa Cuenca, Batangas noong ika-10 ng Nobyembre 1941. Sa hirap ng buhay ay hindi siya pinalad na makapagtapos ng pag-aaral kaya't sa murang  edad ay napilitan siyang makipagsapalaran sa Maynila at namasukan bilang isang panadero at taga-rasyon ng pan de sal. Dito niya nakilala si Bb. Mila L. Vargas. Sila ay nagpakasal noong Mayo 24, 1965. Si Ginang Mila V. Cuevas na aming ina ay tinawag namang 'Momita' ng kanyang mga apo. Sila ay biniyayaan ng walong mga anak na ngayon ay sama-samang namamahala sa hanapbuhay na sinimulan nina Papito at Momita. Si Ka Metring o Papito ay nangarap na magkaroon ng sariling negosyo kaya't kahit nanghihiran lang ng mga gamit sa kanyang kapatid ay nagawa nilang makapagsimula ng isang panaderya o bakery na sa kalaunan ay pinangalanan niyang Cuevas Bakery." 

Papito is the Spanish word for grandfather (Lolo in Filipino).

"Siya (Demetrio Cuevas Sr.) ang nagtatag ng Cuevas Bakery noong 1972 sa Karuhatan, Valenzuela, Bulacan na ngayon ay isa nang maunlad na lungsod. Ipinagpatuloy namin ito bilang Cuevas Bakeshop dahil ito ang hanapbuhay na ipinamana ng aming butihing mga magulang. Hindi man sila nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral ay naituro naman nila sa amin kung paano magsumikap, mabuhay ng marangal, may pagkilala sa Diyos, at may pagmamalasakit sa kapwa. Bilang pagkilala sa aming mga magulang ay itinatag namin ang negosyong ito, ang Papito's Food House, at sinimulan sa ipinamana nilang tahanan dito sa #3 Don Pablo Subdivision, Rincon Road, Malinta, Valenzuela City bilang pagpupugay sa kabutihan at pagmamahal nila sa aming magkakapatid."  

Papito's Food House is a place were you can bring your family and friends to catch up on life while sipping some lomi soup or enjoying a bowl of mami.

Life is a one time offer. Use it well. A piece of advice grandfathers will share to their grandchildren.

Papito's menu includes lugaw and goto with the typical side dishes like tokwa't baboy and lumpiang prito, short orders of pancit, silog meals, sizzling dishes, and a variety of cold and hot drinks. Asking Miss Ona, bestsellers which one should try are their lomi (Php75.00) and beef pares (Php70.00). The chicken mami (Php30.00) and beef mami (Php35.00) are also recommended.

Beef pares at Papito's Food House (Php70.00 per order). The beef melts in your mouth and the sauce is very savory. 

One Valenzuela was really happy with this big bowl of lomi (Php70.00). It was full of chicharon, pieces of liver, and veggies. Demetrio Cuevas Sr., 'Papito', hails from Batangas and this bowl of lomi is reminiscent of the said province. 

The mango graham milkshake is served on a tall glass (Php35.00). A good drink to beat the summer heat.

Admittedly, eating at Papito's Food House reminded One Valenzuela of her lola and the dishes she lovingly prepared in the kitchen. The food and the place evoke the feeling of being with one's grandparents, of being with family, of being at home.  

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Papito's Food House
Address: No. 3 Don Pablo Street, Barangay Rincon, Valenzuela City (Corrected Address; Landmark: Street with Cuevas Bakery)
Open Hours: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, daily
Contact Number: (02)956-6586
For updates, like Papito's Food House on Facebook here.

Via public transportation: You may (1) ride a tricycle at the terminal in Malinta Market or (2) flag one of the tricycles plying the Dan Kariton Street from McArthur Highway (Landmarks of Dan Kariton Street are Buboy's Lugawan and Philippine Business Bank, a few meters walk from Puregold). 

Eatsploring Lee Hong Kong Panciteria at Mabolo, Valenzuela City

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. 

Lee Hong Kong Panciteria at Barangay Mabolo.  

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.

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. 

Silog list at Lee Hong Kong Panciteria on the entrance of Lee Hong Kong Panciteria. You should check their menu inside for more dishes.

Some fried rice (Php20.00) and crisp veggies in the chopsuey (Php100.00).

A notable dish of Lee Hong Kong Panciteria. You should order this Hong Kong chicken when you go there 

(Php140.00, half order).

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.

Lee Hong Kong Panciteria 

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! 

Camaron rebusado (Php120.00) and a bowl of fried rice (php100.) 

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.  

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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)

An Authentic Taste of Japan: Aki Oishi at Brgy. Coloong 2, Valenzuela City

If you have been to Japan, you more likely have fallen in love with their local cuisine other than their sakura blossoms, picturesque parks, and the very comfortable train rides. One Valenzuela can still remember how good the food was from their miso soup to their ramen and bento meals in a short trip that she had several months ago. 

