1st on The List TOP 10
10 Top Pinoy Biskwit
TOP#1 Masa Podrida
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Older folks may remember the masa podrida as a favorite cookie. In Spanish, it means "rotten dough," though there's nothing bad nor smelly about these biscuits. Variations of masa podrida abound in Ilocos Sur, Pampanga, Iloilo and Cebu. A familiar masa podrida are the chunky round cookies with a floury texture from La Moderna Bakery in Pampanga. They bake it in their more than 50-year old wood-fired oven and refer to it as a Filipino shortbread. Shortbread is originally a Scottish specialty, made from "a thick layer of rich, sweetened shortcut pastry, without any extra flavourings," says Davidson. The La Moderna version is thickly cut and brushed with milk. It has sugar crystals covering the surface which turn into a burnt, polvoron-tasting sugar crust when baked.
Brands: La Moderna Bakery, Good Shepherd Convent
Where to buy: Butchie's Recipes of La Moderna (Health Cube Bldg., Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan), P55 per pack/ P85-P200 per jar
TOP#2 Uraro
Arrowroot flour makes these cookies delicate, starchy and dry. The flour is derived from the roots of the arrowroot plant Maranta arundinacea. Uraro is also known as araro in Bataan and Pampanga. Uraro cookies come in various shapes--round, scalloped around the edges like a cloud, piped through a star-tip in round shape (like Danish butter cookies), or cut into small curly flowers. The latter is sold as sampaguita in Kapampangan bakeries like the La Moderna Bakery in Guagua. The cookie is usually white and dusted with flour though some are lightly brown. The best uraro has a creamy texture and melts easily in the mouth, like the La Moderna sampaguita. Another brand I tasted (Sir Norman Baker produced in Liliw, Laguna) combined arrowroot, cassava, and wheat flour with coconut milk and buttermilk to produce a fine, creamy cookie. Uraro cookie-producing provinces include Laguna, Bulacan, Marinduque, Pampanga, Bataan, and Quezon.
Brands: La Moderna Bakery, Sir Norman Baker Homemade Uraro Biscuit, Rejano's Bakery of Marinduque, Bulacan Sweets.
Where to buy: Butchie's Recipes of La Moderna (Health Cube Bldg., Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan), P55-P85 per pack, P85-P200 per jar
TOP#3 Pacencia
The pacencia are small drop cookies. Cordero-Fernando points out that it's "the only biscuit named after a virtue." Three kinds of pacencia are sold in the market. One is shaped like a large button with a smooth, lightly brown top and crisp texture. These are flavored with vanilla (sometimes with lemon, like the ones from Marby bakery). The other one looks almost the same but less crisp, with a hardened egg white icing on top. La Pacita Bakery calls these "Pacencia White wheat drop cookies." It has an airy exterior like a miniature broas and is very sweet. The last one refers to tiny meringue kisses, a recipe of which can be found in Enriqueta David-Perez's classic cookbook, Recipes of the Philippines. Food writer Michaela Fenix remembers the pacencia as small and airy "meringue-like cookies." The Eggnog Cookies sold under the Nissin label (in yellow and blue packaging) are the updated sibling of these cookies. Perhaps the key ingredient in all these pacencias is the egg white which makes them light and airy. Beating the whites up into soft peaks indeed takes a lot of patience in making these tiny cookies. But once you pop a few into your mouth, you'll be rewarded immediately.
Brands: La Pacita Biscuits, Marby, Marky's Prime Bake, La Luisa Biscuits, Nissin Eggnog, etc.
Where to buy: Sold by the kilo (along with butter cookies and egg cracklets) at Shopwise's Le Gourmet area in Harrison Plaza, Manila. Starts at P11.50 per pack
TOP#4 Galletas
Galletas are square-shaped egg crackers with a shiny, yellow surface and characteristic up-turned corners. It's known by names such as galletas de huevos (a direct translation of egg crackers), galletas de patatas (perhaps in reference to its bottom), and tengang daga. It's sold under the name "egg cracklets" by La Pacita Bakery of Antipolo. The galletas are a little bland, with a bit of an eggy flavor, but addicting especially the slightly browner ones. As one bites onto its crisp, tough edges, the cracker yields to a compact, chalky interior. Other brands of galletas are hollow and less chalky. Still, it's a good idea to have a glass of water or soda on hand when you eat galletas to wash down the crumbs.
Brands: Laura, La Pacita Bakery, Marby, Marky's Prime Bake, Baker's Fair, etc.
Where to buy: Sold by the kilo (along with butter cookies and egg cracklets) at Shopwise's Le Gourmet area in Harrison Plaza, Manila. Starts at P15.50 per pack
TOP#5 Alfajor
Alfajor is a pair of shortbread cookies with a filling of caramel or dulce de leche. Its name, according to the Signet Spanish-English dictionary, refers to "various types of pastry usually with a cream or honey filling." Felice Sta. Maria mentions alfajores from Sevilla, Spain (these are almond and nut pastries) in The Governor-General's Kitchen. From Spain, it made its way to a much different version in Argentina and Peru. These nations' alfajores are very similar to the coin-shaped cookie sandwiches that the Good Shepherd nuns bake in their kitchen in Baguio City. These cookies are thick round slabs redolent with grated lemon rind and butter mixed into the dough. A thin coating of caramel is spread in between the cookies after which it's pressed together and dusted with confectioner's sugar. With a shortbread base, its texture is delicately crumbly. If you meditate long enough on a cookie, you'll note the occasional speck of the lemon rind once the buttery crumbs have melted on your tongue. The alfajores are snugly packed in a yellow topped plastic canister with a sticker that says "caramel" aside from its name on the familiar white and green label.
Where to buy: The Baguio stall at Market! Market!'s open air pasalubong section near the food court. P160 per jar
TOP#6 Rosquillos
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With a "Rosquillos Festival" held since 2008, Liloan, Cebu lays claim to these thin, circular cookies with little scalloped edges and a hole in the center. In particular, the brand Titay's Rosquillos started it all. Its namesake and owner Margarita "Titay" Frasco is said to have invented it back in 1907. The basic ingredients of these crisp cookies are wheat flour, eggs, corn oil, margarine, sugar, and baking powder. The Philippine rosquillos is derived from the Spanish word rosquilla (also rosca) which means "ring-shaped pastry or roll." Such is the popularity of this cookie that other bakeries in Cebu also make it. Titay's is available in small quantities at the Cebu stall at Market! Market! in Taguig. In Manila, the Marky's brand (made in Meycauayan, Bulacan) is less brown in color but just as good.
Brands: Titay's Rosquillos, Marky's Prime Bake
Where to buy: Cebu stall at Market! Market! at Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, starts at P47 per pack
TOP#7 Sanikulas
The sanikulas or Pan San Nicolas is a traditional cookie introduced by the Augustinian friars during the Spanish colonial times. The cookies are usually made with arrowroot flour, coconut milk and flavored with dayap or anise. Commecial ones now use cornstarch and all-purpose flour. The sanikulas of La Moderna Bakery are thin, crisp, and smooth with just a touch of coconut milk. Usually, the whole cookie is shaped like a leaf with delicate scalloped edges. It marks the feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino every September 10, so the cookies bear the imprint of his image. To acquire the imprint on the cookie, the dough is rolled or pressed on top of an old-fashioned wooden cookie mould. One could mistake the print to be that of the Virgin Mary since the embossed pattern is not too sharp and the saint wears a cloak whose outline resembles a gown or dress. During the saint's feast day celebrated in Apalit, Mabalacat, Mexico and elsewhere in Pampanga, the cookies are brought to church for blessing and distribution to parishioners. Cordero-Fernando says that the sanikulas "were believed to cure the sick, who crumbled it in a glass of water and drank it." It is also now served during Christmas, stored in a big garapon or glass jar.
Brands: La Moderna Bakery
Where to buy: Butchie's Recipes of La Moderna (Health Cube Bldg., Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan), P65 per pack/ P100-P235 per jar
If you travel to San Fernando, Pampanga, Everybody's Café has a selection of it on their pasalubong counter.
TOP#8 otap
These flaky oval (or oblong) cookies originated from Cebu in the 1800s, according to Sta. Maria. Layers of pastry sheets are sprinkled with sugar in between and on top then baked into a light brown crisp. Hojaldres in Spanish means "puff paste" or "puff pastry," so it's an apt name for a flaky cookie that breaks into a hundred pieces and makes an edible mess when you bite into it. It's also known as otap or utap. The Shamrock brand has a fine texture and taste, it's thinner and more tender-crisp than the average bakery variety. Turn the cookie upside down and you'll notice the rings of pastry sheets flattened underneath. Hojaldres come in pairs wrapped in wax paper. Surprisingly, the Shamrock hojaldres are not oily, leaving the wrapper clean and dry.
