More than a year after his stint on The Voice of the Philippines Season 2, singer Miro Valera is still very busy performing all over Metro Manila. Coconuts Manila caught up with him one night in April and we asked him to take us to one of his favorite food stalls.
That’s when he let us in on a little industry secret: Pares is the go-to dish of many musicians.
Pares, an anise-seasoned braised beef dish, earned its name because it is always served “paired” with rice.
Mheller’s Pares Laksi Mami House on the corner of Timog Avenue and Scout Tuason Street is where Miro usually goes for pares.
The night we joined him, he ordered both a plate of pares and a bowl of spicy classic laksa.
Laksa, a noodle dish popular in Malaysia and Singapore, is served with different types of seafood cooked in a spicy coconut broth.
At Mehller’s, the laksa is a mix of round and flat noodles, with squid ball, lobster ball, egg and shrimp.
“The level of spiciness is just right,” said Miro a few spoonfuls later. “I’m not really a fan of spicy food but I like this a lot.”
Ok, next!
“Ate,” Miro called out sweetly to the female attendant. “Can I have an order of pares?”
“It’s the number one comfort food of musicians. You can ask any Pinoy musician,” he told us. “We would usually go on a food trip after a late night or after a drinking spree. Pares is the fastest meal that can be served.”
True enough, his order was delivered faster than we could say “Mheller’s Pares Laksi Mami House,” and Miro broke into two slow claps as the waitress gingerly laid two plates, one containing rice and the other braised beef, on the bar counter.
His verdict? “Here they serve you beef that’s meaty rather than sinewy. After tonight’s gig, this is my reward. I can wolf this down and have a good sleep after.”
And all that for a total bill of PHP205!
Mheller’s Pares Laksi Mami House, Timog Ave cor Sct Tuason, Bgy Laging Handa, Quezon City.
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