Pan de Amerikana Experience

I wrote this last August 24, 2012.

I really had fun yesterday! Pumunta kami sa isang lugar na hindi naming alam. As in wala. Wala kaming idea how the place look like, or even why it becomes popular this days. Nag umpisa lang naman ang lahat ng yun sa simpleng kainan at kwentuhan.

It was Thursday. We were in our school canteen, having our late lunch since we able to pass our drawing plate early. As usual tatlo lang kami. I was with Julian and Lhets, and yea, accompanied by our all time favourite tapsilog. I dunno who among us started the topic about Clarisse’s plan for her birthday pre-celebration. Basta bigla nalang napag usapan kung ano nga bang plano para dun. Kaso napupunta sa kung saan saan yung topic na yun. Napunta sa kung anong plano namin for MJ‘s birthday, then MJ’s birthday last year to Julian’s not-so-good birthday celebration last year, up to Lhets and I birthday. Kung anong mga plano, na maiba naman dahil paulit ulit nalang. Blah blah blah. Then suddenly Julian shared something. She said that she had read a certain blog about a resto, Pan de Amerikana, somewhere in Marikina. She asked me about it since I’m living in Marikina. I told her that I’m actually familiar about it, since my two sisters often eat there, and I never had a chance to go by myself. She also told us na her friend Zia been there too. Na nacu-curious sya sa place na yun. Ano raw bang meron dun at para sobrang na aamazed yung mga taong pumupunta dun. Toto, my elder sister told me that the place is good. It also has cheap value of meals. But she never mentioned how the place looks like.

As we kept on talking about the place and other plans for the incoming birthday of us, we decide to visit Pan de Amerikana and to find out where and what’s with it. I just asked Toto where it is located, and then left the school already. We take a SSS Village route jeepney since Toto said it is nearby Pure Gold Jr. in SSS Village. While on our way, I even told them that we will be passing the OLOPSC, which happened to be unique because of its castle-look façade. I was also surprised when I took a look outside a jeep, nakita ko si Arvin! At nakatingin rin sya sakin! Haha. He’s Kuya Sam’s (One of my dearest and spceial kuya and friend) younger brother.

Ayun na ang Pure Gold Jr! We dropped off the jeep and went to the main door of Pure Gold Jr. to ask Manong Guard where Pan de Amerikana is. Well, it’s actually Julian who asked. Pag balik nya, asar na asar nyang kinwento na tinatawanan raw sya nung guard. Tinanong pa raw nun kung anong gagawin naming sa Pan de Amerikana. "E? Malamang, mag iigib po kami ng tubig dun“, piloposong sagot ko. Tawa lang kami ng tawa ni Lhets, while Julian? Badtrip as usual. J

From the Pure Gold, nag lakad kami diretso sa kalsadang tinuro ni Manong Guard. Still wondering how we will identify the place. I was already looking for someone to ask, ng makita ko ang wind mill na ito.

I told them na baka yun na nga yun. Lakad pa. Lakad pa. Hanggang sa makarating kami sa tapat nito. At last! We’re here! And promise! I was really surprised and mesmerized when I saw the store/bakery/resto.   

As we walked in, di ko mapigilang di mapa “Wow” sa itsura nung place. It is very unique. It has a romantic and old theme of restaurant. And yea, based on what I saw, I knew it; it is definitely a restaurant, a fine-dining restaurant with a very cheap value of meals. That’s awesome right?

Pan de Amerikana has a combined fine-dining look to fast food price and setup. Why? You have to take your order and pay for it in the counter before you choose where you wanna seat. The only differences of it to the typical fast food chain is, they will just give you a number, go to the dining area, have a seat, appreciate the relaxing view of the area, and wait for the waiter to give you your order. Bumalik na sa pagiging fine-dining ang style. J

Lhets chose Palabok while Julian and I prefer Spaghetti. Both of it only rate for Php 40.00 only. Without a drink of course.

We chose to seat in the area where we can have a closer view to the large chess area. Yep! The place becomes unique because of it. Even the table contains a chess pattern. 

Beside our table is a model, a collection of a chess piece inclosed with a glass.

Behind us is a panoramic glass with an interior garden, the water falling along the glass from the top gives the atmosphere cool and refreshing. 

After we ate, we decided to go to the chess area to of course, play chess! Kaso tatlo kami, at dahil mabait ako. Pinag bigayan ko sila. Haha. I made myself busy by walking around and taking a picture. At cellphone lang ang meron kami dahil biglaan nga lang ang lakad na ito. J

In chess area, there are different pictures hanging in the wall, and some miniatures that are displayed. Just like in an old traditional stroller of a baby. It is cute! Julian wants to steal that if she’ll have a chance raw. Haha.

A preserved frog attached to the rock walled of Pan de Amerikana.

 One thing that makes me love the place is their singange. It is written in tagalog. Imagine a place with a touch of western culture, inspired by foreign feature, and a signage written in tagalog? Wow! Makabayan! Haha. I like that. Also, they used the indigenious materials that made the place sooo traditional. Sabi nga ni Julian, pakiramdam nya nasa Hacienda sya, Kasama si Senyorita Maria (Lhets). Haha.

While we were eating, I recognized a hanging bridge over the roofs in the exterior part of Pan de Amerikana. So, while Julian and Lhets were busy playing and having their battle in chess, I’ve decided to do up stairs and find out what’s up there.

 It just an ordinary tree house suited for kids. Yea. For kids. Since it has only has a limited space beside the roof of the restaurant, connected to the hanging bridge and the other part of the tree house.

The view upstairs is not as good as downstairs. But believe me, ang sarap ng pakiramdam ko nung umakyat ako dyan. Ang lakas ng hangin. Sariwa. I was just to scared to across the hanging bridge all by myself. I just reasoned out my heels, when Lhets and Julian asked me if I try it. Haha.

 

The view of the hanging bridge from the stairs. 

As I took the toilet, I found this. Maitim na batang lumuluwa ng tissue paper! My gosh ! Ang taba pa ng pisngi nya. Haha. Laugh trip ako ng makita ko e. J

Natapos rin si Lhets at Julian sa pag lalaro. Napagod din ako kakaikot, so we ordered again. This time it’s halo-halo. It is Php 50.00, but for me, it worth it. Masarap pramis! I even told them na I tried Chowking’s halo-halo once and I was very disapponted. A very expensive halo halo with unsatisfactory quality. Naah! Pan de Ameikana nalang. J

We stayed there until around 6 in the evening. As we finished eating halo halo, we decided to go outside and go home. It was a great experience. The place, the people I was with and the timing. A restaurant located in an area that is not commercialized unlike the others, but a very exceptional atmosphere. We make sure that we’ll go back again. Hoping that we could bring some of our friends with us next time.