Greg & Sally Garden Cafe, Pan de Amerikana Bakery & Restaurant in Marikina

Last November, I went to Marikina to visit a friend and former co-worker who has retired from government service. It was only my second time in my entire life to visit this city! I had been wanting to go for the longest time after reading about all the lovely restaurants that have opened up in Marikina and visiting my friend offered the perfect chance. First, we had lunch at the beautiful Greg & Sally Garden Cafe then dessert 
at the equally lovely Pan de Amerikana Bakery & Restaurant. 
These two are must-visits in Marikina, folks!

At Greg & Sally Garden Cafe

Our orders:

Kangkong Chips

I loved this appetite-stimulant. Crunchy greens that 
are both yummy and healthy!

Tinapa Pesto Pasta

This was a bit dry but nevertheless tasty.

Peppered Pork Steak and Squash, Potatoes and Rice

My friend, who's a meat-lover, ordered this one. I had a bite and 
found the meat to be tender and flavorful. Thumbs up!

Gumamela Iced Tea

My friend's drink of choice. I didn't order any because I planned 
to have it elsewhere. Haha!

Menu

In and around Greg & Sally Garden Cafe

Greg & Sally Garden Cafe at #145 Ipil St. corner Champaca, 

Marikina Heights, Marikina City

At Pan de Amerikana Bakery & Restaurant

Our drink and dessert:

Turon Langka with Ice Cream, P45. 

Watermelon Shake, P75. 


In and around Pan de Amerikana

Pan de Amerikana Bakery & Restaurant along 
General Ordoñez St. Marikina City 

Marikina is a fascinating and very promising place for those gastronomic adventures. It is teeming with restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines and with lovely ambiance 
for that ultimate dining pleasure. I hope to be back soon to try other 
places, especially those on Lilac St., which is fast becoming 
like Maginhawa St. in Quezon City when it comes 
to popularity as a foodie destination. 

Today's Word: Luke 2:11

Today, we remember that our Savior was born to us thousands of years ago. What a glorious day it was when the Lord Jesus Christ was given to save us from death due to our sins! What great love it is that God the Father has for us! Let's not forget that this is the reason why we are celebrating Christmas. Whether there is a simple meal or a feast on our table to share with the family does not matter. It is honoring the Lord 
and thanking Him for giving us a Savior that's important, as well as being 
a blessing to our fellow human beings, especially those in need. 
Merry Christmas, everyone! May the Lord bless us all 

as we celebrate His birthday.

(Credit goes to the owner of this photo)

The enduring Ma Mon Luk

In my five decades and one year of existence, I have only visited the iconic 
mami-and-siopao place Ma Mon Luk in Quiapo once, about seven years ago. So last week, I thought of making a second visit, this time with my friend, who decided to treat me 
for her birthday at the Quezon Ave. branch.

Ma Mon Luk may not ring a bell for millenials but for us Gen X members and older, it is an institution. It is even believed by some food historians that it was the Chinese man named Ma Wen-lu or Ma Mon Luk as he became known in the Philippines after whom "mami" was named (Ma, his name, and "mi", meaning noodles in Chinese). The man migrated to the Philippines from China in 1920 and thereafter opened his first noodle restaurant in Binondo. The Quiapo and Quezon Ave., Quezon City branches 
opened next but for some reasons, the original store closed down 
while the two have remained open to this day.

Anyway, my friend and I came for dinner on Saturday last week. Fortunately, the place wasn't full so we immediately caught the attention of servers. Well, I was there by myself just a few days earlier but had no luck. I waited for about 20 to 30 minutes trying to get noticed by the crew but they were all super busy! I decided to 
just leave and transfer to another restaurant because I was starving! 

Anyway, here's what my friend and I ordered:

Original mami

The broth was quite thick compared to other bowls of mami that I've had elsewhere and looked milky, too. However, it was bland for my taste, but a dash of salt 
and pepper could lend more flavor to the soup.

Bola-bola siopao

This, I loved! It was delish, with a generous amount of pork filling. 
No wonder Ma Mon Luk siopao is well loved by patrons.

Pork rice

My friend and I were surprised when this was served because we were expecting a dish of pork with rice. We thought we were given chopsuey rice by mistake. The server assured us, though, that it was their pork rice. Well, the veggies tasted good, 
although it was essentially chopsuey in both look and taste.

Pork fried noodles

We were expecting a plate of crunchy noodles but these were already drenched in sauce and already soft when it came on the table. Nevertheless, 
the pancit tasted good so my friend and I still enjoyed it.

Menu

Inside Ma Mon Luk along Quezon Ave. in Quezon City

Ma Mon Luk may be really old and quite rundown, with no air conditioning system, but the fact that it still exists decades after decades, attests to the fact that Pinoys love this Chinese restaurant. I know it will still be here for my future grandkids 
to visit, to enjoy good food and a slice of history.