Oz Trip – Day 22

Filipino Food & The Basement in Blacktown

White ma biche has been here in Australia, I have had to work all week in a crappy job in Parramatta. Totally needed the break from all that shit, and it was coming close to my woman’s eventual departure. One thing on her to do list, was eat filipino food, because up until that point, she was basically eating white people food. She had eaten Filipino food at home, but she hadn’t had it in a restaurant. Unfortunately, there is no difference with restaurant quality filipino food and home made. The Calesa in Parramatta was one, and there was a Karaoke place at Rooty Hill, next to the station until they closed it down because of all the illegal workers. The basement was all that was left, and that was in Blacktown and all I can say is HOLY SHIT.

Pinakbet - Okra, eggplant, long beans, pumpkin, pork and shrimp, and anchovy paste. Marine bloody hated this, bah ha ha. I am used to it, having grown up with it, but she said herself that she wanted to try everything.

When we arrived, there was the loudest fucking, heavy metal music. Typically, the basement was just a place where filipinos have a karaoke night, which is what I was anticipating, and it is something that Marine hasn’t experienced at all. But the sound was fucking deafening.

Filipino Fried Rice - Normal stuff found in fried rice, except with more garlic and langunisa (filipino sausage). Marine LOVED this, if you’ve never tried a filipino fried rice, you must go for it. It looks like a normal one, but the taste is really different.

What’s more, was that the place was packed with bogan Australians. What the hell were they doing there, it was a family restaurant, and there were all these derros standing around with beer in their hands looking quite lost. It was NOT the right venue for a rock concert, and we could barely hear each other. It was absolutely noisy, and you were turned off eating. Their concert was more suited to a pub, not a karaoke bar!

Kare Kare - Long beans, eggplant, banana flower, pak choi, peanut butter sauce, ox tail and tripe. She liked the sauce, but didn’t touch the meat or tripe. I can understand. This is by far my favourite filipino dish though! Expensive to make, but freaken nice.

We were not really getting over the music, and we were silent for most of the time, because the music was blaring like crazy. And the waiters made you pay before you ordered, which was so fucking annoying cos the service was slow and we wanted to walk off. Smart ass cunts. The waiter was also confused, because he set out four plates, when there were two of us. We apparently looked like pigs, cos the servings were gigantic, and I didn’t really realise it would be that big. Meh.

Crispy Pata - Pork Leg served with chilli soy sauce. This is probably a favourite dish for all Filipinos to order. The meat is tender, but the skin is very crunchy. Marine wasn’t into the skin at all (Fillos love it) but she loved the meat). What can I say? She loves Filipino meat

In the end, it was such a crappy evening. She got to try the food, but the laid back Karaoke night we anticipated was destroyed by this bogan, rock music that made absolutely no sense in a Filipino Karaoke bar … now, I didn’t mention this, but it was the first time I had EVER taken my biche to Blacktown, westie suburb etc. As soon as we left, two FOBS were fighting outside, and one got stabbed. There were police and everything … I wanted to say, “Welcome to Blacktown” – there was literally blood everywhere. Ha ha ha. I was unperturbed by it all, but it was a great shock to a girl who grew up in rural France – ha ha ha ha ha.