Wednesday……
I’ll be dining out tonight with my sister Kristine and Aba (her bf). It’s their birthday so they have to treat me. Since I’d be going to Lucky Plaza at orchard after office hours to remit, I agreed to meet them there. We haven’t decided yet where to eat and what to eat, well, that’s something to look forward to till later.
I don’t feel like eating today. I feel like I’m kinda full and bloated. I don’t know why is that when all I had for lunch is an oily vegetable okoy-like fritter which I bought from a Malay food store from the hawker nearby. And at the moment, the thought of food, any food, makes me vomit uuuggghhh. Oh well, I’d leave that task (food/restaurant hunting) to Kristine and knowing her, who is much like me when it comes to food, either we go buffets or we end up with burgers at either burger king or carl’s jr or some fried chicken at kfc. Let her do the thinking coz my appetite has gone haywire and the least I can think of right now is food.
So I texted Kristine “panganan tayo damdama? nasa lucky plaza nako ng mga 6:15. Darasen yo a” (that’s Tagalog and Ilocano. Translation: Where will we have dinner later? I’d be in Lucky Plaza around 6:15. You better hurry up). She just texted back “k”. I texted 3 complete sentences and all I get in return is not even a word but just a letter “k” (duh!)
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The mobile internet connection on my HTC is slow and I can’t open the website of the Philippine daily inquirier or yahoo canada gggggrrrrr (hello! starhub can’t you speed up your internet service???!!! it’s too slow and it’s killing me! ) Got a text message from Kristine on my other phone saying Aba is still on his way (gosh they’re late!) and another text message from my sister Joy on my roaming number saying our nephew Ambrei is so active and so restless (hhhhhmmm I wonder if he’s again on top of a chair doing ala-superman stunt— toddlers…). Texting kept me busy while waiting for these two slow-footed duo (Kristine and Aba) to arrive and they’re really trying my patience – It’s already past 7pm and i’ve been waiting for them for like more than 30 minutes!!! I’m already done with the remittance and I’ve already checked several stores on sale, and they’re not her yet. And I can’t buy the dress from the botique infront of me coz I need Kristine’s opinion before I pay for it. Darn. And my feet are sore and I’m tired. and yes I am complaining. Of all the things I detest, waiting is what I hate most. When it comes to waiting, my patience is zero, nil, nada. I’ve no choice though but to wait and sit and bear the noise this Filipina beside me is making (she’s verbally mutilating whoever is on the other line – P—–g I– mo. Ta—–do ka. Ma–t-y ka na sana!!!)
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I’m still undecided as to what I want for dinner. I don’t feel like eating and I plan to tell them that I am ok with Carl’s Jr or burger king, as always. And before I can even open my mouth, Aba and Kristine blurted out “Ate, gusto namin ng Pizza at pasta” (We want pizza and pasta) in almost a chorus. Do I have any choice? 1 for burger versus 2 for pasta and pizza? I conceded. Ok fine! For a change. Just then, Aba suggested we dine at pizza hut. WWWHHHAAATTT???? I gave him a big “NO” and “over my dead-voluptuous body ” for an answer.
I dragged them to plaza singapura and brought them to café cartel and pastamania. They decided to try Pastamania. I had been to Pastamania once and I had tried their beef lasagna which I find ok. So a second time won’t hurt.
The thing for me about food is that, I hate spending on food that is not worth the money I paid for. I don’t mind spending on food as long as get satisfied. By satisfaction, I mean, food/meal should not only make my tummy full or trick my brain into feeling I have gulped enough just for the sake of filling my stomach. I must have to gratify my nose,teeth, palate, and tastebud’s expectations in terms of aroma, flavor/taste, and texture in that order. I don’t care how romantic, cozy, elegant, luxurious, whatever else adjective you got, a restaurant is nor will I mind if it was just a modest, ordinary or cheap diner, I go for food satisfaction first period. A good ambiance is just an additional perk and I terribly hate it when I pay for a high-priced yet crappy meal just because of the ambiance (duuuhhh)
Back with Pastamania. Pastamania is a casual dining restaurant where you chooose the food, place your orders at the counter, pay for it, then their cook (chef? they need to earn that name first) cooks your chosen pasta and/or pizza while you wait, then the waiters bring the food to your table. They serve quite a wide variety of pizzas and pastas.
I had beef Bolognese (price : SG$7.50) Kristine had, beef lasagna (Price : SG$ 10.90) and Aba had Chicken Ham & Sausage Baked Rice (Price : SG$ 8.60) plus + SG$ 3.50 for each meal price for an additional coke and garlic bread. Oh we also had a 12 inches pepperoni pizza (Price : SG$ 15.40). Expensive!
I cook pasta and I know how to make pizza and our housemates make pizza at home and I like Macoy’s pizza more than that of pastamania. And I hate to spend on food I can cook specially when there is nothing special about it. So, no, I was not satisfied with the food at Pastamania. Oh, the one dish we tried that I liked was the Chicken Ham & Sausage Baked Rice. It has a creamy and cheesy sauce. I’ll try that dish at home 🙂 I’ve been planning for quite sometime to make some baked casserole dishes, but I never had the time and appetite to make one though 😦 I’ll find the time regardless of my appetite’s mood.
My verdict on Pastamania? I’ll give them a 2-star rating. They have to add more herbs on their beef bolognese. It is supposed to be a pasta with beef in tomato herb sauce right? But it is lacking the herb flavor. The pizza? As I have said, Macoy’s pizza is better.
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Earlier tonight, while waiting for Kristine and Aba at Lucky Plaza I called Mama (she’s in Tabuk) and I was able to talk to my niece Richie (she’s 3 turning 4 by the end of December). The conversation went like this:
Me: Hi Richie girl. How are you?
Richie: Hello Tita Ate. I’m fine.
Me: What are you doing?
Richie: I’m playing with Ate Shai- something (I didn’t hear the name right)
Me: How’s school?
Richie: It’s ok.
Me: Where’s your mama? (referring to Farah)
Richie: Mama? She’s there.
Me: How’s your mama?
Richie : I don’t know. But she’s there and I’m playing here with ate Shai- (something)
It felt like she wants to hang-up the phone and go play instead. Then she suddently gets excited
Richie : Oh you know Tita, Samsam (our pet dog) is so naughty. She runs around the house and everywhere. She’s sooo naughty.
Me: Really? By the way, what’s the name of Samsam’s puppy Richie?
Richie: You mean the puppies? (she emphasized on the -ies, plural) Little Samsam.
Me: You named them all Little Samsam?
Richie : Yes. They are all Little Samsam.
Me: Why did you name them all Little Samsam? Can’t you think of any other names for the puppies?
Richie: They all look like Samsam. So I call them Little Samsam ah.
Then she called my mama, she said “bye Tita” coz she wants to go play.
Richie: Tita, I’ll go play now. Mami’s here (she calls our mama mami and our papa papi)
Then she passed the phone to mama. Mama’s sick with asthma, again. Probably due to the constantly changing weather in Tabuk (hot-cold-hot-then cold again; dry-wet-dry then wet again). She’s said she feels better now. They’d be going to Manila this Friday to visit my sister Joy and my nephew Ambrei. I miss Richie and Ambrei and mama and papa. I’ll see them all agian in less than a month 🙂
-Sharosem(6october2010)
FOOD FOR MY LOVE 