Even after my trip to Ilocos Norte, the taste of the crunchy and savory empanada is still vivid. I was finally able to complete my Ilocos Norte empanada experience by trying out the
Dinardaraan (Dinuguan) Empanada at
Johnny Moon Cafe and
Elvie's Sweet Empanada near PLDT.
Johnny Moon also serves
Bagnet Empanada and
Sisig Empanada. But I don't think the
bagnet meat is tasty enough for an
empanada for you to notice it. So I really recommend the
Dinuguan Empanada if you want something different.
And speaking of different. While most
empanadas use the garlicky
longganisa, Elvie's offers Ilocos
empanada with sweet
longganisa. The sweet taste of the
longganisa plus the sour
sukang Iloko makes a very interesting combination.
From Batac to Bacarra, here is my list of
the best empanadas in Ilocos Norte.
I also didn't realize they took their
tupig (glutinous rice cakes with coconut) quite seriously in Ilocos Norte. They even have an intense competition every year to determine who makes the best
tupig. But those from Currimao and Sarrat are the ones which stand out.
I got to try the Sarrat
tupig during a trade fair at the Ilocos Norte Capitol in Laoag. They use purple glutinous rice which is why the
tupig is dark purple.
We drove to Currimao the next day to try out the
tupig at
Irene's Native Delicacies along the National Highway. They mix in margarine, milk and cheese to add flavor to the glutinous rice and coconut.
And instead of the usual
tupig grill we see on the street, they cook their
tupig by baking it in a traditional wood-fired oven.
In Currimao, they also make
bibingka with glutinous rice and coconut, and topped with peanuts. The consistency actually reminds me of
tikoy.
What other Ilocos Norte delicacies do you like?
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