Cely’s Carinderia: One of San Fernando, Pampanga’s Best-Kept Secrets

If you happen to be fond of exotic foods such as adobong kamaru, ginataang kuhol, broiled catfish, and/or typical Filipino dishes such as bulalo, dinuguan, chicharong bulaklak, steamed veggies with buro (pangontra sa taba), and want them cheap and yummy, then you must visit Cely’s Carinderia in San Fernando, Pampanga.

It may be out of the radar of gourmets and connoisseurs, but among the blue-collar workers, government employees and students in the San Fernando, Pampanga area, it is one of the most crowded places, especially during lunchtime.

But service is quite fast. As you sit down after pointing at your orders, turo-turo style, right in front, you get boiling hot cups of soup. Before finishing your soup, all your orders are served almost simultaneously. Meaning, hindi ka mabibitin. Don’t worry about perspiring at noon with those piping-hot dishes, the inner quarter of Cely’s is airconditioned. The bulalo is superb and heavenly, better than Josephine’s, ATS, or Leslie’s in Tagaytay. The bone marrow is dripping and with tendons wrapped around the bones.

For all those orders mentioned above plus enough cups of rice to feed a family of six, including 1.5 liters of Coca-Cola (with ice), you get to pay Php750.00, more or less. A policeman, a driver, and a lawyer have more than enough. :-) The waitress will compute your bill right in front of you as she checks your orders.

Cely’s Carinderia is in Lazatin Ave., going to Angeles City.