My Zambaleño meals expertise was at all times about mangoes, freshly caught tunas, and delectable kakanin rice desserts. However the previous Dinamulag Pageant weekend launched me to greater than the same old desk fares within the province, discovering the extra metropolitan facet of consuming locations in Zambales. From native dishes and Filipino consolation meals, to road meals and posh café choices, I used to be pleasantly stunned on the selection culinary locations in Zambales worthy of a facet journey from its seashores and mountains.
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SONSING RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
ADDRESS: GOVIC HI-WAY, BANGANTALINGA, IBA | CONTACT: +63 (908) 819-7274 | OPENING HOURS: 9AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.341436, 119.970656 | MENU
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| SONSING RESTAURANT & LOUNGE IN IBA, ZAMBALES |
One of many go-to eating places in Iba, Zambales on the subject of Filipino meals is Sonsing. The restaurant is called after the proprietor’s father whose love of cooking was handed all the way down to his son. They really serve greater than the same old Filipino favorites—their menu filled with the whole lot from burgers, steaks, Japanese, Chinese language, and Western dishes. Throughout our go to, stuffed to brimming as our desk was, it didn’t even attain a fourth of their choices.
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| INSARABASAB ~ PHP 280.00 |
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| LARGE TINAPA FRIED RICE ~ PHP 230.00 |
We had been in a position to pattern their pinangat na labong sa gata, salmon sashimi, California maki, black fungus soup, crispy pata kare-kare, Zambalyete, insarabasab (Ilocano roasted pork), kalderetang kambing, binagoongang lechon kawali, and certainly one of their particular rice to pair it with, tinapa fried rice.
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| PINANGAT NA LABONG ~ PHP 250.00 |
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| CRISPY PATA KARE-KARE |
Their pinangat, a home specialty with origins from the Bicol Area, stood out among the many relaxation, together with their crispy pata kare-kare—which was actually peanuty and has a really crispy pork—served with scrumptious bagoong. I used to be additionally intrigued by their Zambalyete which appeared to be sautéed cubed tuna with a serving to of bagoong, topped with tartar sauce, and skinny strips of mango—it was undoubtedly very Zambales. And let’s not overlook the tinapa fried rice and black fungus soup, which truly introduced the whole lot collectively rather well.
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| NACHOS WITH MANGO DIP | ZAMBALYETE ~ PHP 290.00 |
For desserts, two boxfuls of particular cassava cake—common and ube—sealed the ultimate candy notes. Scrumptious.
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OH-BEN BAKED CAFÉ
ADDRESS: GOVIC HI-WAY, BANGANTALINGA, IBA | CONTACT: +63 (998) 549-4797 | OPENING HOURS: 8AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.341559, 119.970618
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| OH-BEN BAKED CAFE IN IBA, ZAMBALES |
We’d like not stray far for our after-meal espresso repair. Proper subsequent door to Sonsing is the Oh-Ben Baked Café. Oh-Ben. Oven. Will get? Lol.
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| CINNAMON BUNS, CAKE, AND COFFEE |
Operated by the identical household, the café is geared extra for the youthful crowd with its black on wooden interiors and coffee-ism wall quotes. Very hipster. We had been in a position to check out their cinnamon buns, just a few slices of desserts, and naturally, their espresso—which was fairly good.
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| HAVING A CUP OF COFFEE AT OH-BEN BAKED CAFE |
Oh-Ben Baked Café is presently closed for renovation, however their cookies and pastries can nonetheless be purchased at The Bakery by S.E.
►NEAR HERE: MAGALAWA ISLAND
LC’S STOP & CHOW
ADDRESS: NATL. HI-WAY, LONGOS, CABANGAN | CONTACT: +63 (949) 155-1998 | OPENING HOURS: 7AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.144496, 120.052117 | MENU
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| THE NEW LC’S STOP & CHOW AT CABANGAN, ZAMBALES |
I’ve at all times handed by LC’s Cease & Chow in Cabangan—the previous restaurant was only a hop away from my uncle’s home—however for some motive, I’ve at all times failed to go to. It took a pageant and a change of location for LC’s earlier than I lastly received to have a style of their meals.
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| PINAKBET & KALDERETA |
Nonetheless positioned in Cabangan, on a extra spacious parcel of land and with much more fashionable restaurant—which jogs my memory of meals locations in Tagaytay, by the best way—LC’s Cease & Chow is a legend in Zambales. The homeowners initially hail from Batangas earlier than transferring to Subic, then Cabangan, the place they lastly put up a restaurant. Their menu consists of Filipino fares with a touch of Batangeño aptitude. Visitor their specialty? Bulalo, in fact.
