(Continued from yesterday)
Most days, Malabon Mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III chooses to visit restaurants and food hubs unannounced, to the delight of their owners.
“I enjoy going there without prior plans. Most of the time, these establishments would refuse payment for those I ordered, but of course I would make sure that I do pay,” he says.
An unexpected social-media influencer for his candid food reviews that has led to more than 100,000 followers on Facebook and a million views for his online videos, Mayor Oreta says his city has so much more to offer than just its famed pancit Malabon and pichi-pichi.
“We have what we like to call Kalye Masarap in [Barangay] Concepcion, because that short strip has so much to offer when it comes to the best unusual yet delicious food. If you visit the Concepcion Market, you’ll find delicacies native like okoy ng Malabon [shrimp cakes], tapang kabayo [horse jerky], and my favorite, the Malabon kikiam.”
The mayor also encourages his viewers from Malabon and its surrounding cities to try out some of his favorite food spots. His top choices include Chitis for the chicken and pancakes and Ompong’s Kitchen for the sinigang na lechon.
“It’s located in a place that’s not usually known for food, so it’s a surprising discovery,” says Oreta, whose wife Melissa is a popular chef as well.
The mayor’s third choice is Pizza Hub; next is Judy Ann’s for the popular crispy pata. Lastly, for good old home-cooked Malabon delicacies, the mayor suggests Betsy’s.
Aside from promoting Malabon as a culinary destination, Oreta also hopes to grow his online reach so he could easily disseminate important information regarding ongoing projects such as the city’s nutrition drive.
To see more of Mayor Oreta’s food vlogs and city updates, check out his official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LenLenOreta.