Eating well

Some people eat to live. Others live to eat. For me, it’s a no-brainer. Eating is, without a doubt, one of life’s true joys. It doesn’t really matter where I’m eating: at home, at a fancy restaurant, or a hole-in-the-wall. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it: I enjoy eating a stick of local tempura the same way I enjoy a serving of Japanese tempura at any of the city’s better Japanese restaurants. Which is to say, with much gusto. If the food is good, then I will enjoy it. Period.

We should also never confuse the phrase “eating well” with “eating expensive food” because these are two entirely different things. You can eat expensive food, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll actually enjoy it. Expensive food isn’t always delicious, mind you. It’s all relative: a gourmet will definitely appreciate the subtle nuances of foie gras, but a construction worker may not find it to his liking. To him, it may taste too fatty, too lardy or just plain weird.

Then there’s this myth that hotels and expensive restaurants always serve excellent food. In my opinion, that’s all it is: a myth. I’ve been to some expensive hotels and restaurants where the food won’t pass muster, simple dishes like afritadang manok, tinolang manok, calderetang kambing and pancit lomi, dishes that have been perfected by the cooks at lowly carinderias all over the country. On the other hand, there are those hotels and restaurants that offer fantastic versions of simple dishes like barbecued pork (Shangri-La’s Tides restaurant), lamb chops (Waterfront’s La Gondola) and cheeseburgers (Marriott’s Garden Café).

Of course, you don’t need a lot of money to enjoy eating. There are always the less expensive but equally noteworthy food outlets. For Chinese food, I’d go for Ding Qua Qua with their reasonably-priced buffet. The tapsilog at Pandora’s Box deserves special mention, as well as Fidel’s fried chicken.

Never let anyone tell you that enjoying food comes with a price. Simply put, eating well is all about enjoying a meal to the fullest, whatever it is. And if you spend peanuts on a meal that’s fit for a king, then good for you, and don’t forget to tell me where the restaurant is.