In weekend markets like Salcedo and Legazpi in Makati, people are slowly coming out again from quarantine.
Every Saturday at Salcedo, Casa Daza has a booth that offers empanada, siopao and other dishes. I go there after badminton, and to a nearby stall to refresh myself with ice-cold dalandan juice.
Then I go to the Vietnamese stall and order shrimp salad and fresh spring roll. That is my Saturday routine.
Come Sunday, after my morning badminton, I go to Legazpi. I pass by the stall of the Warung Indonesian restaurant which I’m happy to observe is always sold out.
A few stalls down is Imang Salud Kapampangan Homemade Classic Empanadas. I tried its giant ensaimada recently and I was beside myself: It was soft, not moist but a bit dry (which I liked), light and out-of-this-world delicious. It was topped with sugar and mildly salty queso de bola. It’s one strong reason to go to the Legazpi weekend market every Sunday (tel. 0920-9478819).
Baked, frozen
Another delicious discovery is Unagi Supreme Sushi Bake with homemade sweet sauce drizzled over unagi (Japanese eel).
Other variants are Dashimaki Tamago, Kani, Ebi and Tobiko (tel. 09171902933, @astoriaskitchen on Instagram). Each dish comes with four packs of nori sheets. Spoon the sushi bake and a piece of unagi and on a nori sheet and pop the whole thing in your mouth. It’s a meal in itself.
Frozen Brazo takes after the classic Pinoy dessert, Brazo de Mercedes (@Mariamakes.ph on Instagram). The fluffy meringue sits on top of ice cream, and under that is a rich custard on a base of semi-sweet crust. It is a sweet tooth’s dream dessert. Eaten frozen, it will also make you hum. A must try!