These visits to different restaurants every Friday are becoming more frequent and of course I can never say no to a food invite especially when it comes from either of my uncles or my aunts. My uncle Tony had told me about this restaurant early during the summer but we never got the chance to swing by until recently. Mama Lou's is a home based restaurant and it's hard to miss with it's red and green signage beckoning you as you drive by Tropical Avenue. We were welcomed by several smiling ladies and a cozy interior. As we were having dinner, the owner himself approached us to ask how are meal was and we politely tried to respond but our mouths were too full. Kidding. My mum asked, "Who is Mama Lou?" He talked about how the restaurant was named after his wife, who passed away early in the year. Despite that, Mama Lou and her Italian-inspired dishes continue to touch the hearts and stomachs of so many people!

Bread with tomato and pesto dip.

My Uncle Tony & my barely awake cousin Neo

Spaghetti Seafood Olio           In order for me to enjoy my pasta experience, I always go for the simple flavors. Spaghetti drowning in oil and lots of garlic is my kind of pasta dish, just like the Spaghetti Seafood Olio. Accompany that with a good serving of seafoods (or sausages) and I'm good to go!

Spaghetti Seafood Pomodoro I noticed how Mama Lou's pastas have a light taste to them. That's probably why I felt like I could eat one whole plate (like the photo above) and it was going to be just enough for me.

Risotto Tartufo Funghi

Mama Lou's Special Pizza (P350) Thin Crust Pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Mango, Arugula and Balsamic Cream

Mama Lou's Blueberry Cheesecake (P180) Biting into this creamy dessert was just as fun as feeling my teeth sink into the blueberries which were quite chewy. Apple Pie a la mode (P160)           Whenever I check the dessert section of a menu, I always search for the words "Apple Pie" and as soon as I saw a huge photo of a whole pie plastered at the bottom of the menu, I already knew what I would be having at the end of my meal.

I recall visiting this membership shopping place back when I was in high school. At that time, it was still called PriceSmart. A couple of years after S&R landed in the Philippines, the name was changed to what it is known as today. I've always wondered though, what exactly does S&R stand for? After doing a bit of research, I discovered that the two-letter grocery name stands for Sol & Robert Price, a father and son duo who founded the shop. Neat! Anyhoo, enough chit-chat about the business side of things. Let's move on to what's really important here...food!

People visit grocery stores mainly to stuff their kitchen cupboards and refrigerators with delicious food. In my case, I enjoy visiting this warehouse-like food haven for several reasons: one, their huge carts. Size really does matter. Pushing a ginormous cart around the grocery makes me feel like I'm actually allowed to pull anything and everything out of the shelves and throw them straight in. And I'm not embarrassed to admit that I like riding the cart around like a kid on training wheels. Moments like those make me feel lucky for having a small stature. *laughs* Two, bulk packaging makes me feel like I'm preparing for a zombie apocalypse. Three, wide spaces. This is where my "scooter spree" with the push carts come in. The isles are broad enough for me to speed like a mad woman! And four, S & R's very own burgers, pizza and pastries!

So after a having more than 6 exams in a span of 5 days this week, I decided to reward myself with some comfort food.

Vegetable Pizza