Aside from antiques, this QC store also sells ‘goto’ and ‘turon’

Posted at 7:37 pm March 03, 2011

Tags: Food Establishments, Street Food, Truly Pinoy Food and Drinks

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By KC Santos

QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA – Goto or porridge is often enjoyed by diners in simple goto houses and stall along city sidewalks. But have you ever enjoyed this Filipino snack inside an antique store?

Ambo Antique Shop is a small antique store concealed in a garage along Scout Castor St. in Quezon City. I found the place while on a random stroll around Tomas Morato and found out from Mang Ambo, one of the owners, the simple story behind the unique offering that this store has.

To maximize store space, he decided to open a goto stall inside the antique shop. He says he also loves cooking and thought of combining the antique shop with a small food business.

When I visited the antique shop, Mang Ambo was already busy wrapping his special turon so that his assistant Mang Pedro can start frying the turon in a small kitchen right in front of the antique store.

One diner whom I shared table with says the turon is simply “the best” and the favorite of employees working in a nearby hotel.

I ordered both the Goto with Egg (P20) and a piece of turon (P25) and while waiting for my order, decide to stroll around the shop.

Large boom boxes and amplifiers are neatly piled on one side across the antique tables and chairs where I was seated. On another side are old cabinets, kitchenware, and decors. It almost felt like I was in an ‘old’ kitchen inside a small country cottage.

My order came and I must say the Goto with Egg was a real treat. The crushed and blackened garlic, hardboiled egg, spring onions and chili peppers were evenly placed on the porridge adding a little suspense as to how the dish is going to taste when these are all mixed.

The goto even looks more inviting when it thickens and becomes darker with the blackened garlic. Albeit a little too garlicky for me, it was full of flavor and heavy to the stomach.

I bit into the turon and was a little disappointed at first since I like my turon thickly caramelized from the outside and this one wasn’t.

I realized that the secret to the turon was that it was fully caramelized from the inside with banana and strips of langka (jackfruit). Combined with melted sugar during frying, the result is a turon that is crispy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside.

When done with his cooking chores, Mang Ambo becomes the businessman dealing with people visiting the store for some antique items.

Should you feel like dispatching your old stuff in an antique shop, try dropping by Ambo Antique Shop in Quezon City and treat yourself with goto while you are there.

Get more information about Ambo Antique Shop