Another suitcase in another flight

Brother's dinner menu at Lola Asyang. Not in cursive but yes, that's my penmanship too.

ONE OF the best compliments that somebody has ever paid me says, “With eNTeNG, I will never go hungry.”  It came from Brother.  He must’ve dropped that line nonchalantly during one of the many dinners at my place.  We were on assignment in the States at the time, our stays overlapping for one year.  He came back home ahead of me and I stayed behind for about five months more.  He probably thought I’ve forgotten about it.  Quite obviously, it’s a comment that has stayed with me all this time.

So when he felt the need to treat the whole team at work to yet another one of those “going away” dinners, I shamelessly assumed that I would be at the helm of the preparation.  He may not be making me pick the tab – though that wouldn’t be a problem between brothers – but at the very least, I was in charge of ordering.  (Cue one of my favorite movie lines, paraphrased from memory: “I’m an excellent orderer.  You may want to eat with me for the rest of your life.”)

Lola Asyang has been a favorite place.  I just made sure that all of Brother’s usuals would be on the list – baked mussels is a constant, something we’d also get at that place he took me to in Alabang.  The chicharon bulaklak (crispy fried chitlings) was a special request from The Flash.

It’s 1:36 PM.  In 24 minutes, Brother is leaving on a flight to Singapore.  His latest text, sent just right after clearning immigration, was just so funny.  I will miss Brother.

Baked mussels on a half shell

 

Buttered shrimps

 

Calamares, which is just fresh squid rings dipped in batter and deep-fried.

 

"Inihaw na Pusit," my favorite, which is fresh whole squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes, then grilled.

 

"Sinigang na Tanigue sa Miso" is spanish mackerel in a tamarind-and-fermented-soybean-paste-soured broth with lots of fresh vegetables!

 

Milliner not required!... I wore this Krispy Kreme complimentary paper hat to Brother's dinner.

 

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