A Bittersweet Binondo Food Trip

A few weeks ago, I got a message on Instagram from one of my friends asking if we could meet up. At first, I thought it was just one of our usual catch-ups but it turned out that one of them was leaving the country for work, so we decided to have one last get-together before the year ends.

It had been so long since our last hangout, and just reading that message made me realize how much I missed spending time with them. It felt extra special knowing moments like this might not happen again for a few years.

As I was getting ready, I suddenly thought about how I even became friends with them in the first place.

They were actually my partner’s blockmates back in college. My college best friend was close to one of my partner’s friends, so we all started hanging out. Before I knew it, I was already part of their group. Even if I was from a different department, they’d invite me to their group activities, hangouts, and even sleepovers. I also became their go-to tutor whenever they had English or Literature subjects.

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We decided to meet in Binondo, Manila. Gabbie and I arrived a bit early while the others are still driving and commuting. We came from different cities so it would take time for us to be complete. We met on a Sunday and we made sure to go home before dark. It's a teacher rule! We all have work the next day and you know what it’s like when teachers don’t get enough sleep 😂

While waiting, we roamed around Lucky Chinatown Mall. It brought back a lot of memories because during college, this was one of our go-to spots whenever we needed to buy school supplies in bulk. It's cheaper here. Then, we checked out the World Balance grand sale but didn’t find anything we liked so we just walked around until everyone arrived.

Our first plan was to eat lunch at Chuan Kee, which is said to be Binondo’s oldest fast food restaurant since 1940. We’ve always wanted to try it because of the good reviews but the line was so long! It was lunch time, the weather was hot, and we were all getting hungry.

Before leaving the queue, one of our friends went upstairs and found Cafe Mezzanine, a Volunteer Fireman’s Coffee Shop that also serves rice meals and thankfully, no long lines, so we decided to eat there instead.

The place was cozy and filled with fireman helmets and memorabilia on the walls. We ordered Yang Chow Fried Rice, Lechon Macau, and Braised Beef Noodle Soup. All good for sharing. Everything was delicious and so worth it!

_{📍 inside Cafe Mezzanine}

_{Cafe Mezzanine's Yang Chow & Lechon Macau}

After that, we stopped by Lord Stow’s Bakery because one of our friends was craving egg tarts. We bought some to take home too to pair it with coffee once we got home.

_{📍 Lord Stow's Bakery}

Since this was a Binondo food trip, of course we want to explore more. We also bought tanghulu, those shiny sugar-coated fruits on sticks, and the famous Shanghai Fried Siopao. We made sure to buy fresh lumpia from Puo Hing Lumpia too. It’s a must-try if you ever visit 😊

While walking to our next stop, we passed by a mural showing different ways people call cats. swswswsw, mingming, meow. We couldn’t help but laugh comparing how we each do it.

How do you call cats when you see one?

Our last stop was Sun Cafe, near Binondo Church. After walking under the heat all day, we needed that aircon and caffeine fix! The place was simple but cozy and their coffee was affordable too. We sat there for hours, just talking about life, career, and future plans. If you ever decided to visit this, try to explore where their restroom is! 😁

_{📍 Sun Cafe}

Mae, the one who organized the meet-up, shared that she’s moving to Singapore for work. She used to be hesitant about working abroad since she’s really close to her family but now she’s taking the leap and we’re all so proud of her. Then Kinah shared that she and her husband are also processing their papers for New Zealand. She even said she’ll help guide us if ever we decide to apply too.

_{📍Binondo Church}

Hearing their stories made me feel a mix of happiness and a bit of sadness. It’s amazing to see my friends grow and take big steps toward their dreams but it's also sad that things are slowly changing. We won’t get to see and hangout with them as often anymore.

We ended the day with full hearts and full stomachs, thankful that we got to spend time together before everyone gets busy with their new chapters. We promised to stay in touch and so far, we’ve kept that promise ❤️

Sometimes, it takes a simple get-together like this to remind you that even as life moves forward and people go their separate ways, real friendships always find a way to stay.