Exploring San Fernando, Pampanga: Arts, Food and Faith (2nd of 3 Parts)

After our museum visit, we had lunch at Souq (pronounced "sook") Restaurant along Lazatin Avenue. Souq offers a creative fusion of Kapampangan cuisine, widely regarded as among the best in the Philippines, alongside other Filipino and Asian dishes. Since we wanted to sample a variety of flavors, we ordered several dishes to share.

One of the items I instantly liked was the restaurant's take on Okoy, a favorite Filipino treat traditionally made with shrimp and vegetables. Souq's version was both familiar and unique, a combination of grated papaya, kamote (sweet potato), and kalabasa (squash), topped with shrimp. The fritters did not have the usual patty-like appearance; they looked like a bird's nest and were crunchy and tasty. 

I ordered the crab rice, which I found very good. The rice was soft and must have included malagkit (glutinous rice), and the crab flavor was rich and creamy. Its savory taste made it satisfying, and it paired well with the other dishes we ordered.

My sisters also tried the kare-kare, which featured tender pork belly instead of the usual ox tail or tripe. My sisters, however, found the peanut sauce much sweeter than what we typically expect from a traditional kare-kare. The sweetness was quite pronounced, and I even suspected that the cook might have used peanut butter instead of actual peanuts to make the sauce. Of course, that was only my personal impression, and some diners may enjoy this variation. However, I prefer a more savory and nuttier kare-kare that lets the flavors of the meat, vegetables, and bagoong shine through.

I also had the opportunity to try the Asado Matua, a Kapampangan take on the Chinese dish asado. The dish featured pork shoulder slow-cooked in tomatoes, soy sauce, and calamansi, resulting in a deep, savory flavor balanced by a nice tanginess. The meat was tender and absorbed the rich flavors of the sauce. In a previous trip to Pampanga, I learned that "matua" is the Kapampangan word for traditional or old-style, which made the dish even more interesting. The Asado Matua is the pride of Kapampangan cooking, often served during celebrations and important occasions.  

We also ordered the Pasta sa Taba ng Alimango, or pasta in crab fat sauce. I did not get the chance to try it because I had already ordered the crab rice and did not want to double down on crab dishes. My sister was the one who sampled it, and judging from how little she ate, I suspect she was not particularly impressed. 

Since I was not the one who paid for lunch, I do not actually know how much the meal cost. However, my sisters were very happy with the bill and felt that we received excellent value for the quality and quantity of food we enjoyed. They even said that we probably would have paid considerably more for a similar lunch in Manila. We appreciated the experience even more because of that observation. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Souq, and I'd gladly go back to try their other dishes. 

Original images taken during our trip. No intended copyright infringement.