Best Ilocano Food

If you ever decide to have a food trip in Ilocos, here are just "some" of the yummiest food (and very affordable too!) you can find:

1. Miki

A noodle soup with hard boiled egg. Perfect when eaten with puto and bread sticks plus loads of ilocos vinegar.

Miki Up-close:) 

The noodles have an eggy taste to it but it goes perfectly if you add of spicy sukang ilocos! You can also ask for extra soup if you want;)

 

Bread that was rolled, dipped in bread crumbs and deep fried to crunchy heaven.

It funny how filipinos enjoy eating carbs, carbs and carbs:)

 

2. Dawangs Carinderia 

A whole in the wall restaurant in Laoag and it is open for breakfast. Food here is cheap but really good and authentic. J's mom refuses to eat here:)

Insarabasab

What resembles thinly sliced liempo with tomatoes. 

It's super good when you add spicy sukang ilocos:)

I can't remember what this is. M, J's brother ordered this one with his Insarabasab.

Pinapaitan Baka

Sampalok and Bile flavored stew of tripes and innards

I was afraid to eat this because i normally do not eat anything with bile in it. It has a strong taste but it gets better as you eat more. It would help to not think of what it's made of...that's what i did! The meat is tender and thinly sliced.

3. Good Dinakdakan

Tito B got take-out dinakdakan from this place. 

Dinakdakan

Grilled pig head/ face

The meat is very tender and the sukang ilocos compliments it perfectly. It's similar to sisig, but it's not crunchy.

4. Food @ Mario's

This open air restaurant has a great ambiance and different kinds of Ilocano food that you can order. It's located near Fort Ilocandia, Laoag.

5. Ilocos Empanada

There are different places to buy this in Laoag or Batac. There are mixed reviews but for me, as long as I buy it in Ilocos, I'm good!

Rice flour with achuete, egg, monggo and vigan longganisa

This is sooooo good! Extremely crunchy and flavorful! Usually served with ketchup, though I prefer the ilocos suka. If your vegan, you can opt for the regular empanada, which doesn't have longganisa. Some places serve this with cheese inside. I guess I'll just try it next time!

Can you see how worth it this is?:)

6. Biscocho Bread

Pasuquin Bakery has been protecting its recipe ever since because so much people flock to this place for their bread. It's so tasty and soft that you can eat it alone. Or perhaps dip it in coffee and add butter:)

7. Pancit Cabagan

Pancit from Cagayan but is available in Laoag. 

Round noodles, julienned cabbage and carrots, boiled quail eggs and a generous amount of lechon de carajay slices.

This pancit is very heavy but so good! I mix all the sauces together.

sauce # 1: toyo with crushed onions and chili

sauce # 2: egg drop soup

It's like gravy...haha

Sauce # 3: calamansi

8. Ilocos Bagnet

To be eaten with Sukang Iocos or LechonSauce/Mang Tomas

Ilocos Bagnet can be found everywhere, but it's cheaper if you buy it in the wet market before going home to Manila. All you have to do is deep fry it at home. Make sure you separate the fat from the meat so it's easier to cook. You can store the extra portion in the freezer and it will keep.:)

9. Ilocos Longganisa

I prefer this to the vigan longganisa since it has more garlic and the size of the longganisa is bigger:)

Ilocos is such an awesome place to eat and get fat. There's always a different place to eat in. Plus, their spicy suka pretty much goes well with EVERYTHING. I am so excited to come back to binge and spend time with J's family.

Cheers to happy days!:)

Buy1Take1 Family Size Pizza @ Pizzahut

We had pizza delivered and they told us they had a buy 1 take 1 promo. We got 2 family size pizzas and Pepsi Max for less than PHP 600. 

This is what we had along with loads of hot sauce:

Supreme Pizza

This was average....:(

Bacon Cheeseburger

This was the highlight since the bacon and burger bits are so juicy:)

         

Cheers!:)

Junkfood Diaries: Greenwich Pizza

I have always wondered what Greenwich Pizza tastes like (especially since they have so much commercials) and finally J and I got to try it. They deliver in 20-30 minutes and they have prompt service, however..... the Pizza tastes like cardboard. Perhaps it would be better if I had ordered the thin crust. The toppings are great, but the dough needs alot of work. Our bill was around PHP 600. I hope you can forgive the blurry pictures. I did not notice the fingerprint on the lens.

Pepperoni and cheese

The top was good but it needed more meat since the bread overpowered the toppings.

Shrimp and Garlic Pizza

This is their best seller. J and I finished this in minutes.

Greenwich will be part of the list of pizzas I will never spend for or waste calories on (list includes: dominoes, shakeys, etc.). Service is great but the food just needs more improvement. They say the lasagna is good here...then again, maybe not.

