If you are up for a cheap roadside treat, here’s a bike-friendly food stall for you.
We were cycling along Roxas Boulevard’s service road when our friend stopped and told us, “gusto niyo ng pares?”
He found Arquiza Street Pares and Mami.
As we approached a table, the staff immediately said, “may bike rack kami.” It was music to our ears so just imagine the wide smiles on our faces.
JB, one of the servers, said that the owners of the stall made a bike rack because they know that their customers who bike would need it. See? Even small businesses can be bike-friendly.
“Para itong livelihood program sa Baranggay 667,” the cook told us. “Two months pa lang ito at madami kaming nagta-trabaho dito.”
We love the staff. They were all jolly and accommodating and they’re really attentive to the needs of the customers. You’ll never run out of free soup.
It has a distinct Manileño character: al fresco dining along the street where random vehicles and dogs pass by. You’ll also hear karaoke singers from time to time. They only serve two dishes: pares and mami. People eat while standing up and there’s a nearby makeshift sari-sari store for your other needs.
Don’t worry, we felt safe and it was clean during our dining experience. We found the store charming.
The pares is not typical. One of the bikers who ate with us said that it’s like a crossover of your traditional pares and nilagang baka. It has diced beef, onion leeks and overflowing Baguio cabbage. It’s savory.
Meanwhile, the mami uses the same broth. The only difference is that it has noodles.
Pares with rice costs 80 pesos while mami is worth 70 pesos.
It’s located in the corner of Manila’s Arsenio Cruz-Herrera Street and Roxas Boulevard Service road. Oh, they’re on the pink food delivery app too!
