Talk about Chinese food and what comes into my mind is my father. Tatay’s usual pasalubong when I was in college would be siomai and when we eat out, it’s in a Chinese resto.
During our childhood days, Greenhills Shopping Complex is THE place to be and to be seen. It was like the summation of today’s Fun Ranch, Tiendesitas, Bonifacio High Street, and Greenbelt Cinemas. During the time when Sundays are strictly for attending Mass, eat out in Greenhills, watch GMA Supershow, and then Lovingly Yours Helen while having merienda of turon or banana que.
Yes some 20 or more years ago.
Those lunches at Greenhills were limited to the usual kiddie fastfoods at the time, what else: McDonald’s, Jollibee, AND Tropical Hut. I seldom go to Greenhills now. It’s very stressful to find parking space during Christmas season. Here in the Philippines, this means September till January. In a sense, it tells us that Greenhills has stood the test of time in addressing diverse interest of the national capital’s populace.
But of course, it’s not weekly that we eat out for burgers and chicken. They were reserved for Le Ching Tea House. In a way, Le Ching was like an extension of our dining room at that time as we get older. When we go to Greenhills, we go to Le Ching. It’s automatic.
My Tatay and I are miles away- he in US, I in Manila. So when he had the time last year, we went to Greenhills together with our youngest sibling who grew up in the states. We told her stories of our Le Ching moments. My cousin and I would also visit Le Ching everytime we are in Greenhills. It’s as if something is amiss if we didn’t eat in or take away some food on our visits.
I’d say that aside from the shopping complex, Le Ching has also stood the test of time because of their good food. A lot of restos had mushroomed around the area and are able to probably offer more posh ambiance, more expensive and difficult to read/pronounce menus to prove how they are in the commercial area of the rich and known.
My hair would have that right-out-of-an-old-chinese-resto smell after eating that spareribs rice from a can, chili garlic oil, dimsums, and Mountain Dew. Why would I be bothered if that’s the scent of good memories- home, childhood, parents, and simplicity.
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