PANSIT LOMI OF SANTA MARIA, LAGUNA

Regular or special?  Dine-in or take out? Susan's or El Batangueno's? What lures many to avail lomi? What's so special about it?

Originally from Batangas, this cuisine has become the people's pick. The sticky soup, freshly-made noodles and tasty toppings (atay, kikiam and pork) make it a sought-after meal even by our kababayans who work overseas.

LOCAL LOMI HOUSES
Currently, Santa Maria, Laguna 9+ lomi restaurants. We have Susan's Lomi Haus (Brgy. 4) and El Batangueno 1&2 (Brgy.4 & Coralan), Lomian de Barrio, lomi house at 'C5 road' and the lomi house near the town plaza. Surprisingly, there are lomi houses in remotest areas like

Parang and Saksak.

The number of customers who visit these stores vary from day to day. Usually, these establishments, which open at sunrise and close at late afternoon, get crowded during Sundays due to tiangge. 

Photo Above: Susan's Lomi Haus in P. Aguja Street, Brgy. 4; 
Left: El Batangueno at Victorina Street, same baranggay;
 Right: Lomi store at Parang ng Buho;
Bottom: Restaurant at J. Santiago.

Price Range. I'll go for the Regular.

HOW TO EAT IT

This food is best eaten when hot. Soy sauce, calamansi and red hot chili pepper complete this tasty treat.

Terrific food at an amazingly low price.

BEHIND THE SCENES: PREPARING THE MAIN INGREDIENTS

Ate Evelyn Pontipedra, the former manager of El Batangueno, accompanied me to the noodle 'factory' located near the market's covered court. When the workers realized that they were being documented, they were quited alarmed. One exclaimed laughingly, 'baka bukas puntahan kami ng Imbestigador (paraphrase mine).'

When the flour is mixed, it goes to the
 roller and turns into long, tender strip.

It is then put into this machine to
 be chopped into thin strands.

Voila! We have our pansit!

The last step: packing and distributing
 them to lomi houses nearby.

Days after, I visited her restaurant. Having arrived a bit late, I caught a cook in the kitchen. He is done with the meat. Yet he had been eager to show me how he prepared the other main ingredients used in this dish. They include noodles, broth and meat toppings which are separately prepared.

Outside the store, the people roamed here and there, preparing for a day's work. I realized that it's great to be in the market area during early morning for you'll have the glimpse on how hardworking our townspeople are.

(1) El Batangueno's worker's cup of coffee. (2) A lugaw stall is situated a few steps 
from the lomi house. (3) Early bird catches the worm!

(1) Market sight during early mornings. (2) A perfect meal before a day's work. 
(3) Lomi shop beside EB.