"TARA TARA, SA RARA"
As a student living far from home, itâs not just the distance that gets to meâitâs the longing for familiarity, the kind that comes with the people, places, and especially the food I grew up with. Being away from my comfort zone, away from my family, and most painfully, away from my momâs and dadâs home-cooked meals, homesickness becomes a constant companion. That ache for something familiar led me to a small but warm corner of Cabadbaran CityâRara Street Foods, located in Barangay 6 and owned by Arturo S. Jongko Jr.
What makes Rara so special isnât just its menu or its prices, though those are definitely plus points. Itâs the feeling it gives offâlike home. According to the Jongko family, the meals they serve are lovingly cooked by their mom. That detail alone makes all the difference, especially for students like me. Thereâs something deeply comforting in knowing that the food weâre eating is cooked by a motherâs hands. It brings back memories of my own mom in the kitchen, calling us for dinner, and the warmth of being cared for without saying a word.
The price range also speaks volumesâit's built with students in mind. My go-to meal is adobo rice, which only costs eighty pesos. Another thing that sets Rara apart is the atmosphere. The place is simple, yet it has that cozy, lived-in charm. The aesthetics of the spaceâmaybe itâs the wooden benches, the humble setup, or the familiar smell of fried garlic and soy sauceâmake it feel like an extension of home. And every time you leave, the owners always smile and say thank you. Itâs a small gesture, but for students like us, who sometimes go through the day unnoticed, it means a lot.
The price range also speaks volumesâit's built with students in mind. My go-to meal is adobo rice, which only costs eighty pesos. Another thing that sets Rara apart is the atmosphere. The place is simple, yet it has that cozy, lived-in charm. The aesthetics of the spaceâmaybe itâs the wooden benches, the humble setup, or the familiar smell of fried garlic and soy sauceâmake it feel like an extension of home. And every time you leave, the owners always smile and say thank you. Itâs a small gesture, but for students like us, who sometimes go through the day unnoticed, it means a lot.
Every time my friends and I crave something that reminds us of home, we look at each other and say the same thing: âRara.â The name itself has become a kind of code between us. It even sounds like an invitationââTara, tara... sa Rara.â A second home. A place where, even for a short time, we feel like weâre back in our family kitchens, surrounded by love.
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