My ZambaleƱo food experience was always about mangoes, freshly caught tunas, and delectable kakanin rice cakes. But the past Dinamulag Festival weekend introduced me to more than the usual table fares in the province, discovering the more metropolitan side of eating places in Zambales. From local dishes and Filipino comfort food, to street food and posh cafƩ offerings, I was pleasantly surprised at the variety culinary places in Zambales worthy of a side trip from its beaches and mountains.
āŗFIND DISCOUNTED HOTELS IN ZAMBALES HERE!
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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, 119.970656Ā | MENU
SONSING RESTAURANT & LOUNGE IN IBA, ZAMBALES |
One of the go-to restaurants in Iba, Zambales when it comes to Filipino food is Sonsing. The restaurant is named after the ownerās father whose love of cooking was passed down to his son. They actually serve more than the usual Filipino favoritesātheir menu packed with everything from burgers, steaks, Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes. During our visit, filled to brimming as our table was, it didnāt even reach a fourth of their offerings.
INSARABASAB ~ PHP 280.00 |
LARGE TINAPA FRIED RICE ~ PHP 230.00 |
We were able to sample 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 one of their special rice to pair it with, tinapa fried rice.
PINANGAT NA LABONG ~ PHP 250.00 |
CRISPY PATA KARE-KARE |
Their pinangat, a house specialty with origins from the Bicol Region, stood out among the rest, along with their crispy pata kare-kareāwhich was really peanuty and has a very crispy porkāserved with delicious bagoong. I was also intrigued by their Zambalyete which seemed to be sautĆ©ed cubed tuna with a helping of bagoong, topped with tartar sauce, and thin strips of mangoāit was definitely very Zambales. And letās not forget the tinapa fried rice and black fungus soup, which actually brought everything together really well.
NACHOS WITH MANGO DIP | ZAMBALYETE ~ PHP 290.00 |
For desserts, two boxfuls of special cassava cakeāregular and ubeāsealed the final sweet notes. Delicious.
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OH-BEN BAKED CAFĆ
ADDRESS: GOVIC HI-WAY, BANGANTALINGA, IBA | CONTACT: +63 (998) 549-4797 | OPENING HOURS: 8AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.341559, 119.970618
OH-BEN BAKED CAFE IN IBA, ZAMBALES |
We need not stray far for our after-meal coffee fix. Right next door to Sonsing is the Oh-Ben Baked CafƩ. Oh-Ben. Oven. Gets? Lol.
CINNAMON BUNS, CAKE, AND COFFEE |
Operated by the same family, the cafĆ© is geared more for the younger crowd with its black on wood interiors and coffee-ism wall quotes. Very hipster. We were able to try out their cinnamon buns, a few slices of cakes, and of course, their coffeeāwhich was pretty good.
HAVING A CUP OF COFFEE AT OH-BEN BAKED CAFE |
Oh-Ben Baked CafƩ is currently closed for renovation, but their cookies and pastries can still be bought at The Bakery by S.E.
āŗNEAR HERE: MAGALAWA ISLAND
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LCāS STOP & CHOW
ADDRESS: NATL. HI-WAY, LONGOS, CABANGAN | CONTACT: +63 (949) 155-1998 | OPENING HOURS: 7AM-9PM | GPS MAP: 15.144496, 120.052117Ā | MENUĀ
THE NEW LCāS STOP & CHOW AT CABANGAN, ZAMBALES |
Iāve always passed by LCās Stop & Chow in Cabanganāthe old restaurant was just a hop away from my uncleās houseābut for some reason, Iāve always failed to visit. It took a festival and a change of location for LCās before I finally got to have a taste of their food.
PINAKBET & KALDERETA |
Still located in Cabangan, on a more spacious parcel of land and with a lot more stylish restaurantāwhich reminds me of food places in Tagaytay, by the wayāLCās Stop & Chow is a legend in Zambales. The owners originally hail from Batangas before transferring to Subic, then Cabangan, where they finally put up a restaurant. Their menu consists of Filipino fares with a dash of BatangeƱo flair. Guest their specialty? Bulalo, of course.
