Comfort food can be defined as food that provides a nostalgic value to a specific person. There are times when comfort food has a good amount of cholesterol and carbohydrates and simple to prepare. Some Cebuanos may consider the lechon or chicharon as their comfort food. Then, there is the Chinese Lumpia at Fooda.
Original Chinese Lumpia at Foodarama– image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
The Chinese Lumpia at Foodarama along Mango Avenue or General Maxilom Avenue can be considered as one of the institutions of the culinary scene in Cebu. It has delighted the taste buds of Cebuanos long before a number of other Chinese dishes were offered in the Queen City of the South. The ingredients have basically remained the same. And it is still prepared by the same person who can probably be considered as an icon in the food landscape of Cebu, Sara Escultor or simply Manang Sara.
Manang Sara– image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Manang Sara has been putting together this delicious comfort food for the past four decades. She started off when she was in her teens way back in 1973. And she has continued to satisfy the culinary cravings of the residents of Cebu. Some of these customers immediately recognize her as the one who prepared the Chinese Lumpia they crave for when they were still studying in the schools close to Foodarama.
Manang Sara at work – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Putting together the Chinese Lumpia – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
When the stall at Foodarama started off, its menu offerings included the empanada, humba egg, siopao, siomai, bachang and, of course, the Chinese Lumpia. The menu is basically the same with the addition of the Pancit Miki and Fried Rice. Many Cebuanos still pass by the stall of Manang Sara each time they get the chance to go to Foodarama. While a number of restaurants have tried to replicate the Chinese Lumpia at Foodarama, nothing beats the original.
Good Food, Ah! – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Food items at the Good Food, Ah! – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
When was the last time you passed by the stall of Manang Sara and took a bite of the delicious Chinese Lumpia at Foodarama? Tell us about it on the comments section below.
Chinese Lumpia – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Humba Egg – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Empanada – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
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