ILOCOS SUR: Food Trip and Pasalubong

Ilocos Sur's coastal towns are blessed with agricultural lands planted with grains and grazed with domesticated animals. The countryside setting gave birth to famous Iloko products that when first heard, you'll know it's tatak Ilocano. Here are some of favorite delicacies from this province: Abagatan nga Ilocos. Surely you'll exclaim delicious: "Naimas!"

1. Bagnet

I used to know that this dish is just a chunk of plus-size chicharon na may laman until our tour guide explained its difference. Bagnet is like a cross between lechon kawali (how it is fried), chicharon (how crispy its skin), and tapa (way of drying meat). In other words, bagnet undergone stages of drying, frying, popping then repeat twice (depends on way of cooking cycle) before sold. This was the method used in preserving meat since old times, there is no refrigerator yet. It is pricey but guaranteed to have a long shelf klife. In my case, part of it was used for pinakbet (Ilocano vegetable dish with shrimp paste) and other part was eaten as it is.

2. Vigan Longganisa


Ilocos region is one of the major producers of garlic. This spice is fondly used in preservations by encasing ground meat in pork intestines. Hence, their pork sausage or longganisa is on recado side (spicy and garlicky). Perfect with sukang iloko (vinegar).

3. Vigan Empanada

My definition of empanada is a folded pastry filled with savoury meet. But in Ilocos, they level it up with sausages, eggs and other sides. You can see them freshly made for you. Hence, you can order a heavy meal double-double (double longganisa and eggs)!

4. Royal Bibingka

I was curious of royal bibingka as what it looks like. I didn't expect that this kind of bibingka is not the usual fluffly steamed kakanin treat but it is similar to mini cassava cake. Due to its consistency, it was challenging to take a bite. The cheese melted at the top makes a perfect coating for a cheesecake treat

5. Candon Kalamay

We had a stopover at national highway in Candon City and saw vendors in front of city plaza selling something covered in paper bags. A lady gave me a free taste of sticky pudding and it tasted sweet but very light and has strands of coconut meat. I bought few packs and brought some back home. Make sure to eat these within 2 days to avoid spoilage.

6. Corn Snacks



Being a major producer of corn, Candon City makes treats from dried kernels and made into different forms of snacks. Various flavors from simple garlic to spicy barbecue with popped and cracked crunchy versions are available for pasalubong shoppers. Products are in the same lane with kalamay vendors.

7. Tinubong

Tinubong is a delicacy baked in tubong or bamboo tubes. The rice mixture is poured in tubes then cooked until glutinous in consistency. A sweet treat on-the-go, this is mostly sold fresh along the highway stopovers.

8. Balicucha

Everytime our friendly neighbors got home from their Ilocos hometown, they always gave us vegetable, spices and these curly candies. It's hard but softens when you lick it or dunk in black coffee for sweetness. I found out that these were made from sugarcane juice, extracted using a machine mechanically rotated by a carabao. Someday, I want to see how it is actually made. Munching on these canbe a good dessert. Sweetness overload!

There are some delicacies that I haven’t tried but I'll update this post as I try more Ilocano delicacies soon. Naimas! J

SAMAR: Foodtrip and Pasalubong

  Little I did know that pili nuts are also major products in this province. I got curious of a delicacies store in Catbalogan City that they offer the best products in Samar so I went there to purchase some. Here are some delicacies I’ve tried in this western part of the island.

1. Hopia de Pili

I used to know that all hopia (like the ones available in Binondo) are flaky and chewy. But when I got to Visayas region, it all changed to a definition of “a pastry filled with something inside”. In this case, Hopia de pili. A pastry with pili nut paste. Hard on outside but chewy inside. You can taste the delectable nuts inside. I see now why it’s a bit expensive. It’s one of Charito’s delights bestsellers.

2. Corioso

Common butter cookies are hard to bite but this one made with flowery mold is chewy. Corioso is a Spanish-era biscuit, and makers in Samar relive this treat as an afternoon snack.

3. Piñato

This is Samar’s answer to peanut brittle of Baguio and panutsa of Batangas. Packed in paper packets like pinasugbo (caramelized bananas), these sweet treats are easy to grab and can fill you up while in long travel. I brought a pack in the office and they liked it! Paranas town in Samar is known for households making these caramelized treats.

4. Tahong Crackers

As it’s listed in Choose Philippines’ infographic of Pasalubong map, I bought a small pack as my snack before I leave Catbalogan. Later, I learned that it was made in Jiabong town of Samar. Jiabong is considered as the “Green Mussels Capital of Eastern Visayas”. They took pride of it that they made a monument of it in their park and regarded mussels as their OTOP (one town – one product) to boost their economy and focus on production and processing of mussels-related products, from shells to its flesh, like tahong crackers as its finished product.

There are some delicacies that I haven’t tried due to budget constraints. Hopefully when I’ll have the chance to get back, I’ll try more. J