ANGELES CITY – With paeans to Pampanga’s culinary supremacy, and high expectations of finding new discoveries in the gastronomic market, Cocina Centrale was launched Saturday at the park of Marquee Mall here.
“The great tradition of cooking in this part of the country means that we have to ‘level up’ when it comes to the quality of our gourmet and artisanal vendors, so that the food satisfies the discerning taste buds of the Kapampangans,” said RJ Ledesma, co-founder of the Mercato Central Group, organizer of the event, rationalizing their choice for their first food market outside Metro Manila.
Recognized as having contributed to the success of Mercato-managed markets in Manila are Kapampangan chefs Claude Tayag of Bale Dutung for his pan de bagnet and Sau del Rosario for his paella from Villa Café.
Billed as a “culinary showdown” of “eclectic mix of food entrepreneurs from both Manila and Pampanga, Cocina Centrale will open at the Ayala-owned mall Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. starting July 5.
“For Pampanguenos, they will get to sample the popular and best selling food vendors from the Mercato Centrale markets in Manila, while Manilenos will get to try out the best dishes that Pampanga and the nearby provinces have to offer,” said Ledesma. “And the winner will be our waistlines!”
From the turn-out at Friday’s launch, Cocina Centrale made a very promising proposition as a crowd drawer.
The heavy rains that followed the ribbon-cutting rites failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds of foodies to exercise their taste buds at the variety of dishes for the taking, from Thai green curry to Mexican burritos, French sweet delights to shawarmas and kebabs, from veggie meals to American burgers, from Korean kimchi and bulgogi to pizzas and fries, and of course, old time Kapampangan favorites ranging from paco salads, kare-kare and lechon kawali.
Cocina Centrale makes one more reason to go to Marquee Mall.
