Food: The Empanada Battle

In Ilocos, there is a strong yet hush hush battle of the best kind of empanada - the orange and thicker crust one from Batac versus the pale yellow and thinner crusted one from Vigan.  And last December, I had the opportunity to taste both! Before I give out my verdict...let me describe these two empanadas thoroughly based on my taste.

The Ilocos empanadas are not like the usual empanada we see and buy here in the metro. The chicken empanadas and others here are made of flour/bread like crust which are often baked instead of fried. The filling are a weird yet flavorful combination of papayas, cabbage or mongo sprouts, one whole egg and longganisa. Instead of comparing it to the usual empadanas, I think I could actually compare it to a fried spring roll or lumpia.


Vigan Empanada

Since my first stop was in San Vicente near Vigan, Ilocos Sur, I happened to sample the thinner, paler empanada first from the city center of Vigan. It was my second day exploring the Heritage Village - a name given to the historical Crisologo street  and various surrounding streets- a UNESCO world heritage site. Walking around the old street felt magical as my adrenaline and excitement is on an all time high. There are various souvenirs to ogle and buy.

But one thing I am interested in apart from the semi-obligatory ref magnets and keychains is to take home and sample the food of the place. After buying one too many chichacorns and Vigan longanisa, it is time to chill, hang out and sample the empanada.

There is a certain area in the town plaza called the Vigan Empanada center where many different stalls are selling the yellow empanada.The Vigan empanada has a thin crust and is yellow in color. What's inside the crust are shredded cabbage, sliced green papayas, one whole egg and Ilocos longganisa.

It was crisp, hot because it was freshly cooked. You need to douse it with sukang Iloko to be able to get the right melange of tastes right. I,m salivating right now!


Batac Empanada

En route to Pagudpud from Vigan, I made it a point to make a pit stop at Batac to try their version of empanada.

Before I took the roadtrip to Ilocandia, a lot of people have been telling me to actually try this empanada - it's Batac empanada or nothing at all! Imagine how some passionate foodies defend their choice, what more to actual people who hailed from such places. With no intention in fueling the fire...I actually stopped at Batac in  to sample these orange wonders with the intention of comparing it to the Vigan empanada I tried days before.

Papa and Mommy

My first impression, it looks a lot like the orange quail eggs sold back in Manila. You can see them everywhere. But Batac empanada was colored with natural coloring - atsuete. The dough is also thicker compared to Vigan empanada. What's interesting is that you get to choose between Sukang Iloko or Banana ketchup to go with your empanada. Hmmm.

The filling: instead of shredded cabbage, the Batac empanada uses generous amounts of mongo sprouts or togue, sliced green papaya, one whole egg and longganisa.


The verdict? 

Though Vigan empanada is thinner, I found Batac empanada tastier. It's probably because of the dough. My first impression was that Batac empanada would be a letdown but despite the thick crust I can actually taste a whole lot of MSG in it. Haha. Seriously, the serving was actually quite bigger with generous filling.

However, I hated to pair it with ketchup at first but when I did, it tasted quite better.
Vigan empanada is best enjoyed sitting down and dousing the entire thing with Sukang Iloco for a minute before diving in.
Did I actually cast my vote? Haha. For me Batac empanada is tastier. Of course my father from Vigan would say otherwise! haha. But it is better to try comparing the two when you get to Ilocandia!

To those who already did, which is the best empanada in all of Ilocandia for you?

*******
some photos sourced from here, here, and here

Bangui Bay

This is not about the One Epic Trip I posted prior, but I just want to take a minute and reminisce about Bangui Bay in Ilocos Norte. 


I was with family when I went here. We took a right from the main road and into the dirt. The sky was blue and limitless. It was bright and the rays were glaring to our direction.

The car inched towards the bay. But it wasn't until a few more prodding to the driver, my father when we finally reached these huge ass big windmills. I got out of the car and immediately ran near it. Faster and faster until I'm at the bottom of one of the twenty windmills. I looked up and used my hands as a shade. I couldn't see what's on top. These machines. They are so big I feel like it'll move and crush me.

How many moments like this in my life when I feel so small vis a vis a natural or man-made mammoth. I have lost count. But in these moments when you feel that you are so small...  You sometime feel a tiny sense of courage to face it,  your monster. Your fear. Of getting crushed and trampled upon.

And it's not just the windmills, it was the whole thing the whole scenario...the whole experience of being dwarfed by the bigness of the world.

These huge powerful waves are so strong and unbending, that if you dare come near, these waves will swallow you whole.

If the wind can swallow me whole, I probably would've let it. It was like a lure, calling me to to mesh with its core.

Excuse me if I went all literary on you.End of flashback and cut to the present time.

