A Great Time

My meetings were end to end, one after the other ...
Sometimes I like it that way because I can end the day earlier
Four meetings in four hours rather than eight
I wish all days were like this
With all the meetings done, I could sneak out of the office early

I was hungry (why oh why isn't that surprising???)
It was early enough for an extended merienda instead of a late dinner as is usually the case with me

So off I was to market , to market ...
Or rather to Market Market
Here in their open food court I would find my favorite merienda
Pancit ...
Specifically - "pancit lucban "
Also more fondly referred to as "pancit habhab"

Lucban is a rustic and historic municipality in the province of Quezon and is located at the footlands of the legendary Mt. Banahaw. It is a festive town known for its annual "Pahiyas" festival - where rows of houses are colorfully decorated with rice based decor. It is a haven for home grown delicacies that are considered favorites beyond the borders of the Quezon province.

The food perhaps most representative of Lucban is the noodle dish that bears its name - Pancit Lucban .
Noodles made from rice flour and eggs, are mixed with sayote, carrots, onions and a sprinkling of liempo kawali type of toppings plus a spicy vinegar mix. In its home setting , it is street food sold by hawkers for about 5pesos per serving. The serving (good for one) is served on a banana leaf without any utensils. One must then develop the talent of slurping it off the leaf (colloquially referred to as "habhab") . Licking is tolerated as it is clearly a yumyum treat ...

A foreign guest of mine once amusingly observed that the "habhab" manner of eating was "so crude", so "tribal"...

I am not sure whether he meant that in a negative way but I found myself immediately answering back ... "on the contrary, it is a very passionate, sexual way of eating - it is almost like foreplay - the trick is not to hit the noodles with your nose while eating it ..."

For those like me who rarely have the time to make the three and a half hour trip to Lucban - pancit habhab is available at BUDDY's at Market Market, Fort Bonifacio as well 3 other BUDDY's outlets in Metro Manila.

Happy slurping.

Better still ... happy licking

Habhab a great time.

BUDDY's

Food Court, Fiesta Market

Market Market, Fort Bonifacio

(63-2) 886- 7711

2727 Pililia cor. Kalayaan Avenue

Makati City

(63-2) 99-5991

2948 Kakarong cor Barasoain Sts.

Makati City

(63-2) 895-7165

Tycoon Centre Bldg.

Pearl Drive, Ortigas Business Center

Pasig City

(63-2) 637-3296