It's not a change of heart for cardiologist Dr. Raul Lapitan when he decided to venture into the food business, but a leap to something he always wanted to try.

"Actually matagal ko nang plinano. Walang makagusto ng food ko so I looked for partners na masarap [magluto] (Actually, I have been planning it for a long time. No one likes my cooking so I looked for partners who are good cooks)," Lapitan told the media in a chance interview.

Before, he just used to cook for his family on weekends, now he is one of the owners of the newly-opened branch of Lola Nor's in Greenfield District, Mandaluyong.

"That's my passion and I enjoy doing it [and also] to try something different," Lapitan, the former Philippine Heart Association president, said.

"Kaya nga maganda rin na we inject healthy food. If we can refine some menu in such a way we can offer good food na [mas] healthy, mas maganda. Something different (That's why it's also good that we inject healthy food. If we can refine some menu in such a way we can offer good healthier food, then better)," he added.

One of Lola Nor's specialties is "tibok-tibok" — not a heart beating, but a Kapampangan's version of a maja blanca made from carabao's milk.

'Hearty' food

Raymond Yabut, co-owner of Lola Nor's, said they make sure that the food they serve goes through a food monitoring officer as well as choosing healthy ingredients.

"We make sure [that] we start with good ingredients and we have a food safety officer also who monitors all the process of cooking. We also balance [our food] with vegetables and chicken," Yabut also told the media.

"Bale may nagmo-monitor (Someone monitors the food) then of course our executive chef sinasabi kung ano yung trend na more healthy (our executive chef says what's the trend that's healthier). I know some of this generation, they want it for vegetarian, so we're trying to give the best for the health," Yabut said.

Since traditional Kapampangan food are heavy on salt and sugar, Yabut said they also make a conscious effort to "go easy" and balance these ingredients.

"Kapampangan very sweet po sila, of couse bina-balance po namin yun kasi nagpo-produce din kami ng mga recipe na pang-counter dun (Kapampangan food are very sweet, of course we balance that so we also produce counter recipes)," he noted.

"Kagaya po nung pako salad, yung fern, I know mahal yun pero hinanap po namin yun, yung mga more on vegetable (Just like the fern salad, it might be expensive, but we looked for it, because it's vegetable-heavy)," he added.