Brands: Shamrock, BongBong's, Conching, Marby
Where to buy: Cebu and Bacolod stalls at Market! Market! at Fort Bonifacio Global City, starts at P50 per pack
TOP#9 Camachile
Camachile are dry, hard cookies that mimic the curvy pod-like shape of the camachile fruit. Also known as Manila tamarind, the camachile (Pithecellobium dulce) is not a main ingredient of its namesake cookies. The latter comes from our fondness for shaping breads and biscuits in the likeness of a fruit, animal, or saint. The camachile ranges from thin to thick shapes, some crudely formed but tasty nevertheless. The La Pacita brand translates them as "baby finger cookies." To this day, it thrives in Malabon cuisine as a partner of their famous pancit Malabon--the cookies are lightly sweet and lessen the richness of the sauce. Most of the eateries selling this pancit have a glass jar or pack of it at their counter. The 63-year old Concepcion Bakery in Malabon still makes them as one of their specialties. Perhaps in your local panaderia you'd still find them but a little less curvy than the real camachile fruit.
Brand: La Pacita Bakery Camachile and Auntie's sold at Pancit ng Taga Malabon.
Where to buy: Pancit ng Taga Malabon branches, P60 per pack
TOP#10 Barquillos
Barquillos are rolled-up cookies named after the Spanish word for "sweet ice cream cones" or "wafers" which is very similar in taste and texture. Most barquillos are flavored with sesame seeds while some tastes like plain vanilla. Some barquillos are thick and crunchy while others are thin and dainty. Fenix describes how workers at the DeOcampo Bakery in Iloilo would place the barquillos batter on hot plates then "wrapped [it] around steel rods" to cook. The method has been used since the Middle Ages using flour and water mixture spread into a thin layer then heated on a plate, according to Davidson. The best barquillos have that subtle creamy and buttery taste that you try to capture until you've finished the whole pack. Only the tell-tale crumbs of the wafers reveal you forgot to share them.
Brands: Bongbong's, DeOcampo, Sugarlandia, Panaderia de Molo, Ros's, Susannah.
Where to buy: Market! Market! Bacolod and Cebu stalls, P55 per pack
Photographs by Jenny Orillos, Butchie's Recipes of La Moderna (sanikulas and masa podrido).
10 Top Pinoy Kakanin
TOP#1 Sapin-sapin
Sapin-Sapin. Sapin-sapin is a colorful layered rice cake, made from glutinous rice flour, coconut milk and sugar. The best sapin-sapin is the one with a texture so fine it glides and tastes milky. Its colors—“violet, yellow and white—“makes it more attractive. Latik is sprinkled on the top. Also served with grated coconut.
Origin: From the root word sapin which is Tagalog for "blanket," the name pertains to the layers of rice cake. The best sapin-sapin I've tasted was freshly made from the pamilihang bayan of Malabon, also home to many rice cake makers. Gilda Cordero ernando notes that the best sapin-sapin is claimed by all Central Luzon provinces, one of which is Nueva Ecija. She says their ersion is six or seven-layered, creamy, and melt in your mouth.
Interesting layers: To achieve the blankets of kakanin, each layer is steamed until set before the next layer is added. Before the advent of food coloring, Sta. Maria notes the traditional colors were purple (ube), golden brown (brownsugar), and white (white sugar). Some sapin-sapin are sold as several small rectangles of one color each formed in concentric circles.
SPOT recommends: Dolor's Kakanin, P145 good for 2-3 people (Malabon 281-2739; Quezon City 927-4453)
TOP#2 Suman
Sweet basics: A rice cake made from glutinous rice and usually wrapped tightly in leaves. Sta. Maria notes that the leaf wrapper—“banana, palm, buri and pandan—“varies according to locality. Some can be bought in bunches or in single portions.
Origin: Filipinos have been making the suman since pre-colonial times. We offer it to the gods and as presents to visitors. Antonio Pigafetta, according to Sta. Maria, provides the first description of the rice cakes, which he observed "were wrapped in leaves and were made in somewhat longish pieces."
Interesting layers: Almost all provinces have their own special suman. There's suman sa
ibos, suman sa lihia, sumang balinghoy, sumang inantala, sumang mais, sumang maruecos, sumang saba, suman sa budbud. From Pampanga there's suman a duman, suman a inangit, suman a patupat. From Dumaguete, the budbud kabug is made from millet instead of rice. In Leyte, there's suman nga matamis, suman inasin, tinipa, morón,
sagmani and binagol.
SPOT recommends:
Tita Lynn's Flavored Suman, P25 per piece (Coco Mas and Ube flavors); Abe (Suman sa Lihiya with Latik, P129 and Choco Eh! fondue with Fried Suman, P220)
TOP#3 Puto
Sweet basics: Puto is the mother of all kakanin. "Puto is the generic name for a rice cake made from galapong (rice flour), slightly sweetened and steamed," notes Doreen Fernandez. The rice is soaked overnight in water and "ground dry." Its texture is generally heavy and porous. Puto is usually round but can be cut into wedges when steamed in a big bilao.
Origin: As old as suman, the puto is a "Chinese dish shared with Malayans and coastal Philippines," notes Sta. Maria. Puto is served for breakfast or merienda and during Christmas.
Interesting layers: Puto is commonly white but its different variations make it colorful and diverse in flavor. Puto Biñan (Laguna) is brownish from brown sugar. Puto bumbong becomes purple because of the pirurutung glutinous rice. Other kinds include puto dayon and puto nga mungguhan from Leyte, puto Marilao, puto Pangasinan, puto Manapla (Negros Occidental), puto lasung (Pampanga), puto bumbo and lanson (from cassava). "Pistang Puto Day" is celebrated on December 8 in San Miguel, Bulacan.
SPOT recommends: Goldilock's, P50 plain/ P55 buttered (12 pieces);TLF Assorted Kakanin, P36 (for flavored puto, located at Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Galleria);
Dolor's Kakanin, P88 (puto cake); Norma's, P10 per piece
TOP#4 Kunsinta
Sweet basics: Kutsinta or cuchinta is a steamed rice cake made from ground rice, sugar and lye. The latter, according to Fernandez, gives kutsinta its light brown (almost muddy orange) color as well as its opaque, "jelly-like texture."
Sta. Maria refers to it as "a steamed rice pudding." Kutsinta is usually sold in packs and served with grated coconut. Modern kutsinta are served thickly sliced and topped with latik and langka.
Origin: The ingredients are same as suman and puto so it must exist alongside these
rice cakes though it could be a later concoction. However, the etymology of the word remains sticky. The word and spelling is mysteriously missing from my trusty first edition UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino.
Interesting layers: To get its characteristic round shape (like a tiny plato), kutsinta can be steamed on a muffin pan placed inside a steamer. In 1940, Kapampangans used su-it or "small Chinese porcelain wine cups" to mold the kutsinta, writes Sta. Maria.
SPOT recommends: Dolor's Kakanin, P42 (Malabon 281-2739; Quezon City 927-4453)
TOP#5 Pichi-pichi
Sweet basics: Pichi-pichi is made from cassava (kamoteng kahoy) or cassava flour, water, sugar, lye and pandan for flavor. When steamed, it becomes firm, translucent and golden or light yellow in color like cassava when cooked. The lye makes it chewy and lends a yellow tint. It's usually shaped in small bite size pieces (or patties) and rolled in grated coconut.
Origins: Pichi-pichi, also spelled as pitchi-pitchi or pitsi-pitsi. Modern spelling is "peachy-peachy," found on the label of the Arny-Dading brand originally from Malabon.
Interesting layers: The Cavite variety is traditionally made with pinipig instead of cassava. Other versions are rolled in cheese (the peachy-peachy version) instead of grated coconut.
SPOT recommends: Arny-Dading's Peachy Peachy, P50 for 10 pieces (Main office: 281-0637/41), Amber, P4 per piece (Delivery Hotline: 884-8888)
TOP#6 Biko
Biko is a kakanin topped with latik (the golden brown curdles that form after rendering oil from coconut cream). It's usually made by cooking glutinous rice (sinaing) then boiling it in coconut milk and panocha (or sugar) until dry. Some recipes add pirurutong for color. The biko is cooled in a pan then sliced.
SPOT recommends: St. Jude Parish in San Miguel, Manila on Thursdays, P20
TOP#7 Palitaw
The palitaw are flattened oval cakes made from malagkit rice paste, the kind we also shape into bilo-bilo for guinatan. It is boiled in water and scooped out once it rises to the surface. It's then coated in grated coconut then sprinkled with sugar.
