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Oh Lomi! With thick noodle soup, egg on it, chicharon and some friend pork belly and innards...sinful but delicious!

It was morning, and I just came from Laiya Beach. Dang! I had a hangover that morning…must have been that brandy I took when we were having a party with my officemates last night. Bad shot, stomach’s sour, head was heavy and the gravity on earth seemingly increased to 2Gs!I was hungry and I was really craving for that hot thick and rich bowl of noodle soup called Lomi, Batangas‘ answer to savory hot noodles like the mami and the batchoy (and of course, ang walang kamatayang instant noodles!). I was looking for one at San Juan town proper but the food shops are not yet open. So I went all the way to Lipa City, an hour away from San Juan, just to have that heavy soup!

Lomi is a hot, thick, noodle soup which is usually composed of thick noodles, very thick soup that is mixed with egg, some pork meat and innards, some have squid or fish ball or chicharon on top of it, and voila–belly buster, “calometric” fuel that would surely charge you with some energy (and raised blood pressure).  This soup is known to be a belly buster in Philippine cuisine. Despite serving it in a regular sized bowl, the thickness of lomi will really make you full for more than six hours I guess.

Lomi with onion, calamansi, (chili and soy sauce hidden) as condiments

In Batangas, if they serve it more than PhP50 (US$1.25),  that’s already enough for two people to consume! Sulit! Not only its heavy, its also affordable too!

Upon arriving Lipa City, the jeepney stopped near Lipa Cathedral or the Catedral Metropolitana de San Sebastian de Lipa. She’s an icon for this city, and her cupola or dome dominates the city skyline.

San Sebastian Metropolitan Cathedral in Lipa City

I was avoiding the temptation of expensive fastfood lurking at downtown’s streets. I went here for lomi, not for burger! After passing by the church, I immediately ask local tricycle drivers where can I get the nearest lomihan or carenderia/canteen that serves lomi. They all pointed to Kalaw Street where there is a carenderia in which most tricycle drivers have their sumptouous meal of lomi. Di naman ako maarte, so I went on street food 101–dyan lang sa karendieria nila ate!

Ate was able to give me lomi for only P35! With calamansi, sili and toyo as condiments, I had a happy breakfast. Chicharon cracking in my mouth, savory pork and that warm and thick bowl of noodle soup just pacified my tummy! I was satisfied and I feel lighter (from the hangover)! Lomi’s the best tummy filler whenever you’re in a hurry in Batangas! Buurp!!!

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Deco's La Paz Bathoy

I haven’t eaten La Paz Batchoy since…I don’t remember. Heck, I haven’t eaten Batchoy when I went home in Iloilo just a couple of weeks ago! Although there are batchoyans here in Metro Manila, but I wanted to taste something different from the usual batchoy (yes, Lucky Me! therapy! Haha!)

I just found out that Deco’s La Paz Batchoy has opened up its first branch here in Manila…even though if the outlet has been open since last year pa! It’s located in the newly-opened Southgate Mall near Magallanes Interchange in  Makati (for commuters, its the big blue building with a television on top…and its on “EDSA-Mantrade”…sabihin nyo lang sa konduktor na “Mantrade”).

Oops, Halfway Done!

Had my “Super Bowl” for about P70+. (The La Paz Batchoy comes in three sizes, I got the medium-sized “super” bowl). Quite expensive as compared to its counterparts in Iloilo (oh yeah, reality check, I’m in Manila pala!) but it still retains that authentic La Paz Batchoy back home. The usual meke noodles (You can choose your type of noodles: the original meke, bihon or sotanghon) with pork innards, chicharon and that caldo that I’ve been “slurping” eversince! Put some pepper on it and voila! I miss that pre-war pan de sal that they sell which is often partnered with the soup…or you can go puto Manapla instead (pasaylo sa mga kasimanwa nga ari diri sa Manila, wala pandesal ni Pa-a diri).

It was my dinner, and I’m satisfied already. Finally, more choices for the big Ilonggo population in Metro Manila. We got Teds La Paz Batchoy already in several key locations in the Metro, and Deco’s is out here to compete–the authentic La Paz Batchoy wars have finally reached Manila! At least, I got a taste of home, away from home.

