Remember Shantung?

While driving towards an uncle’s place, my dad asked “Where do you guys want to eat?” Shantung was the answer. For one main reason, we just missed it. It’s one of the few restos etched in my memory. I’m not sure if you’ve been to that place, it’s a very old Chinese restaurant along West Avenue.

I remember back in the old days, my grandpa would take the whole clan there every Sunday. Since there were so many of us youngsters, there would always be the famous Shantung Fried Chicken and their irresistible shrimp balls on the kids’ table. Now with an adult palate, I thought of trying the same stuff again, and see if they have the same juiciness and crisp, the same ambience and feel.

Upon entering the place, I realized it’s still the same old Shantung, literally same, old and rusty. We had their Fried Chicken, Shrimp Balls and other foods that we ordered ages ago including the Bamboo Shoots, Ti Ka (braised pork) with white bread and Ma Po Tofu. The shrimp balls came out smaller than expected and tasted grainy. The chicken was really good. Their braised pork was sweet and soft (can be comparable to those sold in Hongkong restaurants).

I remember in the old days, after having lunch at this place, all my cousins would go to our house and we would play Fun House at our terrace. The group would hide the hangers used for our clothes and the “it” was tasked to find all of them in less than a minute or so. We would also play Taguan or Bahay-bahayan in my parents’ bedroom.

If I have my own family someday, I would like to introduce them to places like these and relive the old tradition of my clan. That would just be plain lovely. :)