Both were loving and generous souls who never seem to get mad no matter how rambunctious we apos become.
Growing up, Sundays were something to look forward to. It is the day our Inang Juana cooks her famous Lauya , a clear broth much like bulalo or pochero colored by annatto oil quite famous in La Huerta ( a small town in Paranaque) .
That is why my first thought when I was invited to Lola Cafe was -- Lola as in grandma ?
Quezon City's Hidden Gem is now at the Podium Mall
My guess was correct. Lola Cafe is indeed all about a family's grandma and her heirloom recipes.
The Locale Food Groupe was charmed by the history of the house and the deliciousness of the dishes created by the family's lola , they can not help but promise to carry on the tradition of love and warmth handed down by the family's grandmother.
Thus a hidden gem in Tomas Morato was born.
Word of its delicious fare spread and pretty soon it became evident that a second branch is a foregone conclusion.
The Locale Food Groupe was charmed by the history of the house and the deliciousness of the dishes created by the family's lola , they can not help but promise to carry on the tradition of love and warmth handed down by the family's grandmother.
Thus a hidden gem in Tomas Morato was born.
Word of its delicious fare spread and pretty soon it became evident that a second branch is a foregone conclusion.
Fast forward to last Friday, we were privileged to experience first hand Lola's best selling dishes during Lola Cafe's soft opening at The Podium Mall.
Let me start with my favorite - Lola Cafe's Laing. Truth be told, I am more partial to dry laing. Lola Cafe's version though was wet which I do not normally like. See pic above.
But my first mouthful of that swampy looking dish dissipated my anxiety almost immediately. The flavor was rich, complex and scrumptious.
A bit of a caveat though. You would need cups of rice for this.
Naturally, what pairs well with Laing is pork LIEMPO. In this case PORK HUMBA. The pork nicely complemented the laing. Lola Cafe's Humba is less sweet than what I expected. Of course like adobo, Pinoys have varying versions of this Pinoy classic. What was important for me was how melt in the mouth the liempo was. Clearly it was braised and simmered for hours to achieve that tender and soft texture
But my first mouthful of that swampy looking dish dissipated my anxiety almost immediately. The flavor was rich, complex and scrumptious.
A bit of a caveat though. You would need cups of rice for this.
Naturally, what pairs well with Laing is pork LIEMPO. In this case PORK HUMBA. The pork nicely complemented the laing. Lola Cafe's Humba is less sweet than what I expected. Of course like adobo, Pinoys have varying versions of this Pinoy classic. What was important for me was how melt in the mouth the liempo was. Clearly it was braised and simmered for hours to achieve that tender and soft texture
The Aligue Pasta was a surprise ,for me initially because I thought it would be purely Pinoy dishes in Lola's repertoire. However, since I love that orange fat from the red crustacean regardless of its adverse implication on my cholesterol, it was almost an instant favorite.
The lunch ended with the perfect dessert of cheesecake made from Kesong Puti with bukayo on top as garnish.
Can not wait to try the other items in the menu with the family.
Definitely returning with the piggery in tow.
LOLA'S CAFE is located at the 5th level of The Podium Mall near Banana Leaf .
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