For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me.
- Matthew 25:35 ESV
These words are written on the walls of the Hungry Thirsty Stranger formerly known Sweet Street Food and Drinks located at Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City Philippines [//]:# (!pinmapple 10.312706 lat 123.956061 long d3scr). They serve burgers with fries, pasta, salads and healthy drinks. Oh, and they let you buy a meal for a hungry, thirsty stranger too.
If you're looking for a resto that serves affordable quality food - HTS has both healthy and satisfying choices on their menu. I and
started going to this place in 2019 because we were looking for places that offered affordable healthy food. He was happy sharing the then Sweet Street that offered Waldorf salad for only Php 60 (1.24 USD).
The allure of Sweet Street for me back then was just that. Rarely do you find restaurants that offer healthy food at an affordable price. We were sold the first time we ate there. We decided that we would come back for sure.
The Interior
We came back after a year and were surprised to see that it wasn't called Sweet Street anymore. As
Three men, the cash register and their menu greeted us as we entered. I turned my gaze on the mini-fridge beside the cash register and instantly saw a bowl of fresh garden salad and three cups of overnight oats on display. It was too bad that I didn't get a photo of the front desk, but if it helps you to picture the place more here's their social media page: Hungry Thirsty Stranger.
The place had a modern feel to it. As you look up you'll see these warm lights. The place was air-conditioned but it was just the right type of cool for me, must be because I wore a denim jacket. We sat in a table for two. The tables had hooks that we used to hang our bags and helmets so the space underneath was well-utilized. While waiting for our order to arrive, I took the chance to look around and capture photos of the place. If you're with a group, they have a group table available as well.
One of the unusual things that caught my eye was this chair. It's shaped like a cup of French fries and I found it cute. I was wondering if it was uncomfortable to sit on because each strip was made of wood. Any furniture lovers here? I'd love to hear how this seat was designed because when we sat on it, it didn't hurt at all. It was just like sitting on a normal chair.
It wasn't as spacious as I'd like it to be, but they made good use of the space. On top of the table were QR codes for the wifi and their social media page. One thing that I loved about the place was that their wifi worked!
Food Choices
had. We wondered why the buns were yellowish than normal. After chatting with the owner, we found out that they intentionally used Brioche buns because they were good for those on a Keto diet. I was surprised to know that they were intentional with their healthy brand. The burgers start at Php 150 (3.09 USD) and are served with French Fries and ketchup.
Their Hungrier Burger is a double cheese signature burger garnished with the same tomato, lettuce and secret sauce. The Hungriest Burger is garnished with tomato, lettuce and their secret sauce with crispy bacon as an added oomph. They also had the chicken burger variant Hungry Chicken Burger with glazed fried chicken patty and signature garnishes.
I had the garden salad that was on display. I had it for Php 120 (2.47 USD). It was served with vinaigrette dressing with boiled egg and shrimp. It was past my intermittent fasting schedule and I cheated 😆. I ate my feelings that night but at least I cheated on good food, right? The excuses I tell myself.
We didn't order any drink, we indulged in their service water. The owner shared to us that they don't serve softdrinks even if a lot of their customers have already requested. They wanted to stick to their healthy food range and served healthy juices, milk shake and coffee only. Their drinks range from Php 60-120 (1.24-2.47 USD). They also served pasta: Hungry Chicken Carbonara, Hungry Beef Bolognese and Hungry Shrimp Pasta. Their pasta are available at Php 150 (3.09 USD). Their Hot Meals Series: Hungry Wings and Hungry Fried Shrimp were available at Php 180 (3.71 USD).
Culture of Giving
I got the chance to chat with these men when as I was on my way to the bathroom. It was then that I learned the story behind their rebranding of The Sweet Street. The father of Cris (the one in the white shirt), said that the brains behind their business was their father and that he passed away last year. He narrated how his father started and I could tell how he looked up to him. With his passing, they aimed to preserve his legacy and at the same time push through some of the changes they discussed as a family to make their business thrive. Hungry, Thirsty Stranger still has the allure of Sweet Street with a much more modern vibe and a heartwarming mission.
Cris shared that they once welcomed a man who lost his job and gave him a free meal. This is part of the HTS' legacy - their pay-it-forward program. They aim to build a community of generous people. You can take part in this program by either: paying for another meal or by simply shelling out an amount that you wish to share. The accumulated funds will be used in feeding underserved hungry, thirsty strangers.
I also shared to Cris how we came to love their resto and showed him pictures of the food we ordered then. He told us that the black sesame seeds were his idea, along with the brioche buns that they were using now. It made me realize that the passion they had for their business was not ordinary. I'm sure that their father would be looking at them now with pride as he witnesses how his legacy was preserved by his children.
Changes may bring about temporary sadness because things will never be the same again yet some change is necessary and the future is better for it - HTS proved this to us.
She is on a mission to become better than who she was yesterday. A chemical engineer and a financial advisor, she hopes to give value to this space as a motivated individual. She found the perfect marriage of what she wants to do in life and her mission in financial advising. She balances her work and life at the comforts of her home. She loves to meet like-minded people and watch The Bold Type in her free time. Watch this space for tales of self-improvement and self-acceptance, per Mark Manson, "the philosophical tightrope."
If you like her content, don't forget to upvote and leave a comment and reblog if you can! She appreciates all forms of love!