SPOT recommends: Cafe Via Mare, P42; TLF Assorted Kakanin, P35 (located at Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Galleria)
TOP#8 Maja blanca
Sweet basics: Maja blanca is a simple, delicate dessert made with coconut milk, sugar, and cornstarch. The Kulinarya cookbook refers to it as a coconut custard while others call it a pudding. Because of the ingredients, it's typically white and topped with latik. Others use toasted grated coconut as topping. Another version is maha de mais, made with corn flour or grated corn kernels which turn it yellow. Food coloring may have been added to enhance its yellowness.
SPOT recommends: Dolor's Kakanin, P80 (Malabon 281-2739; Quezon City 927-4453);
Sweet basics: Kalámay is usually made from glutinous rice flour, coconut milk and sugar. It has different versions, consistency, texture and packaging depending on location. The one I grew up with was dark brown, chewy (makunat) but not too sticky, very fine textured and acquired the flavor of the banana leaf it was wrapped with. It was about 10 cm thick and cut into triangles.
SPOT recommends: St. Jude Parish in San Miguel, Manila on Thursdays, P25
TOP#10 Bibingka
The kakanin: This festive kakanin is traditionally part of our Christmas table served with salabat and sold alongside puto bumbong. Bibingka is a round rice cake made with glutinous rice, sugar and coconut milk. It's placed on a banana leaf-lined pan and baked in a clay oven with the coals underneath and on top. Bibingka is topped with salted duck eggs, kesong puti, sugar and brushed with butter.
SPOT recommends: Ferino's Bibingka, starts at P25 (mini-bibingka)/ P85 (regular)/ P95 (special), Bibingkinitan, P20; Mangan, P95 (Bibingka Sampler, with 2 pieces mini-bibingka of your choice and 2 pieces puto bumbong with shredded coco and muscovado sugar)
Nana Meng's, P50; Cafe Via Mare, P115 (Bibingka with Laguna Cheese and Salted Egg)
10 Top Pinoy Bibingka
Top 10 Kakanin: Bibingka
The kakanin: This festive kakanin is traditionally part of our Christmas table served with salabat and sold alongside puto bumbong. Bibingka is a round rice cake made with glutinous rice, sugar and coconut milk. It's placed on a banana leaf-lined pan and baked in a clay oven with the coals underneath and on top. Bibingka is topped with salted duck eggs, kesong puti, sugar and brushed with butter.
SPOT recommends: Ferino's Bibingka, starts at P25 (mini-bibingka)/ P85 (regular)/ P95 (special), Bibingkinitan, P20; Mangan, P95 (Bibingka Sampler, with 2 pieces mini-bibingka of your choice and 2 pieces puto bumbong with shredded coco and muscovado sugar)
Nana Meng's, P50; Cafe Via Mare, P115 (Bibingka with Laguna Cheese and Salted Egg)
Top 10 Bibingka: Lourdes Church Bibingka
On the side of Lourdes Church in Retiro is a row of bibingka stalls. About six bibingkahans await parishioners with their delicacies, each with their own recipe. Some of them may be mediocre, flat, and enlivened with yellow food coloring, so your best bet is to look around first before settling on a stall. All stalls sell their goods at P35. The ones I tried were made at Marlon's toward the end of the row—salted egg slices were neatly strewn on top while the rice dough is tastier and just sweet enough compared to Yolly's (recommended to me by a tout) which was almost like a bland pancake.
Top 10 Bibingka: Cafe Via mare
The Via Mare bibingka with Laguna cheese and salted duck egg (P115) is a favorite amongst the more refined bibingka variety. Craters of white cheese, egg slices and melting butter mark its pale top. Like the Mangan bibingka, the banana leaf has been thoughtfully removed so you don't have to slice through the leaf. The texture and flavor are delicate which again captures the nuances of good quality galapong. The Laguna cheese lends not only a chewy and milky character to the cake but also that mix of salt and tang characteristic of real kesong puti. There are burnt grill marks at the bottom of the cake which contributes much to the flavor of the bibingka. This is the bibingka to indulge in as thanksgiving and celebration of the coming holidays.
Top 10 Bibingka: Felymar's Special Bibingka
Felymar's bibingkas are known to sell like hotcakes, partly because they are served piping hot and are cooked while you wait. The cooked bibingkas are kept in a Styrofoam icebox and dispensed with precision just as soon as you make your choice out of the five variations available—from Special (P35) to Super Special (P70). Felymar builds on the cake's rice flavor, tasting almost delightfully like a puto with the addition of margarine and regular cheese. Still, the piece de resistance lies at its inner core. In between the batter, the cook cracks open a fresh egg then pours another layer of batter. So when the whole bibingka is cooked, so does that egg. When you cut through the cake, the egg looks like it's suspended inside like a fossil in crystallized amber. There's a couple of wooden tables for dining in cowboy style if you have the time, can stand the heat, and don't mind the crowd.
Tip: The best and fastest way to get there is via the LRT. Get down at the Tayuman Station and in the direction going to Baclaran, traverse the carinderia row and watch out for the Felymar's signboard. It opens late in the afternoon (around 3pm onwards).
Top 10 Bibingka: Mangan
The bibingka at Mangan (P100) has a beautiful golden brown top and a dollop of butter in the middle which melts quickly as you attempt to take a photograph. Since it's a restaurant-style, perfectly-molded bibingka, there were no burnt edges or banana leaf clinging at the bottom. The taste and sweetness are as delicate as it looks. The texture is smooth, soft and creamy. Compared to the tangy white cheese, I chose grated queso de bola as a topping which when baked, forms a deliciously salty lattice work on top.
Top 10 Bibingka: Andok's
Andok's bibingka was a real surprise. It wasn't love at first sight—the top was too burnt looking from being reheated in the oven. Perhaps it was also because the top was brushed with butter, sprinkled with white sugar and tossed with a bit of muscovado sugar which darkened it some more. But when I took this fluffy, fragrant find home, I was rewarded with a moist and chewy rice cake with interesting folded layers and a very generous sprinkling of salted duck egg slices within the batter. I love how the salt and the sweet brought out the best in this bibingka. Best value for money at P49 for a 6” diameter cake. The Andok's bibingka seems to be available only at branches with a dining area.
Top 10 Bibingka: Juanchito's
Unlike the traditional clay oven and coals, the Juanchito's bibingka is pugon-baked, like pan de sal, so the texture is firm and fluffy, almost cake-like, and a little bit dry. Margarine and grated cheddar cheese add a rustic charm to this cake and makes it smell good as well. Their basic bibingka is called Super Star (P95) with salted eggs, grated cheese and niyog while the Super King (P105, pictured) has all the works plus small slices of white cheese. The old location of Juanchito's used to be along U.N. Avenue in Manila.
Top 10 Bibingka: Ferino's
A seasoned staple in the bibingka scene, Ferino's has a number of branches all over the metro though most stalls sell only one or two varieties. Originating from the recipe of Mang Ceferino and his wife Aling Tinay Francisco, the brand started in 1938 in Tondo, Manila. My favorite branch is the one at Gilmore where the bibingka resembles a fluffy pancake with a soft, moist texture and just the right sweetness. The menu at this outlet offers the basic Bibingka Special (one fresh egg is mixed into the galapong, butter and sugar). But if you want to make it fancier with the addition of more eggs or toppings of white cheese and salted eggs, Ferino's has assembled a lesson on superlatives by naming these extra-special variations “super,” “king,” “extra super,” and “extra king.”
Top 10 Bibingka: Bahay Bibingka
Bahay Bibingka is originally from a bibingka maker in Lipa City, Batangas founded in 1901. Their version is a choice of kesong puti or itlog na pula (both at P39 for a cake 3.5” in diameter). It is best to snack on this bibingka while in the premises (or at least within 30 minutes) so the top—generously brushed with sugar—remains crunchy and the cake warm.
Top 10 Bibingka: St. Luke's Sweet Tomato Grill
The Bibingka Deliciosa (P130) at St. Luke's Sweet Tomato Grill is best for those with a super sweet tooth. With an even golden brown on top and a positively moist texture, the taste reminds me of a cassava bibingka. But for the price and name, I wish there were more kesong puti and salted eggs than the six strands sprawled on top.
Top 10 Bibingka: Waray-Waray Bibingka
The deceptively plain-looking Waray-Waray bibingka with salted egg (P21, 3” in diameter) at Market! Market! is surprisingly good. The cake is moist, translucent and as pale as a puto. Still, its taste and scent are truly bibingka—from the burnt leaf to the rice. This no frills bibingka is compact enough for a quick, satisfying snack. Should you decide to bring it home, it still tastes great after two hours in transit. The clear, sweet flavor of the rice is emphasized in this bibingka with
10 Top Pinoy Leche Flan
Top 10 Leche Flan: Bacolod Chicken Inasal
Sweet deal: Definitely looks yummy. The color alone looks "leche flan na leche flan." Firm and not too many bubbles. Perfect end to an inasal meal. Here's one affordable joint you can run to if you need to have a leche flan fix. At P49.50, definitely value for money.
