Monday, April 11, 2011

Jen's Fastfood: 3 Snouts!

After a long hiatus and period of silence Fritson and the seestars have returned to the lechon rice circuit. The seestars and Fritson have been busy with Mt Cloud Bookshop since its opening last year. Fritson's main preoccupation during all those litsonless months was pondering the mysteries of the universe and familiarizing himself with the food section of the bookshop and all the porcine characters that he could find. Fritson is not a speed reader (or eater for that matter). He likes to digest things slowly.

Fritson in front of Jen's Fastfood (Photo by: PP)

Exactly a year after Fritson and the seestars took Birthday Girl to Jen's Fastfood for a lechon rice adventure, it was decided that they should return for a spot check.

3 Snouts in 2010! (Photos by: PP and FP)

This time the guest was Silly Knees. The overall rating for Jen's Fastfood is 3 snouts for two years in a row! The longitudinal account that follows contains elements from two visits almost exactly a year apart.

3 Snouts in 2011! (Photos by: FP and PP)

Jen's Fastfood is right beside Cathy's Fastfood on Diego Silang Street. The structure is similar to that of Cathy's because the kitchen is downstairs and one must climb a short flight of stairs to got to the dining area. This dining area is small, yet well-lit with mirrors and photographs of the food on the walls. We don't advice sitting by the window, however, because it's a stinking cats' den. For some mysterious reason, sitting one table away from the window is good enough.

SK and the interiors of Jen's Fast Food (Photo by FP)

Dining area from the other side. Those stairs lead to a cozy 2 table nook. (Photo by FP)

Jen's Fast Food is O-ten-tic. (Photo by FP)

In 2010, Birthday Girl ordered Shanghai Rice with Lechon Kawali (90php). This meal was also quite yummy! Fritson inspects it in the photo below.

Fritson Floating For Shanghai Rice (Photo by FP)

The lechon rice was delicious as usual. The nine pieces of lechon were crunchy (albeit, slightly overcooked) and arranged separate from the vegetables. The soup and the sauce of the vegetable siding were your usual fare but the vegetables in themselves were quite exceptional. The pechay, cabbage, Baguio beans and carrots (cut into little flowers) were prepared perfectly and were still crisp and obviously quite fresh.

Jen's Lechon Rice in 2010 and Fritson with Lechon Rice in 2011 (Photos by FP and PP)


Our favorite condiments of soy, calamansi and sili were automatically served when we ordered our food. The soy was of the slightly sweet Chinese variety but it still worked well with calamansi and the pounded sili provided.

Soup, Calamansi and the wonderful ground Sili (Photos by PP)


Extra rice is 15php and if you order a calamansi juice, you are provided with a glass of water, a bowl of sugar and some calamansi to squeeze yourself!

Fritson Ready To Squeeze Calamansi Juice (Photo by: PP)


Other rice toppings are also available at Jen's Fastfood. The prices range from 80-90Php. Their special Jen's Rice (90Php) has two options, you are given the choice of pork asado or lechon kawali with the usual fried chicken, fried egg and vegetable siding. Jen's Fastfood also offers congee with different condiments at 58php. Beer was not on the menu but coffee (brewed or instant) was listed with a range of 15-28php.

Jen's Fast Food Menu in 2010 and 2011 (Photos by: FP and PP)

Another menu item worthy of our attention was the cream puff, a combination of just the right amount air, crunchy caramelized sugar, and light pastry and cream.

Fritson Stalks The Glorious Cream Puff

Although we enjoyed our meal thoroughly, P, who had just come in on her bicycle, found the size of the serving inadequate. Jen's is not the place for you if you have just been from a workout and need to replace all those calories you burned. But then again, Jen's is the perfect place to fill your tummy without over-stuffing yourself for less than 100php.