Remembering My Lolo Ben

The aroma of burning red incense sticks. That reminds me of my late grandfather who is 100% Chinese. Lolo Ben, as I call him, was a kind and honest man. He was a great cook. He came to the Philippines during World War 2 at the height of the Japanese Occupation. He came to Ilocos via boat. He was smuggled there so he had to change his surname as he had no papers with him. In Ilocos, he met my grandmother, Lola Omeng. My Lolo and Lola later moved to Manila. To Sta. Mesa first and then to Makati. In order to make a living, my Lolo established a small restaurant (like Mabuhay Restaurant in Pasay) in Herran Street (now Pedro Gil) and a sari-sari store in Kakarong, Makati which later evolved into a carinderia after the original restaurant closed. I have high respect for the man because he was able to buy a lot and build a house on it just from the earnings of the store. My family still lives in that house. During celebrations, my Lolo would prepare his special recipes. Pansit sotanghon, bola-bola, kikyam, and camaron rebosado. All of them are my favorites but I especially like his camaron rebosado. Aside from being very delicious, the coating or batter never falls off the shrimp. No matter how hard my family tries, we cannot replicate his cooking.