Yusisistas can relate, those growing school needs and increasing transport rates have been hurting our stomachs, figuratively and literally. Beyond the 'tusok-tusok' street foods, finding a comforting, filling, and affordable meal is a challenge. In jest, perhaps not, we’d always ask: "hanggang saan aabot ang bente mo?"
For me, it's always a dilemma to spend on delicious food while heavily looking at its value for money, leaving me with a weird choice to make—whether to eat or not at all. One day, as I was walking alone outside Isles, the school's food park, I saw a packed food stall that sells rice meals in sopas cups. Doubting its plating of shredded meat and rice, I still bought it for a taste test. Despite my *not so good* first impressions of its taste, I learned to love it over time, and so do other Yusisistas who have found value and satisfaction. That Pastil craze must be the answer, I thought.
Pastil, also called Pater, is a Mindanaoan staple that made waves in the country for many years. It is a savory dish, made up of shredded meat, either chicken, fish, or beef, that is sauteed with soy sauce, garlic, onions, turmeric, and other spices, before topping on fresh steamed rice. Then, it is wrapped on banana leaves, keeping it fresh while adding fragrance at the same time. Being sold on the streets, the masses loved its simplicity, portability, and affordability, making it a staple in short lunches and long-distance trips everywhere.
In UCC, you can see lots of stalls and stores selling pastil in varied ways. Some of them plate it on stainless plates, putting chicken oil for presentation. Others give the choice of frying the rice fresh to add savor to the dish. They also give add-ons, such as siomai, hotdogs, or eggs, making sure that Yusisistas get the best flavor in pace and price. For me, the best way to enjoy pastil is with chili oil and a dash of soy sauce. Guaranteed, you'll pay twice for it while getting another meal in the process.
Unlike other meals outside the college, pastil meals give the "busog" factor that students like me look for given our price points. However, the more I regularly buy it, the more I view how some stores prepare the dish subpar its best means. It feels like the amount of meat has shrunk over time. The rice quality has also declined—I once got a serving that smelled slightly spoiled. While it is palpable that the expenses in making it have gone higher, it does not mean that some vendors can lowball the buyers with low-quality Pastil. They need to be true to the formula that students have loved for long.
After all, Pastil is a culinary and cultural triumph that Filipinos of all walks of life celebrate. True enough, it answered the call for an affordable lunch option during an ever-worsening economic crisis. However, we should remember that quantity and quality should match as well. With this in mind, we won't mind having it as our comrade in the long run, saving our stomachs and wallets, one bite at a time.
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