Bistro Pamana

When Sari and Happy informed me about Bistro Pamana, I immediately invited myself over! 🙂 And I am so glad I did! I met a wonderful lady who has so much to share!!!! Happy Ongpauco-Tiu. Her real name is actually Happy Madonna Peace Ongpauco-Tiu 🙂

This pretty lady is amazing with so many many tips, creative ideas, recipes, and just so much HAPPINESS to share – just like her name 🙂 Happy studied in CIA for her culinary background. Happy has two sisters named Love and Sunshine 🙂

Bistro Pamana is a cafe version of the original Pamana in Tagaytay and Boracay. Happy told me that she did this to cater to the office crowd and residents in Legaspi village. She took some dishes from the Pamana menu and added more unique dishes for the Bistro. I have not been yet to any Pamana so I cannot compare but I am sure it is good.

Such a bright and HAPPY place to be in

I was overwhelmed as soon as I opened that door! It’s like Happy had so much to share, even she did not know where to begin! haha 🙂 Just this wall had so many stories to tell!! It’s a good thing I had a notebook with me so I took down notes

Happy’s Lola Mama Chit Evangelista started Barrio Fiesta in 1940 which has 38 branches. These branches have been divided already among her 5 children by territory. So Happy’s father, Rod Ongpauco runs and owns a few of the Barrio Fiestas. He also has other food concepts aside from Barrio Fiesta which is his own creation – Singing Cooks atbp, Isdaan in Laguna, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija and Bakahan at Manukan! WOW!

An interesting fact which I just found out now is that the dad of Happy is the one who invented CRISPY PATA! The story behind it being – Daddy Rod would bring his friends to Barrio Fiesta after school and Mama Chit was telling him that they cannot keep feeding all his friends all the time 🙂 So Daddy Rod looked in the kitchen and he saw some pig’s knuckles not being used so he fried those and served them to his friends, hence Crispy Pata was born and it is one of the dishes that made Barrio Fiesta famous 🙂

More stories to tell from generation to generation in all those frames!!! Even stories are “Pamana”

There are so many restaurants opening and I am glad that there are still a few who believe in focusing on our very own. After all, we are in the Philippines and we are Filipinos. Many say that they don’t eat Filipino food because they can have it at home. But our cooks can only make so much Filipino food – there is so much more to explore out there. Call it fusion or just call it a unique way of presenting a Filipino dish – it is ours to be proud of. Thank you Happy for being one of those. I hope you can open up many many more branches and other Pinoy concepts!

Aside from stories handed down, there are things handed down like cameras and irons 🙂

This is a wall for Happy’s Mom who is Liberty Ilagan, a famous actress. By the way, Her sister’s name is Victory 🙂

And you will see – even beauty traits are handed down from generation to generation 🙂

Her contemporaries are Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes and look who we found! Senator Grace Poe! Cute 🙂

This Happy is so star studded, her cousin is Janno Gibbs 🙂 The little boy in the photo

The in laws of Happy – The Tiu Clan who total around 50. Imagine how many more stories to tell from her other family! 🙂

Our view from our table 🙂

Every single item on her menu has a story to tell! It’s either a hand me down ( pamana ) recipe, Happy’s own creation, a recipe from a friend, etc etc. So you can imagine the work that went into all this and how valuable and meaningful it is. Heart2Heart is so happy that we can all try all these wonderful creations

Lemon grass iced tea

Love the condiments tray!!!

That adobo flakes presentation is so cool!!! 🙂

Lumpia Trio – Pamana has a lot of trios in the menu. Lots of work and love that goes into every dish and there is something for everyone!! Happy uses molo wrapper for her lumpia because it is crispier than using the regular lumpia wrapper. Household tip 🙂

Tiyan ng bangus at tofu sisig – healthy sisig though it has mayonnaise still 🙂 That pork sisig with aligui looks and sounds so good too!!!!

The Crispy Baby Pusit in Black ink is a recipe of Sari Jorge of 25 Mushroom Kitchen, a good friend of Happy and lucky for me, my friend too 🙂

Happy loves bulalo so you will see a lot of bulalo in the menu! Baked Bone Marrow with Adobo pate and toast

This is how you put it all together! SARAP!

Humba at Crispy Pao – Sarap! with that fried mantao for only P 290.00

Another trio – Three way adobo – three recipes from three Lolas 🙂

Tinuktok

Happy made these set meals which are affordable and for sure masarap and it comes with everything already

Bulalong Corned beef – Sarap sarap!!!!! All this in the photo for P 270.00

Sizzling Pancit Ivatan – A Basco heirloom dish from Nanay Victoria. Their version of canton topped with egg and dried pork. Mix it all together before eating 🙂

Not only the British can have High Tea 🙂 We have our own version called merienda with tsokolate 🙂 or iced tea. Afternoon Tea Set – This is good for 2 to 3 for only P 380.00 ! How can you beat that?

Happy chooses each and every container and plating for each dish. She buys they herself just like the bottles for the hot chocolate and her tea cups 🙂 It’s all in the details and the touches. It also reflects on the kind of person Happy is – very detailed and very creative

Sari made sure I tried the Ginumis with panucha ice cream ( homemade by Happy ) – SUPER SARAP!!!!!!!! I have never tasted anything like it! I am dreaming of this everyday 🙂

and remembering the two lovely ladies I dined with – Happy and Sari :-)- and all the food we ate that afternoon! Hoping to see more of the two of them here at Heart2Heart

Happy’s opening team!! She can’t live without them 🙂 Vangie – 13 years of service, Myla 3 years, Gemma 20 years of service and used to work for her Dad and Josh 9 years of service. Happy was an entrepreneur very early on! After college she put up World Tops in Timog and another branch in Katipunan which was rice toppings. It did so well she got back her money in 6 months! The 2nd venture she had was Bento Box in 2001 which has 2 branches. Then she has Hawaiian BBQ in Boracay and Tagaytay, I Love Backyard BBQ in Boracay, Pamana in Tagaytay and Boracay, Slim at Home, Happy Carts and her Boutique Hotel with 7 rooms in Tagaytay! For a total of 8 Restaurant concepts, a slimming service, happy carts and a hotel! WHEW! Aside from that she has 3 cute little boys and a husband who she cooks for and takes care of! What a wonder woman!