Foodie fuss: A bit too sweet, not enough melt-in-your-mouth factor and kind of reminds one of egg pie.
Top 10 Leche Flan: Masas
Sweet deal: Gave the usual flan a twist by adding an ube variety. Upped the ante some more by serving them in four mini trays. Plus points for effort. Firm texture, no bubbles and nice color. Good deal at P99.
Foodie fuss: Good to share, maybe too much for one person to finish. Could be sweeter and more melt-in-your-mouth. Ube flan? Let's stick to the orig.
Top 10 Leche Flan: Little Quiapo
Sweet deal: The leche flan being a standard topping on their famous halo-halo, you'd expect them to get this right. The flan is firm and not overly sweet. A definite cheap treat at P40.
Foodie fuss: While more-than-decent in taste, it's still a far cry from their famous halo-halo. Wish it were creamier and more melt-in-your mouth.
Top 10 Leche Flan: The Peninsula Manila
Sweet deal: The high-life leche flan. Served on a bed of macapuno preserve, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry. Looks fancy, tastes fancy. But the real thrill comes more from their fantastic-looking lobby and live music playing.
Foodie fuss: This one takes the cake in pricing--four times the average of flans served in restos, at P280 plus taxes and service charge. Taste is okay. Texture is more like a cake than a flan. Really bubbly, it almost looks like a chiffon than a flan.
Top 10 Leche Flan: Cafe Via Mare
Sweet deal: We actually expected this to rank higher, but middle tier is its rightful place. Soft to the bite, good serving size. Taste is flavorful, with a tinge of dayap. Slice is bigger than usual at P75. Served on a banana leaf with a heart cutout. Awwww.
Foodie fuss: Wish it was served with syrup and made a bit more melt-in-your mouth. Color could also be improved. Looked kinda pale and shy, belying the nice flavor.
Top 10 Leche Flan: Ebun
Sweet deal: The Kapampangans know their fiesta food. Their flan is a must-try. Looks so tempting and the taste doesn't disappoint. Love at first bite. Soft and creamy, not too sweet. This is one fiesta you'd keep going to. Worth going to Ebun even just to order this for dessert or merienda. Size is just right. Ditto with the price--just right at P45. Comes with sago bits on top. Sweet and cute.
Foodie fuss: The sago bits get in the way of the leche flan taste. We scooped them out of the way and concentrated on the flan and syrup.
Top 10 Bibingka: Abe
Sweet deal: Good taste with a hint of calamansi. Sugar level is not too sweet, actually just about perfect. Just right in texture, will make the list of melt-in-your-mouth-ness. But a notch lower than the next three. Has bubbles in appearance but overall will prove to be a good order. Another hats-off to Kapampangan fare!
Foodie fuss: Texture is a bit too bubbly. No complaints about the taste. Just a bit too pricey for the size at P75.
Top 10 Leche Flan: Conti's
Sweet deal: Yummy, good melt-in-mouth texture. Bit on the sweet side, but definitely Top 3 material. Mapapapikit ka sa sarap. Despite the sweetness, it's definitely an "oh my" (and not an umay) at every bite. Great to-share dessert at P125. Although once you take a spoonful you might forget about sharing.
Foodie fuss: The downside is the size. This is the leche flan big enough for the barkada. You can't order a slice or a portion serving. You have to get the whole 8-inch diameter and ration the portion yourself. Can be eaten in the store--wait staff will cheerfully give you dessert plates and spoons.
Top 10 Leche Flan: Max's
Sweet deal: This is one consistent flan. The sleeper on our list, you can imagine us being thoroughly surprised that Max's has more to offer than their famed fried chicken. This was our No.1 until the real Top Flan came along. Best in taste. No bubbles. The right sweetness, the right texture, the right color. Arguably the right size (which is always relative of course), and at P53, definitely the right price. It was bite after bite of happiness.
Foodie fuss: Gone too soon!
Top 10 Leche Flan: Segundo Piso
Sweet deal: Hands down, the best-melt-in-your-mouth texture. Sweetness is just right, will not overwhelm the palate. Uses free-range chicken eggs. They'd rather not make the dish if there are no free-range eggs available. Taste is perfect (cheers to free-range produce!). This restaurant--tucked almost at the end of Pasong Tamo extension--has a loyal following and with good reason. The food, the ambience (they have a piano!), the sandwiches, and now the leche flan. For us, Segundo Piso is numero uno! P120.
Foodie fuss: Too small! One of the few flans we actually finished. We even fought for the last bit.
10 Top Pinoy Halo-Halo
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Dayrit's
Price: P115
Ingredients: red mongo beans, sweet beans, garbanzos, nata de coco (coconut gelatin), langka (jackfruit) and macapuno strips topped with ube ice cream
Sweetness meter: 3 •••
Probably the sweetest from the ones we tried, densely-packed ice sits on top of the layers of mongo beans, sweet beans, garbanzos, nata de coco, langka and macapuno strips, and milk, topped with ube ice cream. Served in a narrow glass, Dayrit's version was hard to mix without spilling the shaved ice. Those who have a sweet tooth will like this version though, and you can request for more sugar and milk from the servers
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Max's
Price: P69 for the regular size; P82 with ice-cream; P375 for the giant halo-halo (good for 3-4 people) with 5 scoops of ice cream, waffle sticks and 1 whole leche flan
Ingredients: macapuno balls, pinipig, sweet beans, ube, green gulaman, sweet garbanzos (chickpea), leche flan, sago, red mongo beans, nata de coco, bananas, and red kaong (sweet palm fruit) drizzled with cheese
Sweetness meter: 3 ••• Sweeter than most with a lot of ingredients, the crushed ice in Max's halo-halo is also hard to mix. The unexpected cheese drizzle in the mixture lent a salty flavor to counter the
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Pancake House
Price: P74 for the regular-size; P89 with ice-cream; P50 for the mini and P63 for the mini size with ice-cream
Ingredients: red mongo beans, sliced bananas, kamote (sweet potato), sweet garbanzos, ube, langka (jackfruit) strips topped with ube ice cream
Sweetness meter: 2 •• The go-to place for comfort food, Pancake House's menu also lists Halo-Halo Jubilee among its dessert fare. Red mongo beans, sliced bananas, kamote, sweet garbanzos, ube, and langka strips are placed on top of a bed of red gulaman (jelly). Much like Dayrit's, Pancake House's halo-halo is packed with dense ice, and is topped with a generous slab of leche flan and ube ice cream. Patience is key to enjoying Pancake House's halo-halo: the packed ice makes it hard to mix, you have to wait for the ice to melt before you can scoop the sweet ingredients
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Conti's
Price: P85
Ingredients: Green kaong (sweet palm fruit), red gulaman (jelly), bananas, macapuno strips, sweet beans, and lots of leche flan
Sweetness meter: 2 ••
Leche flan lovers will love the halo-halo at Conti's. Not just mixed in as a topping, a whole layer of sweet and soft leche flan is nestled in between the jelly, kaong, bananas, sweet beans and coarse ice. Even with the abundant leche flan in the mix, the concoction is surprisingly moderately-sweet.
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Little Quiapo
Price: P90 for the regular size; P110 with 1 scoop of ube ice cream; P120 for the fiesta halo-halo served in a big bowl
Ingredients: bananas, ube, langka and macapuno strips, red mongo beans, kamote (sweet potatoes), kaong, sweet beans, and pinipig
Sweetness meter: 2 ••
Chunky and filling – Little Quiapo's halo-halo is not a lightweight with generous servings of bananas, ube, langka and macapuno strips, red mongo beans, sweet potatoes, kaong, and sweet beans mixed in with shaved ice and pinipig, topped with leche flan. The ice melted easily into the milk with just the right amount of sweetness down pat.
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Razon's
Price: P85
Ingredients: sweet bananas, langka, macapuno strips, topped with leche flan
Sweetness meter: 2 ••
Hailed as a favorite by many, the Pampanga version is understated and simple. No chunky ingredients can be found, everything mixed in is almost pureed, coupled with finely-shaved ice that lent foam to the milk. What it lacked in texture is compensated by the taste, with the syrup from the bananas lending sweetness to the whole mix.
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Iceberg's
Price: P88 for the halo-halo special; P98 for the super halo-halo with two scoops of ice cream
Ingredients: ube, cornflakes, sweet corn kernels, langka strips, red and green gulaman (jelly), bananas, macapuno balls, a peach slice, topped with ube ice cream
Sweetness meter: 2 ••
Served with extra milk and sugar, Icebergs' halo-halo does not really need more sugar. Chunky because of the myriad of ingredients nicely thrown in together with shaved ice that doesn't easily melt, the only pet peeve is that the syrup from the corn kernels is far too distinct in taste and is too noticeable when you put a spoonful of the halo-halo in your mouth.
