Siopao King

Siopao

I married Angel Locsin last 2002.

You may not believe me on that one. It's okay, I won't hold it against you. But believe me when I say that after a thousand siopaos I have eaten since the dawn of time, only one stands out from the rest. Siopao is a chinese meat bun that has won the hearts of Filipinos over the years. Before, I usually eat siopao at the so called "aunthentic" chinese restaurants around Cebu. I thought that was it, I was eating the best siopao already.

Everything (except for my charm) that I used to believe was proven wrong when I entered college. In the busy street of Leon Kilat, there stand a shop called, Siopao King. They serve nothing but siopao and since it is friendly to a student's budget, I went in and ordered their siopao.

Like the famous overused quote, the rest is history.

The siopao in Siopao King is what a siopao should taste like. If you choose authenticity over how food should be served, well, Siopao King is only operated by a Chinese couple that can barely speak the dialect. Heck, they only even watch a certain chinese channel. I asked where they ordered their buns, the chinese husband said that he personally make the buns.

Bola-Bola Pao

The taste of the bun is really fresh that it gives you the homey feeling. Not just that, the bun is brutally soft, it's like celebrity breast implants in your hands. Their Bola-Bola Pao's (meatball) meat might be minimal with the ingredients compared to the top chinese restaurants in Cebu but the taste is way much better. All meat, no fillers.

Asado Pao

The awesomeness of their siopao does not end with the bola-bola. Their Asado Pao is crazy! The sauce and the meat of their asado is exceptional. Sweet and a little spice with a pinch of pepper on it is all that you need. It is equivalent to Prada or whatever the number 1 brand in the bag industry is.

For only 25.00Php, you can enjoy the heavenly siopao (flavor of choice) and a bottle of Maja Salvador's scripted favorite softdrink.

Siopao-dom

Believe me when I say that Siopao King lives up to its name, it is the king and the ruler of Siopao-dom. Believe me when I tell you that there is no paper at the bottom of their siopao. Believe me when I tell you that it is worth the money that you spend on a siopao because my reputation is all over this blog.

Now that I have told you the tale of the Siopao King, would you believe me if I tell you that Angel Locsin and Ruffa Gutierrez have something in common they may not realize?

Six years ago, they both wanted me.

Siopao King can be found along the furniture and cellphone shops in Leon Kilat St., Cebu City (beside Cebu Colesium).

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S&A Food Hauz

Sizzling Shawarma

Shawarma, yes, we all know this popular middle eastern sandwich has been romancing our appetite for a while now. If the west have burgers, the east have shawarmas. In the middle east, it is a selection of lamb, beef, goat or turkey. But since us Filipinos have fused it with our own, most commonly used meat is beef.

Pita Bread

We may have a different mixture of spices and meat used in making shawarma, but there is only one way to eat it and it is to wrap it with pita bread. If you find a shawarma shop that does not serve it wrapped and ready to eat, then you are at S&A Food Hauz.

You see, the boys at S&A Food Hauz serves a new breed of shawarma, the sizzling shawarma. I bet my 16 Gmail accounts that S&A Food Hauz is the only place in Cebu where we can find this type of shawarma. The combination of middle east and Filipino is topped with egg and just like sisig, you will have to mix it all up. Sizzling shawarma is served with, of course, pita bread.


Do you notice the first time you had your shawarma and you just can't get enough of the mysterious sauce in it? Worry not because the best part of this sizzling shawarma is that, you get to make your own little shawarmas and you will get to have your own sauce! Oh, and did I mention that the sauce is unlimited? Man, I'd donate my kidneys for this one.

One might say, this is crazy. Well it gets crazier because if you buy 2 orders of sizzling shawarma, you'll get 1 order free! For an approximate price of 100.00 Php per serving (pita bread excluded), you sure will get your hard earned cash worth.

Photo by Ed of soloflighted.com
(got too drunk to take a pic of the store)

Once you pass by Mabolo, be sure to check it out and don't get tricked with the simplicity of the place because S&A Food Hauz is one of Cebu's best kept secrets. One will surely fall in love with this shawarma just like how Claudine Barretto fell in love with Mark Anthony Fernandez. (Old school huh)

S&A Food Hauz also serves Shawarma Pizza, Siomai and Siopao. It is located at Juan Luna St., Mabolo (beside Leona's Bakeshop, in front of San Carlos Seminary)

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St. Francis Ocean Park

Over the years, we have heard about shark attacks all over the globe. Some unfortunately died and some survived with an arm or a leg. So I decided to travel down to the town of Naga and bite back. Located at the back of Naga's town hall is their St. Francis Ocean Park. This is where shark meat is served at its best. And this is where we get to not only bite a shark, but also eat it.

