Comida (Published February 2013)
COMIDA
By Bernadette O. Azcarraga
At the heart of every celebration
in Zamboanga is comida, Chabacano for
‘food’. Food in Zamboanga is a festival
of flavors, a reflection of the city being a hodge-podge of cultures. The following foods have endeared themselves
to the city’s residents over the years that they’ve become household names:
- Flavorite Palabok
Miki or bihon noodles slathered
in rich yellow sauce and topped with sautéed shrimps, crispy chicharon bits,
tofu cubes and slices of boiled egg, in a bilao.
Palabok? Flavorite it is.
For a palabok experience with an
old-world feel, head for Valderoza Street where the resto’s main branch still
stands just right across the City Hall.
A campus branch is also open in Nunez Street at the back of the
Ateneo Eusebio campus.
- Palmeras Knickerbocker
To find Zamboanga’s coolest
dessert, one has to travel all the way to restful Pasonanca. The place may be out of most people’s way, but
as many would say, it is worth all the effort for in Palmeras awaits La Bella’s
version of the halo-halo--- heaps of juicy water melon chunks, green gulaman
cubes and ultra sweet mango slices drenched in milk and topped with a scoop of
strawberry ice cream.
Palmeras has recently opened a
branch at the Paseo del Mar where the knickerbocker is the best-seller.
3.
Jimmy’s Satti
Chunks of sticky rice dunked in
rich spicy orange sauce and paired with mini meat skewers, thesatti makes the
perfect breakfast for many a Muslim and Christian in Zamboanga. One can find a long row of satti houses along
Pilar Street and Jimmy’s is a hit.
4.
Busy Bee ArrozCaldo
Sticky rice simmered for hours in
chicken broth and spiced with minced ginger and garlic, this humble soup is
truly the perfect comfort food. Busy
Bee’s arroz caldo both fills the stomach and warms the heart especially on a
cold rainy day.
The same soup may be had in
Kape Zambo, Busy Bee’s ‘daughter resto.
Comments
Post a Comment