Lomi't Pandesal

Five days of intermittent rain and it's wet season already and what can get better to warm your stomach than a bowl of chicken noodle soup, er, lor mee; chicken noodle soup is so banal that it already comes right out of the page by default. While nothing can get heartier than chicken noodle soup, or even French onion soup, lor mee tops the list for one craving something more umami. True to the definition of umami, lor mee is so savory- brothy and meaty at the same time what with the heap of meat ingredients (pork strips, meatballs, shrimps, ham and a range of those Chinese and Japanese balls, kikiam, fishcake, etc.) that go right into the wok, just before a rich broth is added.

Lor mee is, universally, a soup of thick, round, yellow noodles (Hokkien mee) sauteed in garlic and some thick sauce. In Singapore and other Asian countries, however, lor mee is usually soy sauce- and vinegar-based, and eaten with ginger and chili padi. The more subtle flavor of lor mee (or lomi) in the Philippines makes it better eaten not as a stand-alone, but with something else. I suggest wheat pandesal for a perfect match!

In my opinion, Savory serves the best lomi and Pan de Amerikana, the best wheat pandesal in Metro Manila. The combination of these works like heaven on earth that, when confronted with a bowl, the recent return of hot days does not really matter, does it?