Lucky Me Baked Mac in Edmonton!

I am a self-confessed 'instant noodles' addict. I know it's not healthy but now that I am living here in Edmonton, mas grumabe. Cheapest and easiest to prepare na hot merienda kasi.

Anyway, I've long been craving for Lucky Me Baked Mac. It's one of my favorites in Pinas (super sarap naman kasi talaga) kaya talagang malungkot na wala nito sa Edmonton. Nalibot ko na ang mga Filipino/Asian stores dito sa Edmonton, wala talaga.

Until recently.

We were in the South area two weeks ago and I asked Ford to drop me off at 3J Variety Store because I wanted to buy a bottle of efficascent oil. I knew na meron sila because whenever I am on a store, I mentally check on all their products para alam ko kung saan bibili just in case mangailangan ako.

I told Ford (who was left in the car with Nathan) I'll only buy the efficascent oil but of course I couldn't leave the store without checking on all the shelves first. Baka may bagong product eh. And lucky me, I my eyes spotted the shiny yellow pack of Mac & Cheez! Naisip ko agad, kung may Mac & Cheez, may Baked Mac tiyak! And yebaaah, meron nga!

Grabe, I was so happy! Sabi ko sa cashier na palagi sana silang magtinda nito haha!

I only bought 8 packs (at $0.80) because I am already going back to Pinas for a long vacation. Pero kung hindi, iho-hoard ko talaga. That's what I learned here eh, kapag may gusto kang Filipino grocery item, bumili ka na ng medyo marami kasi baka kapag kailangan mo ay walang available (malamang wala pang shipment) or kailanganin mo pang mag-ikot sa mga Filipino stores para makahanap.

Hay, it felt like heaven when I tasted that familiar instant baked mac again (although napansin ko na nag-iba na ang shape ng noodles). Ang huling kain ko pa nito ay last year, when Ford went home to the Philippines for the burial of his grandmother. I was pregnant then and I asked my mother to send me ten packs. Ten packs lang dahil masama nga ang mga ganitong pagkain sa buntis. I regretted it so badly, really. I should have requested for 100 packs!

As I have said in this post, I am happy whenever a new Filipino product becomes available here in Edmonton because it gives me hope. Who knows, baka Purefoods sizzling sisig naman next time o Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs (sana i-allow na ng Canada na makapasok ang mga canned meat products natin dito)! #asapa

The New Empanada Convenience Store

I have to admit that we don't frequently shop at Filipino stores here in Edmonton. We get most of our Pinoy products stash in either Lucky Supermarket or T&T Supermarket because it's a lot cheaper there. Ang usual na binibili lang namin sa Filipino stores ay yung mga wala doon. But if budget is not an issue, I of course will patronize Filipino stores all the time.

I was actually surprised when I learned late last year that Empanada Convenience Store had temporarily closed down and would relocate. Sayang, I wanted to buy leche flan pa naman for media noche. Someone told me that they left their previous location because of the higher rent being imposed on them, I am just not sure how true it is.

But anyway, Empanada re-opened this year and we got to visit it again two weeks ago. Sa "likod" lang pala ng dating store nila ang bago nilang puwesto (just across McDonald's).

Business Hours

The first thing I noticed was mas maaliwalas siya than the previous store. I liked it.

I was so happy being surrounded by familiar Filipino grocery items. I've been to several Filipino stores here in Edmonton and Empanada so far is the "biggest."

Glad to have found this chicken sopas! First time kong makakita nito dito sa Edmonton. Perfect because Ford and I (and Nathan) were stricken with cough and cold.

They have lutong ulam and other pastries/desserts, too. 

I heard though that they don't sell empanada yet because they still don't have a kitchen.

Oh well, with or without empanada, I am glad that Empanada Convenience Store is back!

Beware of this tinola

One of the reasons of my excitement upon discovering a Filipino ulam store the other day is my disappointment with this one.

My husband doesn't eat tinola. Again, I am pregnant and in no mood to cook a dish that only I would consume so I asked him to buy me a ready-to-eat tinola instead. A friend once asked us to buy this tinola for her from a Filipino store (here in the west area) a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to try it as well.

Ford was very happy when he handed to me this viand container:

FORD -- Ang mura grabe. $6.50 lang (plus 5% tax of course)
CES -- Oo nga. Sana masarap. Para di na ako magluluto niyan pag nagke-crave ako.
FORD -- Tipid nga pag ganyan. Mga dalawang ulaman mo yan, sulit.

The container looked big enough so I was hopeful.

The following day, sinimulan ko ng kainin. I was able to grab three small chicken pieces from the container for my lunch. As in small lang talaga.

The tinola tasted ok. Masyado lang maluya pero masarap naman. "Hmm, pwede na," I told myself. Sa wakas di na ako mage-experiment sa tinola.

The day after, I wanted to finish na the tinola so poured everything that's left on the bowl (more than half pa ang nasa container). But to my utmost disappointment, isang small piece na lang ang natira. Sinubukan ko pang halu-haluin pero wala na talaga. Puro sabaw at dahon na lang. Saka pala yung parang sayote na mukhang hindi naman sayote.