Tinolang Iho (shark soup)

Their Tinolang Iho (shark soup) was the best I had. With strong flavors that makes life a little comforting, it surely left me amazed by the taste. Boy oh boy! It sure is really good. And if you are as exotic as the rainforest in Africa, they will be happy to serve you with stingrays and ubod (ubod looks like an eel).

Kinilaw na Lamon-Lamon


Sinugbang Anduhaw (Grilled Anduhaw)

Since seafoods are their specialty, you should also have a taste of their Kinilaw na Lamon-Lamon. The meat is fresh and the spices that goes along with it dazzled my mind with ease. Also, do not forget to have their meaty Sinugbang Anduhaw (Grilled Anduhaw).

Crab Meat

But that's not all, their crab meat is a must have. With the size of Goliath's hand, it is good for 2 persons. Also make way for their Grilled Pusit. The pusit is perfectly grilled and doesn't taste like a strap from a Havaianas.

The good thing about St. Francis Ocean Park is that, they sell it cheap. With a 30.00 to 80.00 pesos price range, it won't hurt your declining wallet. So, if you are into seafoods and wants to have a meal by the sea, go to St. Francis Ocean Park (behind Naga's town hall, beside the tennis courts).

Sometimes, we just have to bite back.

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KANDINGAN SA SRP

Kalderetang Kambing

Along the busy highway of South Road Properties (SRP), a small eatery has been making noises, making vehicles hit the brakes every time they pass by the Talisay City portion of the SRP. At lunch time, you'll see an ocean of parked vehicles at the side of the road, causing a little traffic on a national highway. There, you will see Kandingan sa SRP eatery jampacked with customers.

The eatery gained popularity by word of mouth. My dad told me about it and he talks about it like it was a legend, so I have to go taste it myself.

Their menu consists of common dishes you see on an eatery. Paklai, Bam-e, Nilarang, Nilat-ang Baboy and of course, their specialty, Kalderetang Kambing (Kalderetang Kanding). They may have the same menu as the other eateries here but I tell you, they are at another level.

Their Kalderetang Kambing is exceptional! I have tasted a lot of different styles in cooking Kaldereta but their style is just different. It has this distinct taste that others don't have. With a price tag of 40 pesos per slice that comes with strong and unique flavor, they will take you to la-la land for a couple of minutes.

Kalderetang Kambing (Head)

But that's not all, to those hardcore Kalderetang Kambing lovers, they also offer the head. Yes, the whole head of the Kalderetang Kambing for 120 pesos. With the looks of it, you might just want to stick with the body parts. But if you want to give it a try, do not hesitate. The taste is just so good, and to some people, it taste better than the body parts.

Bam-e

Lechon Kawali

I also ordered their Bam-e. I am not a fan of that dish but when I looked at it, the look was so inviting, it was like an 18 year old teasing a boring 25 year old loser. The result? Raped. I ended up sharing it to everybody to let them taste the solid flavors of the dish. With vegetables and right amount of meat and a pinch of Calamansi, nothing could go wrong with their Bam-e. Along with the riot of dishes, their Lechon Kawali sat there calmly. Just by the looks of it, you have to thank God for that wonderful thing. The tenderness of the meat was like a newborn's cheek and the skin? oh damn, it was as crunchy as Doritos. Pork lovers will surely go crazy.

Paklai

Another dish was the Paklai. Their Paklai have this bitter taste that just sends waves all over my body. "Papait" is a way of cooking by putting a small amount of bitterness on a dish. The bitter taste was there but the taste of the Paklai was not gone at all. The flavors was like Destiny's Child, they're in perfect harmony.

Nilarang

If you're up for fresh fish, I suggest you try their Nilarang. A Nilarang is a cooking style preferable to large fishes. With its sour taste, it is often mistaken as Sinigang. But I find it better than Sinigang. With spices that just covers the whole dish, you'll feel the love just from its scent.

If you are planning to try their delicious dishes, I suggest you go as early as 11:00am to stay away from the crowd.

Kandingan sa SRP is located at Cor. R. Rabaya St., South Road Project, Talisay City.

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