After visiting the Salcedo Market last week, memories of street food came flooding back.
Here’s a chronicle of my street food experiences:
Early Childhood (Province)
I lived in the province up until I was 8 and hangout at the marketplace at my grandparents store after school. So imagine how much exposure to street food I get everyday.
- Dirty Ice Cream (Sorbetes). Back then, I was forbidden to buy from the street ice cream vendor. They say it was dirty, that’s probably why it is popularly called Dirty Ice Cream. But it was extremely tempting for me as a 5 or 6 year old! I don’t remember how I got hold of money back then but one day after school, we were dismissed earlier than usual. The person picking me up was also a bit late so I grabbed the once in a lifetime chance to taste this so called dirty ice cream and bought myself a huge ice cream sandwich! I ate it as fast as I could. I didn’t want to get caught. I was glad I didn’t choke but I could still remember that my mouth was still full as I was on my way home in a tricycle. I have no idea if he noticed it
- Tuhog Tuhog, Sapin Sapin and other rice cakes. I remember there was a lady who came by everyday selling these in a bilao or bamboo tray. I remember that my favorite at that time was called “tuhog tuhog” but today I found out that it is called karioka or carioca. I can still remember such exotic names of rice cakes and snacks such as nilubyan, suman sa lihia, biko, tupig and maja blanca.
- Puff Rice (pronounced Pap-Rais). Ok, at that time, it was so common and cheap it is impossible not to have a taste of it. Sometimes you get it as a present from the old lady across the street who is lola’s bestfriend or something, other times, I just asked for money to buy it. It’s simply crispy sweet rice in packaged in rectangular blocks.
- Samalamig. I think it is called something else back then but I can’t remember what it is. This is also one of those forbidden drinks that kids like me salivate over. Anyway, this is a cold drink, usually white or pinkish colored and in a large plastic jar and is scooped and poured to a glass by a big round spoon. The most common flavor is the Buco or Young coconut. Sometimes, there are little bits of coconut in it. I think what makes it good is that they put vanilla, condensed milk and lots of sugar in it. Just be careful about where you buy this because you don’t know how clean the water or ice that they used to make this. Another flavor is Sago / Gulaman, usually brownish in color.
- Hotdog/Barbecue on a stick. With hotdog, I don’t know why one would still buy one in the street considering you could buy one yourself from the supermarket but maybe for some this is the only way they can afford one. I think one reason maybe is that the taste of the hotdog or barbecue from the streets is unique in itself, having additional aroma and flavor from smoke and dust from the streets.
- Banana Q. Just heard from Spoon that Richard Gomez’ favorite snack is the Bananacue. I wouldn’t be surprised. This dessert / snack is simple, crunchy, sweet and yummy just like my childhood favorite tuhog tuhog. To make this, boil the Saba bananas and then fry and coat with brown sugar.
- Binusang Mais (Cornick) and Adobong Mani. When I was young old folks called this binusang mais. Later on, they modernized the name to Cornick. It is fried corn morsels flavored in garlic, pepper and salt. Usually, you can buy this along with the garlic peanuts (adobong mani) on the same stand. It is best when freshly cooked! The smallest is the 50 gram brown bag and the biggest is probaly 200 grams. Oh I could still remember it was only 25 cents for the 50 gram bag.
Early to Late Teens (Metro Manila). Growing up and going to school, later in the suburbs of Metro Manila exposed me to other kinds of street foods. But this time, I was given pocket money allowance so that means freedom. However, I still remember that the nuns forbade us to buy from outside. But no one really listened to them .
Fish Ball I think this was the first time I ever tasted fish ball. Fish ball is fried breaded fish that is eaten right after frying. Frying only takes a few minutes. After that you are given a stick and you can pick the balls yourself and later dip it into one of the 3 kinds of sauces: sweet (sweet brown gravy), spicy (hot brown gravy) and sour (vinegar and soy sauce mix). They said that you can get all sorts of nasty diseases from eating this. I admit I was infected with Amoeba disease once during this time. It was treated easily though.
Balut sa Puti and Penoy. I remember eating a lot of baluts or penoy one New Year’s eve (more than 5). I was only 10. Anyways, that didn’t happen again. I wouldn’t risk my health eating too much of these. Besides, I can’t stand eating the kiti or unborn chick! I only like to drink the soup from the egg and the yolk.
Scramble. This is a semi-forgettable Shaved Ice drink which I would later find common in the US and it is called Water Ice.
Ice Candy from Neighbors. Well, I said from Neighbors because I wouldn’t probably buy ice candy from a vendor just like that. I just don’t know but I felt scared buying it. It’s basically frozen juice in a elongated plastic tube that you seal by tying up on one end. Even 7 year old kids can make this themselves. Thus, most of the time you don’t even need to buy this from a vendor.
Ice Buko / Ice Drop. This one, I found outside of my school. It is a popsicle that has unique Filipino flavors such as Buco and Mung Beans (monggo) or Red Beans. Eating Red Bean Ice Cream from Asian Restaurants abroad (usually Japanese) kind of reminded me of this.
Taho. It’s soft tofu sweetened with caramelized corn syrup. Everyone says It’s nutritious because of the soya protein but what about all the sugar in it?
Shingaling. When i found out the name of those crunchy salty sticks sold on the streets I couldn’t help but giggle. I am really amazed at the sense of humor of people who named this snack.
Yuppy Age
At this age, most of us have will have our first taste of independence. After all, we are above 21 and we are working and hopefully no longer dependent on our parents allowance. Some of us at this age live apart from our immediate family and strike out on our own or even start our own little family. At this time, I thought I was brave and old enough to try the stuff I was scared of trying when I was younger.
Chicharon Bituka and Bulaklak. Crunchy fried intestines of chicken and pigs. It smells weird, and it looks aweful. Yeah it is an acquired taste. But for me it tastes yummy.
Squid balls. It’s fish balls for grown ups with yuppy prices of course. You see the vendors suddenly appear at around 3-5 pm in front of your office building. Who would not give in to the tempation? Forget about amoeba, dysentery or hepa!
Currently, tried Tukneneng/Kwek kwek but not from a food cart. I think that doesn’t count as street food anymore huh?
These I Never Tried:
Betamax (blood cubes), Isaw, Chicken Feet (Adidas) Who knows one of these days I just might try them 
sells at roughly the same price.