5 Things We Love About Spanglish Restaurant in Clark, Pampanga

September 8 is Mama Mary’s birthday. It is also the date when we had our marriage vows in a civil wedding ceremony at Imus Regional Trial Court in Cavite, 17 years ago.

Yes, we just celebrated our 17th year of wedded bliss.

September 8 is not a coincidence…it was our choice to be married on that day. And though it is our official wedding date, but we always celebrate it simply. For years, it was always dinner at home, painstakingly prepared with love by our “home-cooked chef”.

But yesterday, Jonjie suggested we dine-out for a change. Come to think of it, maybe he just wanted to relax and not be stressed with all the task of cooking…but it’s just a thought. For I know he enjoyed cooking and for him, it was not a task. And the kitchen is one of his happy places.

Dine-out, it would be. We think of possible restaurants near and inside Clark, Pampanga. But there is one restaurant which stood out among the rest…

At 6:30pm, the Father and Daughter tandem picked me up from the office. A silent signal between Father and Daughter occurred, I guess, because along the way Daniz gave me a bouquet of white Malaysian Mums that she got from the back of the car. Me, surprised? Of course! Not because of the flowers but the act of giving. It is very seldom Jonjie gives me flowers during a celebration or special occasion. He gave me flowers when I least expected it.

1. The Place

After a few minutes, we arrived at Spanglish Restaurant. A “beautiful young lady in pink and jeans overalls” warmly welcomed us with the sweetest smile. We found out later that she is Ms. Kat, one of the owners.

Inside is a vibrant mixture of colors…the walls, the chairs, the two giant clocks on the wall (custom-made for them by a friend), the counter with the Mexican bolero hats, the menu and the dinner plates.

It is such a colorful, happy place…a feast for the eyes.

2. The Menu

Spanglish offer  a fusion of Mexican-American cuisine. According to Ms. Kat, all their offerings are created by Chef Rob (who happened ot be Ms. Kat’s better-half)

  

3. The Food

Ahhh…the food. How do you make the sound of delicious!? “Hmmmn bango” when they started serving the dishes. “Hmmmmn, ang sarap” for each bite…until we stop saying it and just concentrate on eating.

Our Orders:

• Drinks – House Blend Iced Tea for Daniz, Cucumber Lemonade for us
• Starters - Nacho Supreme and Paquitos (a complimentary dish…thanks to the generosity of Ms. Kat)
• Fillers - Burrito for Daniz, Fajita for me and Chimichanga Plate for Jonjie
• Dessert – Triple Thick Milk Shake of Crunchy Cookie Butter, also on-the-house through the generosity of Ms. Kat.

House Blend Iced Tea and Cucumber Lemonade

Nacho Supreme - a big serving of corn nacho chips with generous amount of cheese sauce, seasoned ground beef, pico de gallo (salsa), jalapenos, sliced black olives and sour cream

Paquitos – Spanglish own version Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers served with red jelly sauce. For us, this is a blended version of Dynamite Sticks. This is not part of our order, but a complimentary dish…thanks to the generosity of Ms. Kat.

Burrito for Daniz – large freshly rolled flour tortilla stuffed with Mexican rice, cheese, pico de gallo, refried pinto beans and steak (also available as choices are shredded beef, chicken or shrimp). Ms. Kat did not recommend the Beef for Daniz as it is a bit spicy.

Fajita for me – marinated meat cooked with onions and bell peppers served sizzling with four pieces of soft tortilla. For the meat, I chose steak, but chicken or shrimp is available. For the three side dishes, its Mexican rice, sour cream and jalapeno but refried pinto beans and cheese are part of the choices.

Chimichanga Plate for Jonjie – three deep-fried wraps of meat, cheese and refried pinto beans topped with pico de gallo, cheese, olives, and creamy sauce served with a side of Mexican rice and shrimp. Shredded beef or chicken is also available.

Triple Thick Milk Shake of Crunchy Cookie Butter, also on-the-house through the generosity of Ms. Kat.

4. The Spanglish Team

The Staff are cordial and attentive. They stayed near the counter and will be by your side at once, ready to serve your need or take your pictures.

Ms. Kat with her sweet smile is a sight for a tired soul. As soon as you open the main door, she will welcome you warmly.

I was not able to request for a photo op with them because it was a busy night for them.

5. The Experience

We had a wonderful time…a feast for the senses…a gastronomic delight. We will definitely come back not just for the food but for the joy of dining.

Footnotes:

• Husband and wife are not from Pampanga. Chef Rob, is a Filipino from Seattle, USA and Ms. Kat is from Manila.

• When I asked Ms. Kat, why Clark? Her immediate reply, why not Clark? And I agree. Clark is becoming a fast-growing international business hub in this part of the Philippines.

• Spanglish Restaurant, as of this time, is already two and a half years in business.

• Business is open Tuesday to Thursday 11:30am~9:00pm, Friday to Sunday, 11:30am~10:30pm and closed on Mondays

You might be interested to read our love story:

• Our One-Week Love Affair
• Our Civil Wedding