Previously, the Urban Roamer introduced you to some of the native delicacies of the city known as the country’s shoemaking capital, Marikina. Now, we visit some of the restaurants in the downtown area that have given the city a distinct taste (pun intended) as far as dining choices are concerned. My thanks to Rence Chan and Jonathan Blaza for organizing this intimate food trip recently that I was fortunate to join.
Some of these restaurants managed to create their own identities in the process, making them such beloved dining places among the city’s residents and even beyond as Marikina is becoming a favorite food haunt.
GOTO GARAHE
As far as goto in Marikina is concerned, Goto Garahe is one of the favorite spots to check out.
Located along J.P. Rizal, (just a few blocks away from Aling Nena’s Puto Marikina establishment) they serve not only good goto of differnt varieties but also other affordable items on their menu like pasta, sandwiches, and even halo-halo.
MAMA CHIT’S
Nearby is another dining establishment called Mama Chit’s. Its menu more on the Western variety, only big in scale like a hamburger the size of a family sized pizza.
Apart from the food, what’s interesting about this establishment is the large amount of memorabilia that is displayed in almost every corner. From toys to old ad posters to photos, it is like stepping back in time looking at the vast memorabilia on display. Come to think of it, Mama Chit’s does evoke a 1950s diner type of vibe so the presence of these vintage items are appropriate.
SALUD’S PANCITERIA
Also along the aforementioned thoroughfare, steps away from Mama Chit’s, is the Salud Panciteria. It is sort of a hole in the wall type of dining ambience as the main restaurant can be found after passing through a narrow walkway.
The restaurant exudes a homey atmosphere accentuated by colorful paper lanterns. As the name implies, its specialty is pancit though the other items on the menu are must-tries as well.
Admittedly, there are still some more restaurants in Marikina that we were not able to cover during the tour. Nevertheless, this should give one a bird’s eye view on the variety of dining choices in the city that one should check out, even the ones not covered here yet. Let this post serve as a way to rediscovering this city and its rich culture, especially in food.