Thus, it is indeed a welcoming treat to find Aki Oishi at Coloong II. It is owned by the Sato family, led by Chef Aki, and is on its ninth month of serving wonderful Japanese dishes. It has become popular to many Valenzuela residents looking for authentic Japanese cuisine. Their menu is pretty extensive for they have several starters, maki, sushi, donburi, gyoza, sashimi, shoyu and miso ramen, a variety of bento meals, burgers, tempura and takoyaki platters. They also have milkshakes and kakigori (shaved ice) for dessert.

Aki Oishi's red door invitingly welcomes everyone to sample their dishes.

Vibrant lanterns and kawaii food images greet and surround diners at Aki Oishi.

One particular dish that One Valenzuela really aimed to eat here was their Ise Ebi, or Japanese spiny lobster. Eating lobster has been sitting in her bucket list for so long since it is quite expensive, reaching Php1,500 to Php3,000 a piece at Seaside Macapagal. Who would have known that a Japanese restaurant in Coloong would offer such wonderfully baked lobsters?

The lobster takes some time to cook and so ordering something else on the menu will help you tide over your hunger pangs. One Valenzuela also got a few more staples to eat together with her group. One Valenzuela has eaten a ton of california maki in several places within and outside the city and she has to say that Aki Oishi's california maki is highly recommended. On the other hand, their bowl of hot miso ramen is quite big and is good for sharing (as what they did). The texture of the noodles is smooth, chewy, and renders a firm bite. Very Japanese. 

Do not miss ordering some california maki at Aki Oishi. (Php60 for 4 pcs.; Php120 for 8pcs.) 

A bowl of miso ramen can already be shared by two hungry Valenzuelanos. (Php190.00)

The ebi tempura bento meal and lobster dish eventually followed. The bento meal was bigger than what One Valenzuela expected. The set includes some egg soup, veggies, nicely fried ebi tempura, rice, and a scoop of what she believes is chocolate ice cream. The lobster dish was the showstopper! It was nicely baked with creamy bechamel sauce and topped with some melted mozzarella cheese.

The ebi tempura bento meal will leave you with a very happy tummy. (Php195.00)

Aki Oishi's baked Japanese spiny lobster. The one in the photo is worth Php750.00. Aki Oishi also has small ones which are priced at Php250.00 (200grams).

Dining at Aki Oishi was another great opportunity to experience good food with fantastic people in tow. The Land of the Rising Sun may be around two thousand miles away from the Philippines but through Aki Oishi, Valenzuelanos can recreate their own little Japan experience without leaving home.

Gochisousama deshita.

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Aki Oishi
Address: #198 Coloong 2, Valenzuela City
Open Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30am-10:00pm (closed on Mondays)
Contact number: (02)277-0662 / (0975)789-3667 (accepts reservation)
Like Aki Oishi on Facebook here for updates on their menu and more.

How to get to Aki Oishi via public transportation: 

From Brgy. Malinta along McArthur Highway, ride a jeepney going to Malanday (Php7.00). Then take any of the following options:
Option 1: Look for the terminal of jeepneys going to Paco. Ask the driver to drop you at Brgy. Coloong II (Php7.00). Then ride a pedicab to reach Aki Oishi (Php10.00).
Option 2: Ride a tricycle at Malanday. Give the exact address of Aki Oishi. (Estimate: Php36.00-40.00 for a special ride)

Lugawan sa Balubaran, Brgy. Malinta, Valenzuela City

One Valenzuela would usually ask friends and new acquaintances in Valenzuela City on where to find good food. Following some of these hearsays, she learned that there is this small lugawan in Balubaran which serves tasty porridge. And she was also told that the lechon there was a must try.

A no frills lugawan in a garage.
With a few improvements, this place will be more inviting to the picky eater.   

Choose your condiment.

Thinking of what to pair with your lugaw or rice? Choose here.

Comfort food on a cold morning.

She paid Php78 pesos for two hot bowls of lugaw (the other bowl for a friend), one order of tokwa (tofu), one order of lechon (much like chopped fried pork), and a softdrink. One Valenzuela would say that the porridge has a clean, gingery taste. Pair it with the lechon’s crispy skin dunked in vinegar. Ay, sarap.

She heard (and eventually tasted through friends) that a little bakery somewhere here also has wonderful tiny versions of Spanish bread, cheese bread, etc. And now the saga continues. Eatsplore, Valenzuela!

Lugawan sa Balubaran (no visible name in front of the place-to be updated)

Address: #92 Balubaran Street, Malinta, Valenzuela City

The lugawan is at the left side of the street.

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Eatsploring Valenzuela City: The Search for Food Continues...

Ka-Valenzuelano, do you know of any place in the city which offers good food? It can be a food stall, carinderia, or restaurant. She is also looking for those old eateries. Kindly leave a comment below. Who knows? One Valenzuela might just visit and write about it.