Cheers to better food tomorrow!:)
www.greenwich.com.ph

Junk Food Diaries: Sandy's Pizza

I have never been a fan of pizza, but I have to say that this is worth trying. Sandy's Pizza is located in the Katipunan/ White Plains area and they just opened a branch in Makati, behind Rockwell. They have a wide range of flavors and the beauty about this place is they can deliver with different kinds of pizza flavors. Their best seller is the White Pizza - all cheese.

J and I decided to eat the garlic chorizo and the Beef and mushroom

I love that you can eat more than 2 slices since it's not as oily as Yellow cab:)

The garlic chorizo is so good...cheesy, salty and tasty;)

This beef and mushroom was average. Next time, I'll be more adventurous and I'll try their adobo:)

I would definitely choose this over oily yellow cab and dry shakeys. Pizza hut still has my heart since they have stuffed crust:)

Cheers!:)
Sandy's Pizza Makati and White Plains
Delivery Hotline: 721-8334/ 721-8329 (45 minutes to deliver)
http://sandyspizza1.multiply.com/

Junkfood Diaries: Army Navy Burger

Army Navy is my new favorite burger here in Manila. Next would be Wham Burger from Katipunan. Check out the picture of the "regular" burger....soooooo good!

Posting this makes me crave for another one.:)

The bread they used is moist and good. The regular burger is served with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. I ordered extra cheese and onions :) I love how juicy the burger is and the meat they use is perfect.

Freedom Fries with cheese (additional topping)

This one has a peppery taste and is not as salty though it surely is crunchy.

The take-out bags are eco-friendly:)

Alot of people dine in the Glorietta 5 Branch - even foreigners! The service is a bit slow since they cook everything upon receiving your order. The staff need customer service training too! Though if you're not particular with service and in need of a good and affordable burger, army navy is a must try!

Check their website below to see what other food they offer.

Cheers to army navy!:)
www.armynavyburgerburrito.com

Pizza Hut

I got to satisfy my craving for stuffed crust pizza the other day when J and I had one delivered.......awesome! We ordered the bacon supreme, though instead of bacon, we asked them to put beef for us to think we were being healthy. haha

Posting this makes me want another one...with lots of hot sauce!

My favorite part....:)

Pizza Hut will always be my favorite pizza place since they have stuffed crust. Service is prompt and efficient plus food is soooooo gooood! By the way, my former nutritionist L told me that I could only eat 1 slice of pizza since it's so fattening. Just a disclaimer for those who want to get thinner! For those who prioritize happiness, this is a must! Next time I will try the sausage stuffed crust and cheesy pops!:)

Cheers to more junk food!:)
http://www.pizzahut.com.ph/

Junkfood Diaries: Baked Chips from Healthy Options

My former awesome nutritionist, L taught me to buy baked chips since it's healthier than my favorite lays and kettle chips. I decided to buy this brand from Healthy Options. It was the most decent looking baked chips I could find and I did not notice the cost till I was paying for it. The price is equal to two bags of Lays or two Bags of Kettle Chips....and to think the container is smaller!:)

To cut the long story short, I finally got to try my "less fattening" and "expensive" chips and it tasted like.....nothing. hahahha. The bits are similar to the consistency of Pringles, though the taste just lacks everything - salt, cheese and sour cream. I guess that's why it's low fat:) My sister A tried it and walked away;)

see? I finished it!

I guess I would probably buy this again since the Nutrition facts look better than my Cheetos and Ruffles:)

Cheers to desperation!:)

Junkfood Diaries: Jollibee Tapa

I ordered Tapa for breakfast the other day and I was worried it would be as hard as rock and as salty as the sea. I was surprised to find out that it was soft, a bit salty and had a garlic taste to it. Another plus was their vinegar masked the oiliness of the tapa, which had shredded fat in it.

Here it is...up close. This is how I want my tapa..soft, a bit salty and definitely consisting of shredded fat.

Cheers to cheap finds!:)

Junk Food Diaries: Brother's Burger

Brother's Burger has awesome burger selections. I was surprised since delivery in Makati takes 15 minutes, which is definitely a plus. Food was delivered hot and the onion rings were still crunchy.

Check out my cheese steak sandwhich

This is my favorite!!!!!! Salty, creamy - because of the cream cheese and sweet because of the onions. It's oily, though I find it perfect!

Brother's Burger

J had two in one sitting. Do I need to elaborate?

Sorry for the bad shot. I was too hungry to care:)

Onion rings are a must!

The fries @ Brother's are not so great, so this is your next choice!

I always order extra onions when I eat at Brother's since it goes with all their burgers.

Total Bill: PHP595

Brother's Burger is definitely better than McDo in terms of the quality of their food. Both can deliver in 15-20 minutes and the food is served hot.

Time to detox:)

Cheers!:)