Famished after a stop at the famous Manaoag church, we let cousin (who lives locally, sort of) decide where to eat. He suggested Mang Peping's because he's experienced not just good food but along with it, great service.
It was a warm humid day, but breezy enough to dine in one of the huts set up outside. We were seated and given the menu immediately.
We were a party of 6 and how hungry were we to get all this food!
CRISPY KANGKONG: Cooked to order but lacking the crisp given they covered it with saran wrap (therefore trapped steam which caused the loss of the crisp) when the plate found its way from the kitchen to our hut. There were a few pieces that retained its crisp, though, and those were delicious.
SIDE OF GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES: Always a good sidekick to any dish.
NILASING NA HIPON (DRUNKEN SHRIMP): I haven't had a bad one of these yet and like the rest, these were addictingly delicious. Big Bro and cousin and I were poppin' it in like it was the end of the world. A must have.
LECHON KAWALI: Nothing out of the ordinary but delicious. I'd skip it next time, though, to give room for other things on their menu.
BUTTERED CRAB: The sauce was way too sweet for all of us - local boy included. It was overwhelming enough to take away the main taste of crab. Gotta make a mental note just have it steamed plain.
KINIGTOT: I like that it's not very gamey. The meat was cooked tender and the sauce was seasoned right. I'd recommend this for goat dish lovers.
KAREKARE: Like the lechon kawali, nothing out of the ordinary. It's what one would expect at any decent restaurant. This was Pop's order and he liked it a lot, so that's always a plus.
LIEMPO: Also ordinary. Seasoning was great, though, and I like that they come in smaller slices. Although delicious, it isn't something I'd order again until I try other things on the menu.
SIZZLING BANGUS BELLY: Or at least, I think that was sizzling bangus belly. I was wondering what this dish was upon delivery. The mayo and the fillers were a little to distracting - enough for me not to bother trying it. It just didn't look appealing enough.
TORTANG TALONG: Had we known each order came with three, we would have only put in one order. (We got three.) This is one my favorite dishes hands down and they, of course, delivered.
HALO-HALO: GodNiece just had to have it since she's never had it served in a whole coconut. She enjoyed it as much as she enjoyed its appearance.
FOOD: 3. Some are plain and too ordinary, but still good.
SERVICE: 5. They were very VERY accessible and provided excellent service.
VALUE: 4. Not too bad for what we got.
PARKING: Private lot. A security guard will help you to a spot.
OVERALL: 4.
Not sure if you can ask, but if you bring fish food, you're more than welcome to feed the fish in the surrounding ponds. That's always a treat.
Although I'd skip a few items, I'd do a come back to try many other offerings I didn't get to on this round. It just might be awhile, though, since, I live nowhere here. But they will remain on my radar. read more