Top 10 Halo-Halo:The Lobby at the Peninsula Manila
Price: P400
Ingredients: sweet garbanzos, pinipig, ube, macapuno and langka strips, red, green and white kaong, nata de coco, topped with ube ice cream and leche flan
Sweetness meter: 2 ••
Served in a huge bowl, this concoction served at the posh lobby of the The Peninsula, Manila Hotel is undoubtedly made for sharing. With generous amounts of all the ingredients mixed in
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Chowking
Price: P49 for the regular size; P79 for the fiesta size (add P10 per scoop of ice cream); Available for dine-in and delivery.
Ingredients: bananas, green gulaman (jelly), ube, pinipig, sweet beans, sago, garbanzos, langka strips, kaong, and leche flan
Sweetness meter: 2 ••
A crowd-pleaser with its many ingredients served with crushed ice, Chowking's halo-halo is popular as a dessert quick-fix. Apparently making up for 25% of the fast food chain's sales, the milk in Chowking's halo-halo is creamier than the ones served at other spots. If you're watching your sugar intake or cannot have beans, you may also ask for your glass (or bowl) of halo-halo to be customized.
Top 10 Halo-Halo: Milkyway Cafe
Price: P95
Ingredients: red mongo beans, sweet beans, garbanzos, nata de coco, macapuno and langka (jackfruit) strips
Sweetness meter: 2 ••
Served in a tall glass with layers of red mongo beans, sweet beans, garbanzos, nata de coco, macapuno and langka strips, topped with ube ice cream, Milkyway's halo-halo is filling without being overwhelming. The milk is creamy without being overly sweet and while the ice was densely-packed, it was easy to mix in all the ingredients together.
10 Top Pinoy Ensaymada
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Pasteleria Mallorca Ensaymada (P270 for one gigantic ensaymada)
Housed in a pink box with the name "Mallorca Pasteleria Manila" printed in white and gold, like a family coat of arms, this is the First Lady of ensaymadas. From a 150-year old heirloom recipe passed on to the late Pilar Quiason Reyes-Gonzalez of Apalit, Pampanga, the Pasteleria Mallorca ensaymada is a rich concoction that reflects her heritage of fine, luxurious food. Her children, one of whom is Cafe Ysabel founder Gene Gonzalez, carries on her kitchen traditions through the 21-year old made-to-order bakery. Even the ingredients indicate the quality of this ensaymada--from the Marca Piña quezo de bola and Victoria white sugar that generously graces its summit to the manteca de cerdo (pork lard) and Anchor butter worked into the dough. For such a rich legacy, the ensaymada has to be big and bold at about 7.5" in diameter. The texture is soft and springy, a very good example of an old-style, bread-like ensaymada. It's yellow from all those eggs and tastes subtly of butter and a salty end note from the cheese. As you make your way to the bottom, the underside is bright and oily from the accumulated butter and lard. Such a treat is meant to shared, a gift from a grand old lady.
Where to buy: While technically not a home bakery, its factory is tucked along a residential area (green gate). Best time to drop by is at around 2 p.m. when the ensaymadas are freshly-baked. Located at 18 Scout Fuentebella corner Scout Santiago, Quezon City. Call 373-2789 or 90 for orders. Store is closed on Sundays.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Addie's Ensaymada (P1,100 for a dozen small, 100-gram ensaymadas)
A newcomer in the ensaymada home baking industry, Addie Wijangco's recipe is much older than her as it had been passed on by her two grandmothers. I discovered her through food writer and home baker's advocate, Lori Baltaza's dessert blog. When I came to pick up my order, I was surprised at how big (about 4" to 4.5" in diameter) the "small"-sized ensaymadas were. They were perfectly coiled like the carapace of a snail. Addie's ensaymadas are properly yellow, with tender, springy dough. It's moist, mild and subtly flavored with butter. I love its good bread structure and how the layers are visible when you slice it through. Addie says her friend's father calls these requisite ensaymada layers as hoja-hoja, from the root word "hoja," which in Spanish means "leaf, blade or sheet of paper." Addie's ensaymadas are a cross between the sturdier Medina ensaymada, the fluffy Imang Salud's and Cunanan's airy version. As with premium, home-baked ensaymadas, we pay a lot more considering how labor intensive and time-consuming it is to craft even just a dozen quality ensaymadas.
Where to buy: To order, call Addie Wijangco at 586-7615 or 0917-23343 and arrange for your preferred time for pick-up. One dozen large ensaymadas weighing 200-grams each also available. Be sure to have someone help you carry it as its box is expected to be huge.2
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Cunanan Ensaymada (P580 for a dozen ensaymadas in a box)
The most popular and revered of the home-baked ensaymadas, the Cunanan ensaymada is fittingly wrapped in wax paper folded like a tent to protect its delicate contents. A crest of powdery grated quezo de bola covers the top and hides the fine sugar and butter brushed underneath. These elements contribute a lot to the flavor and sweetness of the dough, which on its own is also as subtly sweet. Almost similar to its closest rival, Mary Grace ensaymada, it's also light and airy. Unlike Mary Grace's, the Cunanan ensaymada has a softer, fluffier texture. Its finely uniform crumbs make it almost like a cake but with a lot more bubble spots. Named after its creator, Maricel Cunanan, her home in Valle Verde is a pilgrimage for fans of her celebrated ensaymada.
Where to buy: To order, call 631-0798 before picking up your order at 44 Jasmin St., Valle Verde 2, Pasig City. Purchases by order and pick-up only.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: The Kapampangan Homemade Classic Ensaymada (P170)
Based on an old recipe, this classic ensaymada is still being made by Imang Salud Dayrit-Santos's heirs in their native San Fernando, Pampanga. The surface is sprinkled with short strands of quezo de bola. While it's not visibly coiled, this ensaymada is egg yolk yellow with a fine texture, almost like a cake but not quite. The dough is tender and delicately crumbed. You can nibble on it and not feel any "umay" because it's less robustly flavored as the Medina ensaymada and a few notches less buttery than Imang Beatrice's. Imang Salud's granddaughter, Melissa, advises to store it at room temperature (and never in the fridge, unless you freeze it, because it will dry out disastrously). A few days later, it did still taste great. Melissa thoughtfully packs it in a Styrofoam plate--a good way to protect this fragile, beloved delicacy--and tucks a small yellow flyer with the ensaymada's name and contact numbers mimeographed on it.
Where to buy: Legazpi Sunday Market, Legazpi Car Park, V.A. Rufino (formerly Herrera St.) corner Legaspi St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. For orders, call 837-0842 or 0920-9478819.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Imang Beatrice Rodriguez of Pampanga Ensaymada (P200)
This is a pretty ensaymada shaped like a sleeping cat gracefully coiled around itself. Its tops are golden brown, sprinkled with quezo de bola and sugar. Imang Beatrice's ensaymada tastes as elegant as it looks and more delicately flavored than its cabalen, the Medina ensaymada. It tastes immediately of butter in each slightly oily, bright yellow layer. The texture is soft and melt-in-the-mouth with a pleasant sweetness at the end. While not as bread-y than the Medina version, a cross section of Imang Beatrice's ensaymada shows carefully kneaded layers--the mark of good and authentic ensaymada as I'd learn later--which breaks into paper thin flakes if you pinch it between your fingers.
Where to buy: Head to the Salcedo Saturday Market at the Pamangan stall (alongside the barbecue area at the back) which sells other specialties from the family of Des Rodriguez-Torres, one of the organizers.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Medina Ensaymada (P205)
An overgrown ensaymada lounging in a palanggana-like tin, this ensaymada is unnamed and unlabeled except for a strip of paper inserted between its covering of cling wrap. I had to ask if this was indeed the Medina ensaymada, named after a family in Arayat, Pampanga whose traditional Christmas celebration was featured in an issue of Saveur, an international food magazine. At 7" in diameter, the Medina ensaymada is all puffed up and almost lopsided because of its weight. Sugar is generously sprinkled on top while a lake of butter settles on its crevices and moistens the whole surface. It's the most handsome ensaymada I have ever seen and there's not a hint of grated quezo de bola on the surface to hide this fact. Inside, the dough is sunlit yellow, soft, and chewy. It tasted of mellow butter with a hint of salt melting towards the end. Perhaps it's the quezo de bola which is worked into the dough (according to the recipe in Saveur as well as in discussions in local blogs). Compared to its more refined Kapampangan cousins, the Medina ensaymada tastes a bit heavier, almost crude, which gives it a charming character. It smells the same way too, you'll be able to pick it out immediately when mixed with other ensaymadas. Scattered crusts of grated cheese, accidentally or purposely baked into its underbelly, are this down-to-earth ensaymada's parting gift.
