SENIOR BYAHERO
An internet post about the availability of pancit istasyon got me taking the iconic Cavite baby bus to the town of Tanza. This dish which became popular during the time of the Manila-Naic railway, was sold at the Tanza train station, thus the name pancit istasyon. The dish, is made of steamed bean sprouts instead of the usual noodles, palabok sauce, tinapa flakes and kamias as souring agent instead of calamansi. They were sold wrapped in banana leaf so that passengers coming in and out of the train station can take them as “baon.” Pancit istasyon is truly one of the first travelers’ treats.
As a traveler, I always look forward to a hot meal when I arrive at a destination, and pancit and noodle soups are my favorites, instead of the usual rice and “ulam.” They are cooked fresh only upon ordering, delicious and filling, and above all, very affordable. While not Filipino in origin, each town has its own version of pancit or mami which has its own unique history, using available local ingredients. Trying out these noodle dishes allows travelers to taste the unique culinary history of these places from a bowl of steaming hot pancit or mami.
The Chinese brought pancit to the Philippines during the time when the oldest Chinatown was founded in the 16th century. The term “pancit” comes from Hokkien word “pian i sit” which means “something cooked fast conveniently”using noodles sauteed with meat, seafood, and vegetables. Noodle soups are cooked with soup stock instead of being sauteed. They were popular among the Filipino-Chinese until the 1920s, when an enterprising immigrant Chinese named Ma Mon Luk introduced them to Filipino crowds of Quiapo and Santa Cruz. Ma’s noodles or “ma-mi” because so popular that “mami” became synonymous with the Chinese noodle soup dishes that we now know today.
Filipinos soon adapted the pancit and mami and made their own versions. No Filipino birthday is complete without pancit. The noodles and aromatic meat and vegetables are for long life and good health. Mami became staples for merienda, and has spawned several versions including lomi, chami, bami and palabok. Then came the rise of the panciterias, which offers many versions of pancit and mami in one place.
I remember getting a pancit wrapped in banana leaf as a pasalubong from my father whenever I got good grades at school. I could never forget the explosion of aroma and flavors as I open the banana leaf. When I started travelling, getting a hot serving of pancit or mami was my reward to myself for arriving safely, and for getting a chance to explore a new place.
Sometimes, I travel because simply I wish to try the unique noodle dishes popular in a particular area. I have driven many times to Lipa City to enjoy their famous Lomi. I enjoy this starchy noodle soup with kikiam, meatballs, chicharon, and liver, served with chopped onions, calamansi, chili and soy sauce. I often make regular excursion to Lucban, for their pancit habhab, served on banana leaf, and eaten straight into the mouth. There is also the killer pancit which has become the staple whenever there’s birthday celebrations at the office in Laguna. This version is swimming in oil and topped with generous amount of fried pork fat.
I had plenty of memorable pancit experiences in my travels. I remember my first Manila to Mariveles ferry trip which took me to the local market where I saw several carinderias offering spabok. I asked what it was and was told that it is spaghetti noodles with palabok sauce. I tried it, it was unusual, and it was really good.
There was also the search for kinalas which had me taking the train to Naga and searching for the hole-in-the-wall place that serves the best kinalas in Bicol. The dish, when I finally get to try its hot flavorful soup, tender noodles with beef and egg toppings, was delightful, worth the time and effort of looking for this place.
I also remember the chami and siopao combination which I ordered at Antugua Restaurant in Lucena City, the first time I used my senior card for dining in a restaurant. The chami, made of thick noodles, with generous amount of meat and vegetables, was bursting with sweet and spicy flavor, and the senior discount I got made it all taste even better.
Going back to my search for pancit istasyon in Tanza. When I finally found the place which offers this unique local dish, I was told by the man who prepares them that it was not available at the time. “Sorry sir, but we cannot find kamias, and we cannot serve them without kamias.” I saw him making pancit palabok and wrapping them in banana leaf for take-out. “Would you like to try our pancit palabok?” he asked. “Can I eat them here on the banana leaf?” I asked. “We’ll serve you one on a plate, sir,’ he replied.
As I was eating the pancit, a man came and ordered several servings wrapped in banana leaf. He looked at me at and I made a thumbs up. He nodded and smiled while showing me the bag of pancit he just bought. I may not have tasted the pancit istasyon this time but I could feel the joy of this man unwrapping a fresh serving of pancit with his family, just like what my father used to do.
(The author recently retired as an engineer in an auto manufacturing company. He used to be a regular contributor to MB's Cruising Magazine. His taste for adventure has not kept him from travelling, usually via not-so-usual routes.)