Vigan is one of the most convenient places for local and foreign travellers to explore as the touristy places are just within short walking distance from one another. One can just meander and forget time, just foraging for antique reproductions and touristy trinkets at Calle Crisologo. But one can also find the other gems at Vigan’s old avenues – this time, the savory kind – streetfood.
Have you had the taste of sinanglaoan? It is a staple fare within Vigan and most possibly in other towns of Ilocos Sur. And at one of the refined streets of the Mestizo District where the post office is, Aling Antonia prepares a bowlful of brothy snack which gives out this blended taste of bitter and sour.
Sinanglaoan looks very intimidating. Innards and other cow parts – intestines, liver, skin float around in a stew. And that is how straightforward the dish is – just the clear stock and its main ingredients for one to consume. The meat parts though are simmered slowly in rice-washed water, providing tender and easy to digest meatcuts.
The dish is evocative of a highly popular appetizer amongst the Filipino liquor drinkers – the papaitan. The sharp vinegary flavor of sinanglaoan proceeds to a subtle acrid aftertaste. Interestingly enough, flavorsome as the sinanglaoan is, condiments are still formulated to make this Ilocano dish even more tasty. How about choosing between Iloko vinegar or (surprise-surprise) papaitan sauce to enhance this P40 per bowl dish.
To those whose say that sinanglaoan is an acquired taste, then gulp some cold cola to wash down the bitter taste. But for those who relish it, then there is already some good reason once the uric acid results shoot up.
For those having less daring tastebuds, then it is just some walk towards Plaza Burgos where they can find stalls and kiosks whipping up more familiar goodies like okoy and empanada. Everyone can have such tasty treats and while away the time, just looking at the ladies create these concoctions or just do some people watching at the plaza.
Both empanada and okoy are deep fried merienda meals that are highly popular even to tourists. Okoy is cooked from a batter of egg, flour, and some small shrimps including the shell, creating an impressive crunch in each bite. Empanada on the other hand has cabbage, and vigan longganisa bundled meticulously in a hand prepared soft shell. And if one wants it special, then raw egg is included. After frying, the crispy empanada is now ready for the taking. Just put in some vinegar. In many Philippine kitchens, empanadas and okoy are not exactly fancy cooking but Vigan has definitely made its own impactful brand of street cuisine through these special food items which are affordably priced at P30 each.
In one of the sari-sari stores, again facing Plaza Burgos, a guy sells tinubong which is packaged in bamboo sticks loaded with glutinous rice and coconut slivers. Just scoop out the goodness of the sticky rice from the bamboo with a clean finger, if you must. It is a hundred pesos per pack of four.
Bagnet (deep fried porkmeat) and longganisa are other recognizable food delicacies from Ilocos Sur but these are not exactly streetfare. And there is nothing like immersing one’s self and passing time through lazy promenades and just munching away these streetfood at the fabled cobbled streets of Vigan.