Where to buy: In a stall at the Salcedo Saturday Market with a banner at the back that says "Mekeni abe" (just before you reach the barbecue area). For orders, call 896-5523.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Hizon's Quezo de Bola Ensaymada (P105)
At Hizon's, a historic landmark from Ermita's bygone era, its best ensaymada has to be its quezo de bola version wrapped in clear plastic with white flower prints. Short, thin strands of the cheese cover a slightly coiled peak. It smelled of butter and cheese as expected. Its interior, yellow and springy, resembles a typical Kapampangan ensaymada that, had it not been for its flowery wrapper, I would have--for a few seconds--mistaken it as one of the two dainty ones I bought at the weekend market. It's sweeter than the Cunanan ensaymada especially when grilled and served with Hizon's hot chocolate.
Where to buy: Hizon's has satellite branches at the Promenade Greenhills, Landmark Food Court Area, and SM Mall of Asia. But if you can, try to get it straight and freshly-baked from the source at their main branch at 1197 Jorge Bocobo corner Arquiza Streets, Ermita, Manila. Tel. No. 524-8790.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Uno Restaurant Ensaymada (P30)
As sturdy as the Pen ensaymada is Uno Restaurant's ensaymada made with whole wheat and curling like a grainy snail. The tops are brushed with a sugar glaze and Parmesan cheese that melts into a shiny coating after you bring it home. Although the wheat flour deviates from the usual plain flour, it gives it considerable heft and density. It's like eating a two-layered soft bagel. For the health-conscious with a sweet tooth, Uno's ensaymada is a unique alternative.
Where to buy: Uno, 195-C T. Morato corner Scout Fuentebella, Quezon City. Call 374-0774 to check if they have it as part of the day's offerings.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: The Peninsula Manila's Plain Ensaymada (P84.60)
Beneath a toupee of long, thin strands of cheddar cheese, the Pen's plain ensaymada is prominently coiled and golden brown. That brown-ness contributes to the flavor of this ensaymada. The base structure is more of a well-made soft bread, buttery but a little pale in color. The sweetness is just right, muted as it is by the denseness of the bread. The Pen's version is not overwhelmingly rich or moist so get this if you prefer your ensaymada as sturdy as a roll of bread. It would go well with a nice cup of good coffee.
Where to buy: At the Pen Boutique located at the basem*nt of the Peninsula Manila, Makati Avenue, Makati City. Tel. No. 887-2888.
Top 10 Ensaymada in Metro Manila: Café Mary Grace Classic Ensaymada (P52)
Carefully wrapped in wax paper with Mary Grace's elegant gold logo, this ensaymada has the most enticing aroma courtesy of the fine, almost powdery quezo de bola encrusting the top. When you bite into it, the sugar hidden underneath creates a crunch-y sound. Then as you chew, the butter melts along with the dough, which is light and airy. Although the familiar coil is absent and the interior just a couple of egg yolks short of being de rigueur yellow, Mary Grace has created an ensaymada that's focused on providing a soft, buttery experience than being rigidly authentic. You feel that she cares about her ensaymadas with the quality of the ingredients. To most of us mere mortals, that is heaven enough.
Where to buy: Most accessible of the lot, with various store locations and kiosks all over the metro.
10 Top Pinoy Tinapay
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Ensaymada
The Bread: The ensaymada is a brioche-like bread. This coiled bread is light, fluffy and sweet. Butter is spread on top then sprinkled with sugar and grated cheese. Cheap ensaymadas tend to be dry and topped with margarine, sugar and stringy cheese.
Origin: It is derived from ensaimada, a yeast bun made in Majorca, Spain with pork lard. It is traditionally baked for festivals and celebrations. Also known as Pan de Mallorca in Puerto Rico.
Interesting crumbs: Sta. Maria notes that the original ensaymada was merely dusted with powdered or granulated sugar. Grated queso de bola was added before World War II. The combination of salted duck's egg and cheese were introduced later on in the ensaymadas of Malolos and Barasoain, Bulacan.
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Monay
The Bread: This is a yellowish soft bread with the traditional split in the middle. Some commercial monay no longer have the suggestive marking on top and are pale in color.
Origin: Monay, according to Gilda Cordero Fernando in Philippine Food and Life, was originally called pan de monja (or nun's bread). It "evolved into the racier monay," which in colloquial Tagalog refers to a woman's privates.
Interesting crumbs: The mother of most Filipino breads, the dough for monay transforms into different breads, depending on the water content, proofing (rising of the dough) and baking time. A master baker can whip this dough into different forms and degrees of softness–from the hard monay, pinagong, putok, soft and chewy monay, and the soft and fluffy kind you can slice and make as sandwiches.
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Putok
The Bread: Made from monay dough, the putok has a crown on top instead of a split. Its texture ranges from semi-soft to rock hard. The top is brushed with a milk glaze then sprinkled with sugar. The ridges acquire a golden brown color in the hot oven while the rest of its body remains pale to pale brown. There are some panaderias, however, that have put their own spin on the putok, placing indentations on top of the bread instead of the traditional crown-like top.
Origin: The name refers to the characteristic split on top of the bread.
Interesting crumbs: The putok is more compact and dense than the monay because of shorter proofing time. To make the traditional ridges, the baker clips the top with a scissor or a sharp knife, forming an "x" which later splits and expands during baking.
10 Best Panaderia Classics
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Sputnik
The Bread: The pagong (or pinagong) is a turtle-shaped bread, with a sweet and milky taste, a dense texture and a crunchy shell like the putok.
Origin: The pinagong traces its roots from Sariaya, Quezon where it's considered a must-have pasalubong. It spread to nearby towns and to Metro Manila where bakeries render their own vision of its turtle-ness.
Interesting crumbs: Usually, this bread has a flat bottom and a curved top, like the turtle's shell or carapace. On both ends are protrusions, to mimic the head and the tail. The shape varies depending on the baker and the area. In Malabon, the pinagong has an elongated shape (tail and head are of the same length); its shell has three ridges. Another version is more compact and exact, with just a hint of a tail and emphasis on the limbs on the sides. A crude version focuses on the outline and the three ridges.
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Cheesebread
The Bread: The local cheese bread is a commercial soft pan de sal but smoother, its surface encrusted in sweet cheese granules instead of breadcrumbs. The interior is soft, almost dry and denser. Another kind of cheese bread resembles a small soft monay with a stick of ordinary cheddar cheese inserted in the middle.
Origin: I remember consuming a lot of this bread sometime in the '90s when it can be brought in packs at the local supermarket. In contrast, the monay-cheese bread is available in panaderias and best eaten hot.
Interesting crumbs: The cheese bread with the granules comes in regular and mini-me sizes. The best kind has a moist and fluffy dough and plenty of cheese.
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Kalihim
The Bread: Kalihim is a soft bread with a bright red filling peeking out of its folds. The texture of the main bread is soft and not too sweet. Also known as pan de pula, its filling is sweet and smells of cheap vanilla.
Origin: This bread is known by other quirky names. In Tondo, they call it pan de regla (because it looks like a, er, folded used sanitary pad). In Marikina, it's sold as bellas. Quezon City residents happily munch on their pan de red or floorwax. In Pangasinan, it's a more idyllic kabukiran while in Bicol, the bread is ligaya or maligaya.
Interesting crumbs: The red filling is actually a thin bread pudding made from stale bread, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and lots of bright red food color. It is then wrapped in the main dough, pricked with a fork and baked. Other variations include ube and pineapple.
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Pan de Coco
The Bread: A soft round bread roll with a sweet coconut filling. Some versions look like dinner rolls with shiny brown tops while others are pale all over.
Origin: Pan de coco gets its name from its most crucial ingredient–the coconut. Other countries have similar pan de cocos, some mixing the coconut into the dough while others use coconut milk.
Interesting crumbs: The best pan de cocos have the perfect ratio of bread to filling. The grated coconut and sugar melts into some kind of a tropical caramel. Some adore this gooey filling while others find it too sweet.
10 Best Panaderia Classics: Spanish Bread
The Bread: A soft pan de sal-type bread shaped like a crescent roll with a sweet filling and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs on the outside.
Origin: The name is a nod to its Hispanic roots though culinary books do not provide any historical context or an evolution of a similar product.
Interesting crumbs: The filling spread on the dough prior to baking is made from breadcrumbs, butter, and sugar.
