THE DRUNKEN PIG: The Historic Camalig Restaurant

T's sister, Meg invited us to go on a road trip to Pampanga recently and of course we both said yes. Who doesn't like road trips anyway? Well my friend Andy probably, but that is a totally a different story hehe. Anyway, our journey took us to the Historic Camalig Restaurant in Angeles City.

Homegrown Pizza in the heart of Angeles City

They said that the Camalig, which loosely translates to Storehouse in the local language, has been around since the Spanish period. Amazingly, it was able to withstand the lure of modernization and preserve the old-world ambiance of the days long past.

Step back in time inside the Camalig

After stepping inside the door, you will definitely feel the antiquity of the place. It is decorated with old sets of furniture, pottery, sculptures and old photographs adding to the unique charm of the wood and stone structure. While going around the restaurant, I can't help but feel that I have stepped back in time.

There's no school like the old school

Since it's a breezy afternoon, we opted to eat outside under the tree in front of the Camalig. We decided to sample their pizza, which they say, is the country's national pizza. We ordered the Armando's Best which is a 13" pizza loaded with generous amounts of pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, cheese, Canadian bacon, ground beef and bell peppers.

Armando's Best - P476

The big pizza was overflowing with toppings. The waiter told us that all of the ingredients are prepared fresh daily inside the kitchen. The pepperoni was really tasty and is perfectly complemented by the cheese, onions and bell peppers. The Canadian Bacon was a nice touch too.

Ang Pambansang Pizza

The waiter also told us that they make their own tomato sauce which they slow cook for hours and that their dough is also hand made. The dough was crisp and has the right amount of flakiness and the sauce has a bit of sweetness in it.

Overall, we all enjoyed our pizza. It was simple yet was loaded with toppings and was done with care and dedication. It's always nice to visit these types of places and it is good to know that homegrown restaurants are still alive and well despite the heavy commercialization in the restaurant industry. So when you pass by Angeles City, don't forget to visit the Historic Camalig Restaurant.

You may also visit their website and menu by clicking the links provided.