Faustina’s Date Night

Tonight, my boyfriend and I went out to eat at Faustina’s, one of our all-time favorite restaurants in Los Baños.

When eating there, we usually order the same meals (Silindro Ribs for him and Grilled Soy Ginger Chicken for me) because we’ve grown to love them. They’ve become our comfort food. But today, we decided we wanted something exciting rather than comforting, so we tried something different.

I had the tomato and white cheese pasta (upper left), and he had the tomato and sausage pasta (upper right). We only got the junior size because we had also ordered a garlic and cheese pizza (lower left). For a big finish to our meal, we shared a mango crepe topped with chocolate syrup and mango ice cream. We usually order cheesecake, but I must admit, it is not their forte. We enjoyed the crepe much more.

I enjoy their pizza because their thin crust is not too thin that it tastes like burnt paper, but not too thick that its crust type is questioned. It is, personally, the exact kind of thin that makes a good pizza. And unlike other pizzas, their dough is not overlooked. It is crisp, but not tough. It is flavorful enough to be eaten on its own, but bland enough to complement the toppings. I could eat sit there in their plush little couches eating their crusts all day.

The pasta, however, being raised in a house full of pasta monsters and a mother with every bit of TLC, was a bit disappointing. The pasta was overcooked, but I don’t know if I can really hold that against them. Some Filipinos enjoy their pasta a bit mushy. The tomato sauce was a bit watery for my taste, too. My boyfriend enjoyed it though, and I wonder if I’m too picky when it comes to pasta.

Faustina’s is a bit pricey to eat at regularly for the student community of UP Los Banos. However, it is affordable enough for a few to indulge in from time to time. For a full meal, it would cost about P250-P300 per head. I had eaten here with my parents before, and they were happy with their experience, too. They have an average serving size and a very homey feel to their décor.

Overall, Faustina’s is a good choice because they serve food worth your money. And since the extra rice custom is not uncommon in UPLB, this cozy restaurant in the busiest stretch of Umali ensures you a hearty experience each time.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Add this to our master pasta list: spaghetti and meatballs. This specific photograph was taken during my eldest brother’s birthday last May, when my mom had cooked this for us. The recipe was taken off an old book, but she had her personal touches to it as well. Though it had taken a couple of times to tries to perfect, this time was, hands down, definitely superb.

For photographic purposes, the plate held a massive serving, but just one meatball was enough for a starving me.

Tuna and Capers

Our family consists of seven pasta monsters. Don’t ask us how we became that way, I think it was just wired into our system. Maybe it was my parents’ love for it and it was somehow passed on to us. I don’t really know. But this, I might say, is one of the best pasta dishes I have tasted so far. I guess it’s probably because my mom knows just how we like it.

Tuna and capers. There’s not much to say. It’s a tomato-based pasta dish with tuna, capers and fresh herbs. The resulting dish is slightly sour due to the tomatoes and the capers, but of course these are countered by seasoning. Canned tuna will do just fine, and can vary from pieces in brine to spicy chunks.

It is a recipe my mother stumbled upon during one of her experiments and has been a family favorite ever since.