July 5, 2010 –My college friend, Pao,  invited out for lunch that week.  He’s been traveling to Cebu and other places for work that’s why we haven’t found the time to do lunches together.  I said I wanted something light and he suggested checking out the Seafood “Paluto” at Hypermarket.  I was up for it since I haven’t had seafood in a while.  We ordered 1 kilo of clams and had it “halaan” style.  The warm broth was soooo calming. 

And then Pao also ordered Tilapia done sweet and sour style.  It tasted so fresh!  We were both satisfied with our lunch meal and happy that it was such a light and clean lunch fare.  It was months and months worth of catch-up but I enjoyed a lot.  Thanks Pao for the lunch treat! 🙂

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July 13, 2010 –I invited Pao out for lunch this time.  I wanted to get out of the office for lunch.  I was craving for cheesy French Onion soup that rainy Tuesday.  We thought long and hard where to get one and decided to head over TGI Friday’s in Robinson’s Galleria (I remember that they might have one because I once ate French Onion soup at their Glorietta 3 branch with Kenny many many years back.  But I also remembered, albeit faintly, that I didn’t like their French Onion soup). 

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And I was right.  The French Onion soup was to me, a spoonful of disappointment.  It didn’t satisfy my cravings at all.  I’m glad though that I got the salad and soup lunch combo and the half Caesar salad gave me a fuller tummy.  I took a bite or two from Pao’s big plate of Chicken and Mushroom and thought it was a better order.   

Conversation revolved around food and eventually moved to us bragging about each other’s version of Adobo (a popular Filipino chicken or pork stew cooked in soy sauce and vinegar).  This led to a challenge –Battle of Adobo –that was supposedly set last Tuesday, July 20. 

Janey: Pao, let’s go to Tarlac!  I’m inviting some friends to go and eat at Palaisdaan in Gerona Tarlac.  Their grilled liempo is to die for!!!  They slow cook it first adobo style and then grill it to a smokey goodness (more of that in the “Palaisdaan at Gerona Tarlac” entry).  It’s got to be the best adobo I’ve tasted.

Pao: That’s because you haven’t tasted my adobo.

Janey: What did we cook at your place?  Carbonara?

Pao: Yup, but you haven’t tasted my adobo.

Janey: Well, you haven’t tasted MY adobo.

And the banter ensues… 😀

I haven’t cooked Adobo in almost 2 years.  I only started to cook it 4 years ago because it’s Bubba’s favorite dish.

Pao sent an SMS over the weekend (I think I was expecting this) to say that we had to postpone our Battle of Adobo lunch because he suddenly had a 2-seminar to attend that falls on that specific Tuesday.  Now, we all know this is an excuse.  Obviously, he still had to practice his Adobo cooking skills or ask around for better cooking techniques and secret ingredients and what nots.  Good thing I guess, because I wasn’t able to shop for grocery items last weekend.

Pao, start stretching your cooking muscles and lay off the excuses 😉

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