10 Top Pinoy HOT Tsokolate
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Cafe Xocolat
The drink: Taza de Xocolat (P145)
Tale of the tableya: Although it's made with imported Spanish chocolate instead of the local tableya, Taza de Xocolat is the tsokolate eh of the iPAD generation. It's thick enough to make your grandmother blush and as smooth as your debonair grandfather. There's a bit of froth and bubbles on top as if suspended in the taza's almost pudding-like consistency. You can drink it or dunk the tiny shortbread cookie it's served with and watch the cookie stay dreamily on the surface.
Bittersweet notes: It's 4 out of 5 on the sweetness scale so expect it to please your chocoholic desires. If you're faint-hearted, it's best to share. I consider it the ultimate, unapologetic indulgence especially since it's served on a beautiful earthenware cup wide enough to be a ceremonial bowl in a globalized chocolate ritual. Match it with a slice of the red velvet cake (thank goodness for the cream cheese which provides a respite to cocoa) and just as soon as you finish off the drink, you either melt in an embarrassing puddle of bliss on the floor or head off into sunlit Serendra with hope in your heart and fire in your belly.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Cafe Adriatico
The drink: Chocolate Eh and Kesong Puti combo (P135)
Tale of the tableya: A hot chocolate drink made with native tableya and in the tradition of Rizal's time, which means it pleases the friars and the genteel society. The Chocolate Eh, served in most of the late Larry J. Cruz restaurants, is as thick and fluffy as a cloud of chocolate. You can feel the sediment settling briefly on the tongue then melts away just as quickly. This was my very first taste of tsokolate eh almost ten years ago, which came as a shock for somebody weaned on diluted Swiss Miss. As I grew older, I learned to appreciate its texture and authenticity.
Bittersweet notes: As expected of native chocolate, it's more bitter than sweet. In succession, I detected complex layers beginning with a subtle saltiness then bitter then sweet. It was served hot, almost tepid, on a white demitasse, which is as should be because the chocolate is rich and robustly flavored. The pan de sal and kesong puti paired with hot chocolate depicts how it used to be served for breakfast in the homes of old Manila.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Adarna Food and Culture
The drink: Rico Tsokolate (P110) Tale of the tableya: Hewn from the great mountains of Batangas, good quality tableya created this tsokolate eh. The texture is a perfect ratio of 1:1--thick enough to be an "eh" and thin enough to be sipped leisurely on a languid afternoon. The absence of the froth seemed irrelevant once you taste the hot chocolate. Adarna honors its richness with simple but elegant accoutrements and ritual. I felt like an haciendera as my waiter poured the viscous liquid from a copper pot onto a beautiful blue floral-patterned cup. If the mythical Adarna bird were a tsokolate eh, I must say I had found it.
Bittersweet notes: The bitter and sweet in this tsokolate eh is as properly tempered as its texture. It's rich but with subtle and harmonious layers--not a note out of place. It did not make the throat itch or choke. Unlike other chocolate drinks I've tasted, it did not provide a rude jolt or a flamboyant umay at the end. Instead, it tasted like a good conversation with a friend, quiet and comforting and goes on forever. The drink arrived a few minutes late on the table, which says it was made only when I ordered it and wasn't sitting on the sidelines waiting for a date (or the microwave). Pair it with their unassuming ensaymada (the bread was flaky, egg-y and buttery) or the cream-filled crepes (plantanilla) with mangoes. Sip after sip, the Adarna tsokolate eh's flavor and texture remained consistent and what a joy that is.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Pia y Damaso
The drink: Tsokolate Eh and Toasted Ensaymada (P250) Tale of the tableya: Pia Y Damaso's tsokolate eh is as precious as the cacao from Davao used in its creation. It's so thick it momentarily coats the tongue as you drink it and if you let it linger on the palate, you could almost chew on the sediment left by the chocolate. Padre Salvi will be so proud to serve this to you, that is, if you're a favored guest. After a while the drink gets quite heavy like a drooping eyelid. So it's best sipped slowly while recalling the most memorable scenes and characters in Rizal's novels. Price-wise, it would be something Dona Victorina would order, just to show off. But like my friend and I did, she'd probably not hesitate asking for another cup to split, er, share this very rich drink.
Bittersweet notes: The Davao Malagos goat's milk gave it a complex layer of flavors. I could detect a very faint and fleeting sour note in there. The toasted ensaymada is a character on its own, playing so well with the tsokolate eh, in a simple but rich mound of baked dough, butter and finely grated cheese.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Chocolate Kiss Cafe
The drink: Tsokolate Eh (P75) Tale of the tableya: This tsokolate eh is made with tableya from Cebu and is served scalding hot in a plain cup and saucer. The texture is smooth but with no froth on top. Although called "tsokolate eh" on the menu, their version is very thin and watery. There was barely any chocolate sediment clinging on the sides and bottom of the cup which shows it's more of an aguado than an espeso.
Bittersweet notes: The drink is not too sweet so it emphasizes the bitterness of the tableya in a comforting kind of way. This lack of saccharine-sweetness complements any Chocolate Kiss dessert you pair with the drink. A sip of the tsokolate eh cuts through the sweetness of the icing. Before you know it, it's just crumbs on the plate and an empty cup on the saucer.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Tsoko.nut Batirol
The drink: Tsokolate Ah and Bibingka with kesong puti and itlog na pula combo (P138)
Tale of the tableya: The tableya used in Tsoko.Nut Batirol’s tsokolate drinks were grown, roasted, and ground in Leyte. True to its name, the Tsokolate Ah has no illusions of being like its Eh counterpart. The texture is very thin, its color as light as coffee and almost blending with the earthenware cup. This is an easy drink that goes the length of a long conversation. It made me realize that although a thick cup of hot chocolate would be more authentic, in reality, we tend to build pleasant memories over the more liquid and more accessible tsokolate ahs.
Bittersweet notes: The drink has a mild cacao flavor so it's more sweet than bitter. It is served in a handmade, stone-fired cup with the cafe's logo molded on the front. The tiny flecks on the earthenware mimic the grainy sediment of hot chocolate. One can pair the tsokolate ah with the usual ensaymada, bibingka, or napoleones. The cafe also has tsokolate versions thickened with cashews or peanuts.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day:Cafe Mary Grace
The drink: Traditional Tsokolate (P72.80), served with grilled ensaymada (P72.71)
Tale of the tableya: Made from "full-flavored fermented tsokolate," the Mary Grace version is thick but drinkable. Instead of a frothy surface, the traditional tsokolate has a nice sheen and speckled with minute bubbles suspended on the surface. It is served hot in a dainty lime green cup and saucer with a tiny teaspoon to stir and taste.
Bittersweet notes: With its full flavor, the emphasis is more on the cocoa's bitter notes instead of the sugar content. Pair a cup of this tsokolate (or any other variants made from spiced tsokolate or premium chocolate) with Mary Grace's famous fluffy ensaimada, grilled, and you'll have one cozy afternoon in an equally beautiful setting.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Za's Cafe
The drink: Hot chocolate (P75)
Tale of the tableya: Like a code word for regulars, it's simply called "hot chocolate" on the menu. The tableya used in making it is from Pampanga. It's thick enough to leave stains on the sides and lip of the cup when you tilt it. Served hot and frothy, a few soft particles (perhaps ground peanut paste used as thickener) rest on one's tongue.
Bittersweet notes: The thickener rounds out any excess bitterness or sweetness. I always order a cup of this drink and draw on very pleasant memories of it so I was a bit surprised to find it less sweet than usual. I also noted a faint sour note from a nut about to go rancid. Still, I'd give it another try, if only because it has made its mark on regulars like Dolphy, Supreme Court judges and employees (the cafe is near their offices), and National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose who downs it with the Hizon'sensaymada after tending to his iconic Solidaridad Bookstore in nearby Padre Faura Street.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Dulcinea
The drink: Churros con chocolate (P98)
Tale of the tableya: Say Spanish chocolate and you'll most likely conjure the kind so thick that it's best served as a dip than as a drink. Dulcinea serves the dipping kind paired with churros. One could easily drown in this pool of the deepest darkest brown. A thin, shiny film continuously forms on the surface as it gets cold. Order this if you prefer to dip than to sip.
Bittersweet notes: Made from imported powdered chocolate instead of the native tableya, it's understandable how the chocolate leans more on the sweet side. There's no grit or bitterness you'd expect in an "indio's tsokolate" but if you like your chocolate refined and well-heeled, Dulcinea is a fine choice. The dominant taste is very, very sweet which matches with the savory and crisp churros.
