What’s UP, Los Baños?

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What’s UP, Los Baños?

Coming back to LB but don’t know where to eat? Don’t worry, you won’t go hungry. There are so many places to eat that would suit any palate, I’m sure there is something to satisfy you. While some of the fastfood restaurants have been gone for years, believe me, the dining choices here in Los Banos has more than triple in the last couple of years. More cuisines to tempt the palate that it’s never a bore to eat out or take out. Here are some of my favorite choices:

Namjai Thai at LB Square – Probably the first Thai restaurant in Los Banos managed by Kwon, a charming Thai lady married to a Filipino. She introduced me to Thai cooking, chillis and tom yum. My favorites include the seafood salad, papaya salad and sticky rice with mango.

Ning’s Thai House of Noodles (just across Agrix, now, the Philippine Veterans Bank Complex) – this time it is managed by a Filipina who married a Thai student enrolled at UPLB. Try her pa-siu noodles and springrolls. The springroll sauce is simply to die for with vinegar, cucumber, peanuts and chili.

Bonito’s at the corner going to Demarses Subdivision – They serve pasta, rice meals and a mean paella. My favorites are their grilled squid and the spinach pasta in pesto sauce.

Conga Island Grill at Agrix – If you go for great pulutan such as sisig, seafood or chicken gambas, angus beef with mushroom or grilled tuna belly, this is the place to go! Great with San Miguel Beer.

Masafi at LB Square – Probably the only Mediterranean and Arabic cuisine in town. My favorites include the beef and chicken kebabs, chicken biryani and Arabic salad. Be sure to request for extra helpings of their garlic sauce.

More choices later. Have a good meal!

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- I think of Prof Zafaralla giving us the lectures for each places we visited, Paoay church and the Luna house
- I think of the statue of the angel (or saint?) at the Vigan church with strong features and eyes that seem to look straight at me in every angle
- I think of sitting beside my crush, attempting to talk to him, part of the way going to Ilocos Norte
- I think of Paoay lake and the sand dunes of Paoay. Iniisip ko kung singkit nga ba ang mata ng mga pating sa South China Sea (ala Brosia of Pugad Baboy)
- I thing of my blockmates taking plenty of pictures (I was slimmer then *sigh*).
- I think of that “paksiw na piranha” at the NTC dorm, I know I’m not the only one who did not eat breakfast that day
- I think of being almost more excited going to Baguio than to Ilocos, the strawberries and vegetables from the Baguio market, of planning to go to the Pink Sisters and strolling at Burnham Park
- I think of eating at Jollibee in Baguio City (wala pa kasing Jollibee sa Los Banos!). It was raining then, our shoes muddy and we all entered McDonalds first. We looked at the choices, then at each other and decided to find Jollibee. We left at our muddy tracks at McDonalds.
- I think of public market in Laoag with its wet goods on the second floor, the bell tower with its very dark stairways and savoring longganisa Laoag
- I think of bonding with my Hum 1 classmates- some became lifelong friends

PS - What’s memorable with your Ilocos trip?

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Need gift ideas? How about men’s jewelry for that special someone?

Ever imagine life in UPLB without McDo, Jollibee, KFC or Pizza Hut? No Chowking or Mini-Stop or 7-11? Or no LB Square for that matter.

Yes, there was a time when they were not there.

When eating at Jollibee meant going to Calamba Crossing and something to really work forward to.

Petrino’s tapsilog is a favorite and the only franchised burger stands were Big Mak, Minute Burger and Burger Machine. Oh yes, there was Little Folks, too. My favorite at Petrino’s however, is not the tapsilog but the hotsilog because they use Purefoods TJ hotdog!

Fastfood meant Mother’s Best at Ilag’s or Grove and Ellen’s Fried Chicken before it became the “CR-like” building.

A piece of Ellen’s fried chicken costs only 7 pesos. 25 pesos na ngayon.

Lailani’s pan de sal (located in the KFC site) was Jericho’s competition.

Angelo’s (FO Santos cor Lopez Ave) served pizza and sizzling food.

Greenwich, before it became the big franchise restaurant, was located in the now Woodbridge Pizza parlor.

The SU coffee shop served the best pancakes, spaghetti and halo-halo.

Coop Canteen and LS (Langhap Sarap in Agrix) served the best arroz caldo. I remember my bestfriend and me going to LS after our 2pm class for a bowl of arroz caldo.

Cels was located at Demarses Subdivision.

Bug-ong (Agrix Complex) restaurant served Asian-inspired dishes. I miss their grilled chicken!

Café Amalia (also at Agrix) was the fine-dining restaurant in town.

How about you, any fond food memories of UPLB?

You may also want to check this out:
Magkano pamasahe sa jeep noong undergrad ka?
http://whatsuplb.blogspot.com/2006/08/magkano-pamasahe-sa-jeep-noong.html

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Need to enhance your website? How about some digital signage?

I came across this article from http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/ written by an American who married a Los Baños-born lady. A few snippets below:

Of family, he writes:
“When I think of the Philippines, I see large extended families that live happily together in small places. I think of large families that remain not only physically close, but emotionally close as well.”

Of food:
“I think of the smell of fried garlic, fried fish, and fried daing (small dried fish) wafting from the kitchen. I think of the smell of fried garlic, fried fish, and fried daing (small dried fish) wafting from the neighbor’s kitchen. (Both because of the close proximity of the homes and because of the hospitality where one is welcomed and expected in the neighbor’s home.)”

Of Los Baños:
“I think of the warm smiles, courtesy, cheerful bantering, and “Hey Joe!s” of children and locals as I walk through Los Baños.”

- Excerpts from “The Hidden Face of the Philippines” by Bob Kemerait.

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Tip: Don’t forget your passport when you travel out of the country!