Deco’s is open from 10AM to 8:30PM and it’s just beside Mang Inasal.
Location map courtesy of Google Maps:


View Deco’s La Paz Batchoy in Manila in a larger map

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Iloilo's own La Paz Batchoy

Ilonggo cuisine is one of the most famous in the islands. Known for the La Paz Batchoy, Pancit Molo, Chicken Inasal and more, the delicacies of the people of the gentle folks of the Western Visayan region of the Philippines gives a glimpse on its intricate culture and civilization.

But again, Ilonggo cuisine doesn’t end with the institutionalized La Paz Batchoy that many people know about through popular instant noodle brands. There is more to Ilonggo cuisine that meets the eye.

Here’s a short feature documentary produced by the City Government of Iloilo together with ON Creative Productions:

Part 1:

Part 2:

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Crickets cooked adobo style

As what they say, Kapampangan cuisine probably is one of best culinary traditions in the country. Ranging the sumptuous feast of Sulipan cooking all the way to exotic foods….

Speaking of exotic, I’ve tasted adobong sawa and tapang usa before. It was good, and they all came from Pampanga. Now I’m really wondering, what’s the taste of that very famous delicacy that Kapampangans are fond of cooking. Nope, not the Ginataang Kuhol or Palaka (frog) but kamaru (a kind of field cricket).

Going to Pampanga with my friends, the first thing that we searched was somewhere in Angeles City where they could offer kamaru as a dish. Not far away from Clark Main Gate in Angeles City is the Mamasuk Restaurant in Balibago area. We ordered kamaru for about PhP150.00 adobo style.

It looks really gross and creepy. Eating insects are birds’ masterpiece…pakiramdam ko tuloy para akong sumali sa Pinoy Fear Factor! It kinda looks like sauted cockroaches…my mind started to tinker away whether it was worth a try or not…yuck!

And I had my first taste..hmmm…yumm…wala namang fancy eh. It just taste like adobo with shrimp on it. It wasn’t crispy though I was expecting it was…but it was sumptouos. Then we feast, it was our brunch actually so we were all hungry!

Next time, I’ll try other exotic Kapampangan delicacies. If there is a Kapampangan out there, please let me know where can I find these. Salamat!

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Got a hungry tummy but short on budget in Cebu? Head on to “Larsian.” If you don’t know this, it is located besides Chong Hua Hospital near Fuente Osmena of Cebu City. Very accessible indeed.

Larsian has became an institution in Cebuano consciousness like the Santo Nino itself. It was first just a community of barbecue stand vendors who sell quick meals for the people from the hospitals nearby. It has grown very popular and now enjoying support from the provincial government.

This is one big barbecue park. The air is filled with smoke with the aroma of roasted chicken or meat or fish. (So be sure to bring in your hanky if your allergic or asthmatic).

In the sides of larsian are stalls who sell half-cooked meat (ready to roast) and puso (diamond shaped rice wrapped in coconut leaves). By the time you enter the area, the dispachadoras (dispatchers) will try to convince you to go to their table and stalls. These people are very very eager to attract customers, therefore they may approach you in such agressive way.

In Larsian, barbecue or roasted meat/pork varies from 5 pesos to twelve pesos, chicken thigh for 25 pesos, chicken skin for 12 pesos and more. Puso or rice is sold at six pesos per piece. Prices may vary though but I assure you they are very affordable.

Anyway, you eat here with your hands, just like the ones at Manukan Country in Bacolod City.

So if your tummy is grumbbling and short of budget, just go to Larsian and enjoy.

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One of Philippines’ finest cuisine is that of the Ilonggos. This video documentary produced by the City Government of Iloilo, gives food trippers and local and foreign tourist what Ilonggo cooking is all about. From the famed La Paz Batchoy to Tinu-om. Going to Iloilo wouldn’t be complete without eating or bring home a pasalubong.

Click on the Link below:

Ang Manamit sa Iloilo Part 1

Ang Manamit sa Iloilo Part 2