10 Best Tsokolate Spots for a Rainy Day: Nana Meng Tsokolate
The drink: Tsokolate E (P45)
Tale of the tableya: Nana Meng Tsokolate is sold in jars as a creamy chocolate paste instead of the traditional round tableya. While one can buy the chocolate to be whipped into tsokolate eh at home, Nana Meng's drinks can be sampled right at the stall premises. It's cooked in a saucepan, then stirred with a batirol and poured into a miniature paper cup (or a taza, if you prefer). The tsokolate's surface glistens with tiny molecules of oil which indicates how rich this tsokolate is. It's as traditional as you can get because the cocoa recipe is from a revered grandmother from Sta. Maria, Bulacan.
Bittersweet notes: The chocolate of Nana Meng has balanced bitter and sweet notes. Very finely ground peanuts lend more texture and thickness to the drink (you can detect a hint of "grit" as you drink it). I love how the thickness is just right--it's the kind of chocolate I'd sip on a rainy day while curled up with a good book.
10 Top Pinoy Tsokolate Candy
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Cloud 9 Classic
A small bar of caramel, chewy nougat, and peanuts wrapped in thin chocolate, the Cloud 9 Classic bar still has that chocolate magic--peanuts offset the overly sweet chocolate while the nougat adds texture to the usual chocolate bar. Those looking for a quick and cheap chocolate pick-me-up can count on one bar to do the trick.
Sold individually in convenience stores and in packs of 6 or more at groceries, Cloud 9 Classic has remained consistent throughout the years.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Goya Dark Mint Chocolates
Goya's Dark Mint chocolates are circular-shaped nuggets with 9 pieces in a box. Upon opening the box and the foil that keeps the chocolate pieces fresh, a strong mint scents wafts out of the box, a telltale sign of how the chocolates will taste.
The mint taste is stronger than the chocolate flavor, and the semi-sweet chocolate is creamy, soft and smooth and easily melts in the mouth. Those who have a penchant for mint chocolates will find Goya's version a cheap and enjoyable treat.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Goya Gold Coins
Smooth milk chocolate shaped like coins and embossed with a picture of a caboose on one side, Goya Gold chocolate coins are creamy and have a melt-in-your mouth consistency, with a slight salty aftertaste. The chocolate coins' size--about an inch and a half in diameter--are perfect for nibbling on when you're craving something sweet, you only need a few pieces for a sugar rush.
The fun part about eating the chocolate coins: tearing off the gold tin foil packaging without cracking the chocolate in pieces.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Goya Milk Chocolate
Goya's classic milk chocolate is a creamy, soft bar of sweet milk chocolate. Available in most groceries and convenience stores, the current Goya chocolate bars are richer in taste compared to the chocolate bars sold years ago, which had a faint taste of chocolate.
The improved milk chocolate bars have a more creamy and milky taste rather than strong cacao flavors, and is preferred by those who like their chocolates sweet instead of rich and bitter.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Chocolate Mallows
These chocolate-coated marshmallow biscuits sold in its signature yellow box were popular back in the '80s. Available in boxes of six, Chocolate Mallows now come in snack packs of 2 and are sometimes quite hard to find in groceries.
Individually wrapped in foil wrappers, the chocolate mallows have a rich milk chocolate coating with subtle but noticeable hints of orange flavor. The white-colored marshmallow inside isn't overly sweet and the biscuit adds texture to this well-loved chocolate snack.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Goya Dark Chocolate
Goya's version of the dark chocolate is available in two variants: as a chocolate bar or as bite-sized circular chocolates packaged as Goya Black & White (mixed in with milk chocolates). Dark brown in color, soft and easily melts in one's fingers, Goya's dark chocolate does not have a strong bitter taste and is actually a tad sweet than your average dark chocolate. It also leaves a faint aftertaste of nuts, sugar and cocoa in the mouth.
Tip: Goya's dark chocolates can be melted to create a quick and cheap alternative chocolate fondue dip at home.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Ricoa Curly Tops
The bite-sized chocolate cups get its name from the swirly chocolate top on each chocolate nugget. Sadly, the "curly tops" now look a bit deformed. Soft, with faint traces of powder and a tendency to melt fast if left in the heat for long periods of time, the small size of each chocolate piece makes for addictive snacking---one can easily finish a box of Curly Tops in less than 15 minutes. Curly Tops have a more sweet milk taste rather than a rich bitter chocolate flavor, perfect for those who love creamy milk chocolate.
Pinoys who grew up with Curly Tops may remember the quality being better in terms of the "curly tops" being really swirly and the chocolate taste, richer. Despite the changes, Curly Tops still remains a favorite among kids and adults.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Ricoa Flat Tops
Flat Tops, the small circular chocolates with "Ricoa" embossed on top and wrapped individually in the familiar silver and orange wrapper, are a familiar Pinoy chocolate. Available in most groceries and convenience stores in packs of 30 or more, the bite-sized chocolates can be nibbled on or eaten as a whole. Soft when bitten into, chewed or left to melt inside one's mouth, Flat Tops are creamy with a faint milk chocolate flavor. Its sweetness borders on the less saccharine side of the spectrum, a probable reason why it takes little effort to finish off a pack.
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Chocnu*t
Strictly speaking, Chocnu*t doesn't really fall under the chocolate category. The popular Pinoy treat which comes in small bite-size crumbly rectangular bars individually wrapped in foil, however, deserve a spot in this list because of its enduring popularity and distinct taste.
Blending the tastes of chocolate and peanut nicely with just the right amount of nutty flavors without being cloying, the Chocnu*t's texture is powdery and melts in the mouth when eaten. Some like refrigerating the whole pack so it doesn't easily crumble when eaten.
A Pinoy classic, OFWs and balikbayans often look for Chocnu*t to bring as pasalubong to kababayans hankering for a taste of home. The Chocnu*t has also proved its versatility through the years with its varied incarnations: as a flavor for hot chocolate drinks, an ice-cream flavor (previously served at the defunct Uva Restaurant and now available at Trilogy Boutique and Canteen in Legaspi Village), and even lending sweetness to co*cktail drinks for the adventurous (There are chocnu*t-flavored co*cktails at Tulipan at The Establishment and at No. 38 Sports Lounge and Grill).
Top 10 Pinoy Chocolates: Theo Philo Chocolates
By far the priciest and has the nicest packaging in the bunch, the unassuming Theo Philo Artisan chocolates made in Davao look like gourmet chocolates and may be bought at the EchoStore. Both the milk chocolate and the dark chocolate varieties come in an artful box that reminds one of the packaging of colored pencils.
The milk chocolate variant, is medium-brown in color, smooth with no rectangle ridges found in most chocolate bars. Soft when bitten into, the Theo Philo bar is not at all cloyingly sweet. Instead, bitter notes and a rich cocoa taste greets the tongue. This bar is not for sugar junkies but for those who love the rich and robust taste of cacao.
10 Top Pinoy Summer Pampalamig
Summer Snacks: Dirty ice cream in our favorite flavors (mango, ube, cheese) housed in Jeepney-inspired carts. If American kids waited for the ice cream truck, Pinoy kids salivated at the Pavlovian sound of Mamang Sorbetero's bell so they could run out and get a cone piled high with scoops of this "dirty" delight.
Summer Snacks: Ice candy, fruit juice or extract in every flavor imaginable, frozen into tubes inside narrow plastic bags. Having to peel or bite off the plastic made it seem like junk food, when it was actually quite good for us.
Summer Snacks: The Ice Scramble, made from shaved ice in a rainbow of colors, powdered milk, and chocolate syrup, was the poor kid's milkshake; sold off street carts for cheaper but just as good.
Summer Snacks: The Ice Drop, made from frozen coconut milk and shredded coconut topped off by a cluster of red beans. It was a fun and yummy challenge to try to eat around it first, tongues going numb from the frozen treat, so we could save the monggo-studded top for last.
Summer Snacks: Sago't gulaman, made from crushed ice, caramelized sugar, chewy tapioca balls, and jiggly gelatin cubes: What wasn't to love?
Summer Snacks: Sunny Orange. Technically a concentrate, as the jingle went, it also came in "lemon, grape, and strowveree (strawberry)." Too much of the concentrate–and not enough water to dilute it–left us with a medicinal-tasting emulsion, but freezing it produced yummy popsicles.
Summer Snacks: Twin Popsies came in two flavors: chocolate or orange. Breaking them right down the middle meant we could share with a sibling, a cousin, a friend, or a crush!
Summer Snacks: Mais or saba con hielo, sweetened creamed corn or banana topped with shredded ice and as much "evap" (evaporated milk) as we wanted, so we drenched bowlsful of the sweet, creamy concoction with it.
Summer Snacks: The Frostee, probably the granddaddy of 7-11's Slurpee, came in cola (brown), cherry (red), or an indeterminate flavor in bright Smurf blue that coated our tongues to our amazement. We saved our allowance to afford the tall, blue-and-red paper cups with the smiling polar bear on them.
ENJOY!!!! =)
