MANILA, Philippines?Once in a while it pays to visit places rich in culinary heritage.

Mama Sita, the popular maker of native sauces, instant mixes and condiments, believes in reliving the good times and promoting home-grown culinary delights.

Just as Tropical Storm ?Ondoy? was about to batter the country, its heritage food tour brought us to two interesting destinations up north?the historic Camalig Restaurant in Angeles City, Pampanga, and Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan.

?It?s fortunate for us to visit places like Las Casas and Camalig because they keep Filipino?s tradition, culture and memories alive and real all the time,? said Frank Aguba, marketing director of Marigold Commodities Corp., manufacturer of Mama Sita products.

Mama Sita is also a heritage brand, Aguba pointed out. It was created by Teresita Reyes, eldest daughter of Engracia ?Lola Asiang? Reyes who founded the famous Aristocrat restaurant.

?For the longest time, Mama Sita products are manufactured with assurance to consumers that every ingredient put in is in its truest, natural form before being processed and made available in the market,? Aguba added.

?Doy?s Kapampangan?

The historic Camalig Restaurant on bustling Sto. Rosario Street in Angeles City, is home to Armando?s Pizza, billed locally as ?Ang Pambansang Pizza.?

?It was named after my father,? said owner Marc Nepomuceno (tel. 045-3225641). ?The pizza became popular for its not-so-thick and not-so-thin crust topped with our homemade tomato sauce that?s a bit sweet, spicy and sour. It tastes the same way as it was back in 1973.?

The pizza comes with generous toppings of pepperoni, ground beef, green pepper, mushroom and Canadian bacon.

Another bestseller among the local folk is the ?Doy?s Kapampangan,? a delicious fare drizzled with ebun buru (salted eggs); longganiza (local meat sausage); onions and pickle relish.

But it is not just the pizza, pasta or variety of Kapampangan favorites that draws in the clients. The place, actually the family?s ancestral grain depot, is already a come-on.

The quaint old Camalig (?shed? in Kapampangan vernacular) has been the city?s most popular legacy structure that?s been adaptively reused commercially, having withstood the twin ravages of time and modernization.

It was built in 1840 during the Spanish period by the town?s first mayor, Don Ciriaco de Miranda, primarily as a farm shed of light materials. It was later upgraded in the early 1900s to its present form by the town?s first post-colonial mayor, Capitan Juan Nepomuceno.

About 99.9 percent of the mostly wooden structure was retained except for the packed earth flooring. The old wood actually gives the place a rustic ambiance.

?We wanted to create an old town atmosphere while enjoying our food,? Nepomuceno said.

To complement that old Filipino-Spanish setting, the room has been transformed into a permanent exhibit of the family?s antique farming tools, household items and old photographs.

On weekends, various group bands play the retro sounds.

Heritage houses

In Bataan, a new talk-of-the-town resort celebrates the grandeur of Spanish colonial Philippines. While most resorts in the province offer modern facilities and state-of-the-art amenities, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar takes pride in its historical residences.

Located where the river meets the sea in the town of Bagac, the resort transports one into a charming Hispanic town with idyllic scenery and accommodations straight from history books.

?Historically correct, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a walk-through of glorious past and a work of passion one can stay in,? said Marc Montesa, executive assistant manager of Las Casas (tel. 0917-8996272).

?We?re proud to say that the ancestral houses of some of the country?s most illustrious families and historical buildings from the Spanish colonial period have been rebuilt brick-by-brick and floorboard-by-floorboard whenever possible.?

Las Casas, managed by Genesis Hotels and Resorts Corp., is composed of 30 combined, centuries-old Principalia Mansions (bahay-na-bato), a former fine-arts school, indio stilt houses, and a recreated two-story Escolta commercial establishment.

This novel cultural heritage village near the sea was the perfect backdrop for lunch and afternoon snack for the Mama Sita food trip.

The Mama Sita staff, led by chef Andro Faderanga, dished out heavy meals of Sinigang na Manok Sa Ayo (using Mama Sita Sinigang Mix); Porcherong Baka with Eggplant-Garlic Sauce (using MS Menudo Mix); Ensaladang Pako (with MS Premium Vinegar); Paella Filipina (using Caldereta Mix), Kare-Kareng Dagat (using Kare-Kare Mix); and Halabos Alimango (dipped in MS Sinamak Vinegar and Sukang-Tuba Vinegar).

Desserts consisted of Brazo de Mercedes, Halayang Ube, Leche Flan and Tropical Fruit Salad.

A performance by the Bataan National High School Dance Troupe and Rondalla completed the day?s tour of the past.