PenPen De Sarapen

Who doesn't know this famous Tagalog folk song? We're pretty sure, during your childhood years, you were singing this with your classmates or with your friends. Nowadays, children are preoccupied with other songs, mostly Western. Which is why some of our Filipino songs such as this one are close to extinct. By the way, did you even bother asking yourself what the song means? Did you not ask your teacher what the song was trying to say? Well, would you believe it if we told you guys that it could be associated with food? Yes, we're not joking. It could actually be associated with food. Well, the first word, at least. And not just ordinary food, but delicious, mouth-watering food. We'll tell you guys how and why.

We were actually very hungry for lunch when we were at the Tomas Morato area. Craving for good food, we decided to look around among the many restaurants in the area. We finally stumbled upon this small restaurant which is actually kind of hidden (It's not on the main road. There's a sign, though, that will direct you to the place). Who would've though that the place is owned by a showbiz personality. The name of the place is PenPen Restaurant. It is actually owned by Ping Medina, son of another great actor Pen Medina. The place is small, yet it's one of the food places in the area that offers great and satisfying food. The interior of the place is simple. It's not too striking, yet it's not overly designed. There are a few designs, such as wall decors and framed maps. But, the delicious food that they offer is enough to say that the place is great.

The place offers delicious Pinoy dishes that will surely satisfy your appetite. In fact, every Fridays and Saturdays PenPen has a Pasta All-You-Can promo wherein you can enjoy unlimited Pinoy-inspired pasta for just 280 pesos and only 265 pesos for groups of four. You can enjoy pasta sauces such as Quesong Puti Pesto, Beef Morcon with Chorizos, and Lucban Longganisa Meatballs, and mix and match them with your favorite pasta. Their rice meals and Pinoy dishes are also must-tries. Most of them are even perfect "pulutans" for your happy hours. The "crispy" dishes are what we recommend that you should definitely not miss. It's actually to die for. Nevertheless, whatever food you want to try on the menu, it's affordable and delicious.

Here's what we got:

Bottomless Iced Tea, 45 php

Glutton Guy and Glutton Girl: We can't say much about it. It's the same iced tea you find elsewhere. We only find theirs cheap as compared to the others. In fact, it's wise for you to choose the bottomless iced tea for drinks, since the other drinks are just 5 to 10 pesos cheaper. Practicality-wise, it's best to order the bottomless one. : )

Molo Soup, 55 php

Glutton Guy: For 55 pesos, this soup is actually cheap. I thought it only served one. But, when I asked the waitress, she told me that it can serve up to two persons. It was actually enough for both of us. Come to think of it, it could even serve up to three or four persons. Going to the soup, it actually was delicious. It's probably one of the best tasting Molo soups I've ever tasted. The soup wasn't too salty. The bits of meat, the molo wrapper, every ingredient adds up to the delicious taste of the soup. If only I could not share it with Glutton Girl, I could actually finish the whole bowl! : )

Glutton Girl: The soup, for me, was actually delicious. I'm not used to ordering soups when I go to restaurants like this. I didn't regret ordering this one, though. It was actually more than I expected it to be. The soup was very good. Like what Glutton Guy said, it's not too salty. I like the strips that were in the soup (I don't know what those were, though). The meat was also delicious. It adds flavor to the soup. The molo wrapper gave a great accent to the dish. Molo soup is the one I would recommend at PenPen.

Rice, 25 php (Plain), 30 php (Garlic Fried Rice)

Glutton Guy: I ordered the garlic fried rice. It was actually okay for me. Nothing too special with the rice. I actually expected some fried garlic bits, but there were none. There were some times that the rice actually overpowered the dishes that we ordered, because the flavor was somewhat too strong. It wasn't too salty, though, which was a plus for me. : )

Glutton Girl: I got the plain rice. For me, plain rice was actually better for the dishes that we ordered. There was no flavor from the rice that confuses my sense of taste. I can really taste the flavors of the dishes. I recommend that you just order plain rice. But, if you're up for something else, try the others as well. I think they're also delicious. I haven't tried them yet, but trust me on this one (hahaha).

Crispy Liempo, 125 php

Glutton Guy: PenPen's Crispy Liempo, for me, is actually the best. They're really crunchy, as the name implies. The liempo wasn't too salty, which I liked. There are some restaurants who over-marinade the liempo, making it salty. But PenPen's crispy liempo is opposite of that. It's best when dipped in the vinegar with garlic. I would also recommend this as a perfect pulutan. : )

Glutton Girl: When I saw the crispy liempo's picture on the menu, I actually had the feeling that it would be very good. I wasn't disappointed. The liempo was crunchy and very delicious. At first I thought that it was bacon. But then I realized that it wasn't. Glutton Guy actually explained to me that it might be liempo that was thinly sliced then fried. According to him, thinly sliced liempo, when fried, tends to curl, thus the curling effect of the dish (I didn't actually know that Glutton Guy knew these kinds of stuffs hahaha). I also loved the vinegar dip. To me it was a perfect balance of saltiness and sourness.

Mini-Cordon Bleu, 105 php (6 pieces), 150 php (10 pieces)

Glutton Guy:  I actually gave their Mini-Cordon Bleu dish a shot. It was an okay dish for me, not too much of a comparison to the original Cordon Bleu. Nevertheless, the dish was delicious. I just felt that the cheese was overpowering. The dish looked like home made chicken nuggets, which I found kind of cute. I didn't like the mayo dip. For me, it was more delicious without the dip. Also, it would be better for me if the coating used had a little crunch. The dish would probably be better with plain rice. : )

Glutton Girl: I wasn't a fan of this dish. I found the cheese a bit salty and the cordon bleu kind of mushy. I also wasn't a fan of the mayo dip. There was a different taste from the dip that I actually didn't like. 10 pieces would probably too much for me. So, I would suggest that you go for the 6 pieces if you want to try this dish.

PenPen might be a small place. But, as they say, one can be "small but terrible". PenPen's dishes are very delicious and are worth the try. Not only that, they are also light on the budget. If you really want to get the value for your money, give their pasta all-you-can promo a shot. Their sauces are definitely delicious as well. So, if you want appetizing Pinoy dishes that you'll surely crave for, just remember the song, "PENPEN de Sarapen de kutsilyo de almasen...".









Rating: Buddhalicious!
(PenPen Restaurant is located at 105-C Scout Castor Street, Baranggay Laging Handa, Quezon City. Scout Castor is actually along Tomas Morato Avenue. Just look out for the 7-11 store and turn at Castor street. There's actually a sign that will point you to the place.)