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| How can you miss these blatantly bright goodies? |
My
first taste of this delicacy of the north wasn’t here in LB and it was nothing
less than authentic. It wasn’t as brightly tinted though for my first wasn’t
orange at all. I had it at the Secret Garden in Vigan, Ilocos Sur during our
Humanities 2 field trip in that region. The experience was very memorable. I
and my friend sneaked beyond the allowed perimeter with the help of a very kind
kutsero who took us to places the
rest of the students were not able to visit, the Secret Garden being one of
them. I have a penchant for deep fried goodies paired with vinegar dipping so
when our unofficial tour guide asked if we would like to taste what he thinks
is the best empanada in the area I just went for it. I wasn’t so surprised when
I enjoyed my first tryst with this crisp delight, greasy, smelly fingers and
all. I promised it won’t be the last time I’ll have it but it was just not very
easy to find it in Cubao or the rest of QC. I had even less luck in LB---until
recently. Imagine my delight when I found not one but two shops that sold it in
LB upon my return.
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| Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters no less. |
I have
to be honest that I didn’t really pay much attention to the name of the
establishment the first time I went here. Blame it on the less than
eye-catching piece of tarpaulin that held the name or the brightness of the
color of the empanadas that was shared by the arch of the door or maybe blame
it on my excitement. The name just didn’t seem to matter. The seating area is
humbly furnished, with all the carinderia
necessities. They can do better, I know, but I didn’t mind then and I still
don’t at present after countless visits. I chose Kasuy’s over the other shop in
front of the late Barracks Computer Shop because of the seating area and the
notion that holes in the wall I fondly call Grove’s platform
nine-and-three-quarters hold a certain kind of surprise within them, pleasant
or otherwise.
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| At this point I really wished I had a better camera with me. |
And surprised I really was. The first bite transported me to the
Secret Garden. It reminded me of the goodness I thought I’ve already forgotten.
The shell was crisp and hot and the moment you dig your fork into it the steam
gives you a waft of the Vigan longganisa
crushed and mixed with shredded papaya and mung beans and an egg that was
cracked just before the whole ensemble was sealed into its shell and sent to
its boiling grease bath. Empanadas they serve are always piping hot and always
paired with genuine sukang Iloco. If
your timing’s right, you’d be able to sample the freshly cooked ones with the
egg yolk still oozing by the time you split it into half, Vigan empanada at its
best. If you’re still in doubt of the authenticity of what they serve, the manong that mans the place would
sometimes play Ilocano pop songs and even sing to tunes while making the
empanadas. And that, my friends, is the mark of authenticity not so easily
faked.
