Adarna, a time-warp with food and history

Slide Album: Adarna Fodd & Culture

We had lunch today at a place called "Adarna - Food and Culture" along Kalayaan Ave., Quezon City - just a short walk from Trellis and opposite Kamay-Kainan.

The walls of the place were designed with wooden window covers, those with a checkered pattern with flat capiz placed in each small square. When we got inside, it was like a mini-museum of everything old. There are old newspapers, old pictures, posters, old money, old home-pieces (like a 100-yr old piano that's still working), a manual flat-iron (where burning charcoal is placed inside for heat), a very old wooden clock that's still working, big glass jars (the same jar containers for the 3-for-5 centavos texas gums and the red bubble gum in the corner sari-sari store of "Mang Inong" when I was 7).

In their function rooms, there was an old black and white TV (the one with the wooden cover and with a dial to change channels), an old phonograph, and a film-projector. There were also pictures of actors and actresses when they were still young - Susan Roces, Vilma Santos, Rogelio dela Rosa, Edgar Mortiz, Nida Blanca, Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Nestor de Villa .... the experience of looking at all these was like being in a time-warp. It brought me back to my younger years, when I was tugging along my Nanay Ching as she watches her favorite TV shows.

The dining experience. The tables and chairs are solid-wood, those we usually see in old houses, with intricate wood carvings. The table-cloth and the dish used really reminded me of the old house of my lola (bless her soul). The dish were old china and the glass coasters were crochetted.

The food menu - with their description - was reminiscent of the late Doreen Fernandez and her penchance for ascertaining the original recipe and origin of each dish. Adarna offers specialty dishes from different parts of the country, boasting of preparing each dish to its old/original preparation. Some of the food I find interesting are Pancit musiko (Ilocano noodle soup), Sigarillas salad, Lumpia Freska Kabitenya, Pamplina (that allegedly dates back to the Galleon Trade), Tagalog Pochero, Pancit 1913, Pancit Anamita 1930, Pancit Tondo 1800, Kesong puti and Langka fry, Plantanillos con Manga (Pinoy's version of crepe), Felicidad (cold drink of eggs, cream, milk, rhum, vanilla).

We ordered crispy dilis and Tokwa (tofu) rebosado with fresh tomato salsa as appetizers The tokwa was delicious, even my 9-year old son Geof who's not a fan of tofu ate them with gusto. For our entree, we ordered Piassok, a dish of beef chunks "cooked slowly in smoked coconut cream and ten spices until tender." This dish, according to the menu, hails from Sulu. The sauce taste like a mix of curry, coconut, and cumin. It's good, and I bet even better when eaten with beer or wine, as suggested by the chef. Next we had the camaron rebosado. Geof and Julia enjoyed this, but I find this dish a little too common. (Price range of entree is between P160 to P400). The resto also offers Batanes yellow rice which we also tried. The serving is generous (P65 per serving). The plain rice is also cheap (P12/ serving) with a very nice texture - like the rice you buy/ eat when you're in Nueva Ecija or Pampanga - the grains are small and a little sticky.

For our drinks, Geof ordered mango shake and they gave us a very thick and rich shake. When I ordered Barako coffee, it was served in a very elegant and feminine cup and saucer (the attendant corfirmed first who will have the coffee before serving - I guess the dish they use for coffee are gender-specific). Over-all, the dining experience creates a feeling of being a rich or well-off ilustrado of the old days. The ambiance, the food, the dish used, the music - it was like we were brought back in time.

For big groups or functions, Adarna also has rooms that can seat 15-20 (if bigger, the rooms can be 'combined' by removing the divider ). The rate for room use is P5000, all consumable, for 4 hours. We recommend this place especially to those who have balikbayan or foreign visitors , or even to those who, like us, enjoy being reminded of the good-old-days. Adarna - Food and Culture is located at 119 Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman Quezon City. TeleFax (+632) 926 8712 and email adarnafoodandculture@yahoo.com