I was so pissed that I texted Ford who was at work.

CES -- Kaloka Pod, apat na piraso lang pala ang laman ng tinolang ito! Ang liliit pa! Lugi!!!
FORD -- Hahaha! Naloko ka!

I know this may sound shallow but my rant about this tinola just reflects my general dismay on how some Filipinos conduct their business here in Canada.

$6.50 is still hard earned money and we deserve more than four small pieces of chicken for that. Chicken is not expensive so I don't think na ikalulugi nila kung magdagdag sila ng dalawa pang piraso noh.

I just wish that those Filipino businessmen here in Edmonton would realize that apart from earning profit, they can also be of service their kababayans at the same time by giving them quality goods and services. Pwede namang pareho, di ba? We are all living here in an alien place and the most we can do is help each other.

Pero sa ngayon, my advise... beware of this tinola muna!


------------------------
NOTE: I refuse to name the establishment where I bought the food I rant about because I don't want to give them bad business. If they happen to read this, I am hoping they can "improve." To readers who want to know, just pm me.

A visit to Empanada Convenience Store

There are two giant Asian supermarket chains here in Edmonton  (Lucky Supermarket and T&T Supermarket) and we buy most of our grocery items there. Around 80% perhaps.

However, this afternoon, I was so depressed with my flaky and dry skin that I told the Hubby I want a Safeguard soap. Believe me, I've tried so many "imported" (i.e. not Philippine brand) soaps in my lifetime and nothing beats Safeguard. I suddenly remembered my bestie Raxie who started working in Kuala Lumpur in 2007. The first time I visited her, she requested for Safeguard too!

Anyway, I have not seen any Philippine soap in Lucky and T&T Supermarkets so I thought of looking for Safeguard at 'smaller' Filipino stores. I googled and quite a few stores appeared. But since we were going to West Edmonton Mall, I chose the Empanada Convenience Store which was just along the way.

Ford already knew where it is located. I think he's been there once or twice.

The store looked small on the outside but it was quite spacious inside.

The moment I entered the store, I felt happy! At last, a place filled with familiar products!

More Pinoy grocery items of course can be found here than in Lucky or T&T.

In my opinion, better buy your condiments here. Mas marami.

Ford was so happy to have found Del Monte Spaghetti noodles. We cooked Pinoy spaghetti at home a couple of days ago but we were disappointed with the noodles eh. Though Del Monte costs more, sulit naman because it jives with our Filipino taste.

Ahhh! I am a certified junk lover and though I love Ruffles, Lay's, Chips Ahoy!, and other "imported" chocolates, I also love local Pinoy chichiryas syempre!

And I was so excited to discover that they sell Royal Tru-Orange! It was only when I was about to migrate that I learned that Royal is exclusively a Philippine product. Akala ko kasi parang Coke or Sprite siya, universal.

Ford loves adobong mani! We had to get a pack kahit mahal.

And we of course we also had to buy their "famous" empanada. Kaya nga Empanada Store eh.

Other than grocery items, Empanada Convenience Store also have frozen products. Sana lang may Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs noh? Ba't ba kasi bawal magpasok ng karne sa Canada mula sa Pilipinas.

Finally, Filipino toiletries! I wanted to grab all the Safeguard soaps kaso $3.25 + 5% tax = $3.41 (or Php140.00) ang isa. Shaiks! Dalawa na lang muna. Right there and then, I instructed my husband never to use MY soap. Akin lang ang Safeguard lol!

Empanada Convenience Store also sells ready to eat Filipino snacks and delicacies such as pancit palabok, sapin-sapin, leche flan, pandesal, etc. I wasn't able to take pictures though for fear that their staff might see me. I am new here in Edmonton and I am not if it is okay with store owners if I take pictures of their commodities.

Anyway, we only bought a few items because our pantry is still fully stocked. We just did some grocery shopping last Friday eh. But we'll surely be back at Empanada soon!

Now my next project would be to compare the prices of  Filipino grocery items in different stores. Para alam ko kung saan ako makakatipid.

But honestly, even if the price is a bit higher in small Filipino stores, I think I would still prefer to buy from them. To quote one person who reviewed this store at Yelp:

"In these days of big box stores and major chains, it is a miracle that Emapanada has survived."

We Filipinos living abroad need to support our "own" stores because these serve as an extension of our homes. Dito Pinoy ang nagtitinda at karamihang Pinoy lang ang namimili -- so para ka na ring nasa Pinas. The familiar is so comforting.

Migrants today are lucky because despite being thousands of miles away from the Philippines, they still get to feel and taste a bit of 'home' through the available Filipino products in the market. I am keeping my hopes up that with the cheaper shipping costs nowadays (dahil na rin sa competition), mas magiging affordable pa ang mga comfort items natin. =)


----------------------------------------------
Empanada Convenience Store
8746 149 St. NW, Edmonton, AB T5R 1B6
(780) 988-1124
Store Hours: 10am-8pm DAILY