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| BULALO ~ ₱455.00 MEDIUM, ₱570.00 LARGE |
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| CRISPY PATA ~ ₱625.00 |
And together with the 2 bowls of bulalo that got here sliding down our desk, we had been served with pans of pizza, plates of pinakbet, kalderetang kambing, and essentially the most superbly fried crispy pata I’ve ever laid eyes upon. Their bulalo is harking back to the Mahogany Market bulaluhan in Tagaytay—which they aptly declare on their menu—and their pizza choices, particularly the Overload was certainly totally loaded. It was truthfully top-of-the-line pizzas I’ve ever tried. LC’s crispy pata,however, is likely one of the finest, if not the most effective crispy pata I’ve had. The best way they reduce and fried it was merely genius, making the whole lot crispy and lessening the effort of knifing the pork into bite-sized items.
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| PIZZA OVERLOAD (₱415.00) & HALO-HALO (₱85.00) |
It actually made me marvel why it took this lengthy earlier than I lastly ate at LC’s Cabangan.
►EAT MORE: WHERE TO EAT IN CABANGAN
THE BAKERY BY S.E.
ADDRESS: J.GONZALES ST. COR. MAGSAYSAY AVE., IBA | CONTACT: +63 (47) 307-2514 | OPENING HOURS: 10AM-12MN | GPS MAP: 15.326600, 119.978515 | MENU
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| THE BAKERY BY S.E. AT IBA, ZAMBALES |
À la midnight snack, we went to the Bakery by S.E. in Iba earlier than retiring for the evening. The burgers are to die for, M—one of many organizers—stored on repeating. Alright, so burger it’s! Plus, errr, just a few helpings of cookies, cheesecake, pastas, muffins, and an enormous bowl of soup on the facet. Wait a minute, didn’t we simply eat?!
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| STRAWBERRY CHEESE CAKE ~ PHP 175.00 |
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| NACHOS WITH MANGO DIP |
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| MANGO JALAPENO CHEESEBURGER ~ ₱288.00 |
However sure, The Bakery’s burgers are certainly to die for. Dubbed because the Mango Jalapeno Cheeseburger, it’s about eight inches excessive, loaded with a number of patties, sloppily lathered with mayo and cheese, and set with bits of mangoes and jalapeño chilies. It was extremely good and in addition, extremely arduous to eat with out making a large number. The mix of flavors work rather well collectively, with the jalapeño bits giving an extra kick. Actually, actually good. I’d must say it once more. Actually, actually good.
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| COMBINATION SOUP (₱208.00) & CARBONARA (₱148.00) |
And to not overlook in regards to the different plates on the desk, I’d additionally must commend their carbonara and spaghetti—the servings had been on the petite dimension, particularly after the burger—however each forkful was properly well worth the energy.
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| HOUSE COOKIES |
~ THIS TRIP WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY ZAMBALES TOURISM
ADDRESS: BRGY. WEST DIRITA., SAN ANTONIO | CONTACT: +63 (908) 456-8791 | OPENING HOURS: 11AM-11PM, CLOSED ON TUESDAYS | GPS MAP: 14.965259, 120.086603 | MENU
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| BIGFOOT RESTAURANT ZAMBALES’ AL FRESCO AREA |
One of many OG eating places in the entire of Zambales, Bigfoot Restaurant has been round since 1979 and was fairly fashionable in the course of the time of the US Bases within the province. Situated within the city of San Antonio, it was in reality frequented by US personnel from Subic throughout its preliminary outing as a restobar, earlier than it shifted its focus as a restaurant with a videoke—one of many first on the time—which shortly attracted the native crowd. They’ve since eliminated the videoke machine, retaining solely their scrumptious meals.
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| BIGFOOT RESTAURANT INTERIORS IN SAN ANTONIO |
Throughout a random street journey from Cabangan, my spouse advised we snack there simply to relive childhood recollections in Zambales. With no actual plan, we randomly ordered their their sisig, pancit guisado, and halo-halo. That final one, a vital Bigfoot order, she stated. Even their menu declares that it’s the most effective halo-halo in Zambales.
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| SISIG ~ ₱315.00 |
For its value, I discovered the sisig to be on the small facet. It has no mayo and egg, one thing most Kapampangan would respect. It was crispy and tasted like some other good sisig, which isn’t actually unhealthy factor. I imply, why repair one thing that ain’t damaged. I simply want it has a extra beneficiant portion and served on scorching plate for added oomph.