Inside my rented pad near my workplace I sometimes cry to avoid these extreme sensations. I sometimes fear to be swallowed whole by the big waves, the unstoppable wind. The dizzying fast spinning of the windmills. They seem to never stop. They gain more power as they spin.

But even as I let it conquer me, leaving me spinning, feeling dizzy. Haunted by the wind, taunted by the waves. I know in my heart that it is I who have emerged.

************
Bangui Bay is where the famous Bangui windmills are found. From Manila, you can take the bus going up to Laoag and Cagayan route going to Burgos. Upon arriving in Burgos, watch out for the signage which indicate where Bangui windmills can be found and seen upclose. However traversing the route to Burgos, you can already see the huge windmills from afar.
What distinguishes Bangui windmills is that this is actually the first power-generating windmill in Southeast asia.
Wind turbines are facing the South China sea where the powerful wind triggers the turbines to spin and then generate power.

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One Epic Trip

will happen soon!

Tagaytay on Commute aka We don't have a car and we don't care

photo from here

We all know Tagaytay as that cool city nestled found in Cavite but is very near Batangas.  Haha I know it’s supposed to be in Cavite but I’ve always associated Tagaytay with Batangas. It is a surefire easy breezy destination to escape the humdrum of the city. It is the same surefire, easy and breezy way of going to Tagaytay that makes it a common destination for weekend daytrips. So common that it might as well be called a cliché. But however people try to classify Tagaytay, it is still a winner in my book. And despite being in Tagaytay for like the nth time, there are still other new facets of this city that I haven’t discovered til lately.

I used to go to Tagaytay via a private vehicle (how else? Duh) driven by a friend or a relative. I close my eyes and doze off and voila, I’m right smack in Magallanes square or Cliffhouse with all the restos and coffeeshops are. But what do you know, one can actually go to Tagaytay via bus. I pride myself with reading directions spot on. I also like to hop a bus to just go anywhere. Well, this time I think I can. Tagaytay ain’t too far and I think I can spend a quick day or two to inhale fresh air, go to markets and bring home some local goodies.

photo from here

The way I went about it, I went to the Araneta bus terminal around 12 in the afternoon together with a couple of friends.. The bus terminal is found at the back of Ali Mall beside the Central Bus Terminal where buses going to Naga, Iloilo. Donsol and other Visayan provinces are found. The most common busline that ply to and from Tagaytay is the San Agustin Bus line which traverses the Aguinaldo highway where most of Tagaytay’s patrons hang out to eat and to chill.

Bus fare is 110 pesos from Cubao to Magallanes Square in Aguinaldo Highway. Before, the buses going to Tagaytay and Batangas are separated from the Central Bus Terminal. But as of February, the buses going to Tagaytay, Batangas and other Southern Luzon areas are also stationed in the Central Bus Terminal along with Visayan-bound buses. All you have to do is ask for the buses of your destination.

photo from here

The bus can also go up to the area where the Summit Ridge is. If you choose to explore Tagaytay’s hidden bakeries and farms, you can just alight at Magallanes Square (Starbucks, Yellow Cab) and hail a jeepney to take you to Sonya’s Garden, Bag of Beans towards Alfonso. You can also hail a jeep to Olivarez to visit Gourmet’s, Pamana Restaurant and others.

photo from here

photo from here

The view from the bus is magnificent, it’s as if I am in a totally foreign place. I feel like this all the time, haha. And as soon as I and a couple of friends alighted at Cliffhouse, the cool February air greeted us almost sharply. It’s cold! The kind that sticks with you.

photo from here

After a quick smoke, we took a jeep going Nasugbu and asked to be dropped off to Sonya’s Garden. The fare is around 15 pesos each. Inside the jeep, you’ll get to travel with locals and with some travelers and couples.  It’s a great way to see Tagaytay up close and personal.

photo from here

The jeepney ride will traverse the Aguinaldo Highway and straight to Alfonso, Cavite. You’ll see a big arc that says you’re leaving Tagaytay City and entering Alfonso. A few more minutes you’ll see the blue-green signage that says Sonya’s Garden. From there ride a tricycle which costs a mere 24 pesos per ride, doesn’t matter how many you are.

photo from here

photo from here

photo from here

Just make sure to leave the Sonya’s Garden before seven in the evening to be able to find tricycles that will take you up the highway. From the highway there will be buses going back to Manila ( Pasay, Cubao or Lawton) If not, there will be jeepneys going back to Olivarez and will pass by Aguinaldo Highway.

Reach Out

Don’t wait for the world to reach you. You are the ones who are aware. Reach out. Reach out. Reach out with love.


 - Yoko Ono