May select food sa Philippines that made such big impressions so that they’re now being mimicked in various forms. Iloilo’s batchoy, halimbawa – like Batangas lomi and Bacolod inasal – was already appropriated by makers of instant noodles.
@outragemag #LGBT tasting original #batchoy in #Iloilo via the grimy #netongslapazbatchoy ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
And so while in Iloilo City, we headed to one of the original makers of batchoy, Netong’s Original Special La Paz Batchoy, established in 1948 by Teodorico “Netong” Guillergan Sr., and try one of the country’s most distinct noodle soups.
Una, this place is easy to find. Located inside the Lapaz Public Market, surrounded by other batchoy venues, locals actually also know of this place, so you can be guided accordingly.
Ikalawa, the actual resto is… nothing special. Looking like a small karinderya, this not-classy place isn’t the cleanest-looking, with the varnish or paint of the wooden tables already peeling, the flooring already seeing better days, and so on. But you do get proper seating in a masikip venue that’s better suited for smaller groups.
Ikatlo, the workers are… perfunctory. They know what they’re selling, yes, but this isn’t a fine dining venue, so don’t expect to be pampered.
Ika-apat, now… kumusta ang food?
- The place only really sells batchoy, and there are three variants: the ₱100 Super, ₱120 Extra, and ₱140 Mega. The differences are the sahog. We wanted to order the Mega, but ubos na. So we got the Extra, which had pork, beef, liver, entrails, crunchy garlic, chicharon, and so on. For ₱20, we also added eggs (raw, added into the broth). And yep… this one’s good, with the flavors mixing properly. Matamis na garlicky na salty, just as batchoy should taste.
- The ₱100 dinuguan (pork blood stew) was actually good, not malansa (fishy or off-putting) since it’s properly cooked and flavored. Maasim-asim due to the vinegar used, though not overpowering, so that it could also be okay as ulam (viand).
- The ₱30 puto that come in threes are actually hefty. This isn’t dry, nor too airy, so it’s actually quite filling.
Fact: Iloilo City was recognized in 2023 as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, stressing how some of its culinary offerings are really must-check. And yes, include batchoy among those that should be tried.
But off we go in search for more lafangan venues…
Netong’s Original Special La Paz Batchoy is located at Lapaz Public Market, along Rizal Street in La Paz, Iloilo City. Contact (033) 396 2189, or head to their (not very active) Facebook page for more info.