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| PANSIT GUISADO ~ ₱210.00 |
Like their sisig, their pancit guisado tasted because it ought to—properly, for me, a minimum of, my companions all discovered it to be a tad too salty. I really like how recent the veggies had been and the way crunchy they nonetheless had been. They served it with a few calamansi, which appeared pointless because the dish already has that distinct calamansi taste.
It’s truly certainly one of their bestsellers, together with their crispy pata, fried rooster, kare-kare, and Filipino-style pizza.
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| BIGFOOT HALO-HALO ~ ₱179.00 |
Everybody within the group agreed that the winner at Bigfoot Restaurant was their Bigfoot Halo-Halo. Their ice was finely shaved, ala Razon’s, was blended with an nearly syrupy blended langka, and has a really pinipig taste. It’s topped with two slices of leche flan, and a scoop of ube and vanilla ice cream.
CASA BARAKA
ADDRESS: PUROK 1, BRGY. SAN ISIDRO., CABANGAN | CONTACT: +63 (939) 710-9226 | OPENING HOURS: 8AM-10:30PM, DAILY | GPS MAP: 15.162014, 120.045557 | MENU
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| CASA BARAKA IN CABANGAN |
One of many latest cafes to pop up in Zambales, Casa Baraka, opened with Skarlet of Put3ska skanking like a Manila Lady alongside its huge backyard, has bucolic farmlands as backdrop, has a chef holding a resume for a fifteen-year stint in Boracay (from The Lind, Crimson, and Movenpick), has an Arabic identify which means blessing, and have pet geese that strut throughout their yard. When you’re in all probability anticipating one thing eclectic from Casa Baraka, what they really serve is five-star restaurant-caliber Filipino consolation meals.
►SEE: THE LIND BORACAY DINNER
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| AL FRESCO SEATS AT CASA BARAKA |
We visited the casa for breakfast, hankering for the holy trinity of Filipino morning meal—tapsilog, tocilog, and longsilog. That final one, nonetheless, was out of inventory. They defined that they make the whole lot themselves—from scratch. So if they’ll’t procure the right substances, they merely don’t provide them for the day. Alright, commendable. So, as an alternative of garlic longganisa, we opted for his or her a lot vaunted hamburger.
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| TOCILOG (₱235.00) & TAPSILOG HOME DELIVERY (₱265.00) AT CASA BARAKA |
Their silogs are priced a bit too steeply for me. To be truthful, the meat portion is a tad extra beneficiant than typical, has two eggs, atchara on the edges, fried rice, and comes with a cup of Milano Mix Arabica-Robusta brewed espresso. Whereas the tocino was good, their beef tapa was higher—beef strips with the proper mixture of savory, vinegary, and salty parts—making me want I ordered it as an alternative. I did, however, received the complete expertise a few days later when our aunt handled us to a takeaway breakfast from Casa Baraka.
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| BARAKA BURGER WITH FRIES |
The Baraka Burger with Fries, has a quarter-pound of Brazilian beef sandwiched with slices of tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles on a brioche bread. It comes with a serving of potato wedges complemented by a ketchup and a few kind of mayo dip. The patty has that distinct char-grilled style, very refined taste. I, nonetheless, favor my burger to have a a lot stronger taste and with a softer bun—however I is perhaps the minority right here, as they stated it’s certainly one of their best-sellers, and never just a few individuals I spoke with in Cabangan has nothing however praises for it.
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| CASA BARAKA IN CABANGAN |
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| CASA BARAKA’S BRIGHT INTERIORS |
Whereas having breakfast, we received to speaking with its very animated proprietor—unaware, lunchtime crept up on us and we had been quickly ordering meals once more. This time we requested for his or her mushroom truffle oil pizza and bagnet kare kare.
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| MUSHROOM TRUFFLE OIL PIZZA ~ ₱359.00 |
I’m no truffle skilled, however their truffle pizza was fairly good. The winner for me although was the bagnet kare-kare. Serving dimension is huge, it’s truly good for 2 to a few individuals—completely justifying its value. It has beneficiant quantity of veggies—pechay, stringbeans, and eggplants, no banana blossoms although—and extra importantly, it has chunks of bagnet. It’s not your typical kare-kare—with precise peanuts bits nonetheless swimming on its thick, creamy, and in some way garlicky, sauce. Whereas I want that the bagnet pores and skin nonetheless retained its crispiness, it’s nonetheless top-of-the-line kare-kare I’ve tried in Zambales, or some other place for that matter.
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| BAGNET KARE-KARE ~ ₱339.00 |