BULALO ~ ā±455.00 MEDIUM, ā±570.00 LARGE |
CRISPY PATA ~ ā±625.00 |
And along with the two bowls of bulalo that came sliding down our table, we were served with pans of pizza, plates of pinakbet, kalderetang kambing, and the most beautifully fried crispy pata Iāve ever laid eyes upon. Their bulalo is reminiscent of the Mahogany Market bulaluhan in Tagaytayāwhich they aptly claim on their menuāand their pizza options, especially the Overload was indeed fully loaded. It was honestly one of the best pizzas Iāve ever tried. LCās crispy pata,on the other hand, is one of the best, if not the best crispy pata Iāve had. The way they cut and fried it was simply genius, making everything crispy and lessening the hassle of knifing the pork into bite-sized pieces.
PIZZA OVERLOAD (ā±415.00) & HALO-HALO (ā±85.00) |
It really made me wonder why it took this long before I finally ate at LCās Cabangan.
āŗEAT MORE: WHERE TO EAT IN CABANGAN
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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, 119.978515Ā | MENUĀ
THE BAKERY BY S.E. AT IBA, ZAMBALES |
Ć la midnight snack, we went to the Bakery by S.E. in Iba before retiring for the night. The burgers are to die for, Māone of the organizersākept on repeating. Alright, so burger it is! Plus, errr, a few helpings of cookies, cheesecake, pastas, muffins, and a huge bowl of soup on the side. Wait a minute, didnāt we just eat?!
STRAWBERRY CHEESE CAKE ~ PHP 175.00 |
NACHOS WITH MANGO DIP |
MANGO JALAPENO CHEESEBURGER ~ ā±288.00 |
But yes, The Bakeryās burgers are indeed to die for. Dubbed as the Mango Jalapeno Cheeseburger, itās about eight inches high, loaded with multiple patties, sloppily lathered with mayo and cheese, and set with bits of mangoes and jalapeƱo chilies. It was incredibly good and also, incredibly hard to eat without making a mess. The combination of flavors work really well together, with the jalapeƱo bits giving an additional kick. Really, really good. Iād have to say it again. Really, really good.
COMBINATION SOUP (ā±208.00) & CARBONARA (ā±148.00) |
And not to forget about the other plates on the table, Iād also have to commend their carbonara and spaghettiāthe servings were on the petite size, especially after the burgerābut every forkful was well worth the calories.
HOUSE COOKIES |
~ THIS TRIP WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY ZAMBALES TOURISM
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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
BIGFOOT RESTAURANT ZAMBALESā AL FRESCO AREA |
One of the OG restaurants in the whole of Zambales, Bigfoot Restaurant has been around since 1979 and was quite popular during the time of the US Bases in the province. Located in the town of San Antonio, it was in fact frequented by US personnel from Subic during its initial outing as a restobar, before it shifted its focus as a restaurant with a videokeāone of the first at the timeāwhich quickly attracted the local crowd. They have since removed the videoke machine, retaining only their delicious food.
BIGFOOT RESTAURANT INTERIORS IN SAN ANTONIO |
During a random road trip from Cabangan, my wife suggested we snack there just to relive childhood memories in Zambales. With no real plan, we randomly ordered their their sisig, pancit guisado, and halo-halo. That last one, an essential Bigfoot order, she said. Even their menu declares that it is the best halo-halo in Zambales.
SISIG ~ ā±315.00 |
For its price, I found the sisig to be on the small side. It has no mayo and egg, something most Kapampangan would appreciate. It was crispy and tasted like any other good sisig, which isnāt really bad thing. I mean, why fix something that aināt broken. I just wish it has a more generous portion and served on sizzling plate for added oomph.
PANSIT GUISADO ~ ā±210.00 |
Like their sisig, their pancit guisado tasted as it shouldāwell, for me, at least, my companions all found it to be a tad too salty. I love how fresh the veggies were and how crunchy they still were. They served it with a couple of calamansi, which seemed unnecessary since the dish already has that distinct calamansi flavor.
Itās actually one of their bestsellers, along with their crispy pata, fried chicken, kare-kare, and Filipino-style pizza.
BIGFOOT HALO-HALO ~ ā±179.00 |
Everyone in the group agreed that the winner at Bigfoot Restaurant was their Bigfoot Halo-Halo. Their ice was finely shaved, ala Razonās, was mixed with an almost syrupy blended langka, and has a very pinipig flavor. Itās topped with two slices of leche flan, and a scoop of ube and vanilla ice cream.
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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
CASA BARAKA IN CABANGAN |
One of the newest cafes to pop up in Zambales, Casa Baraka, opened with Skarlet of Put3ska skanking like a Manila Girl along its vast garden, 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 name that means blessing, and have pet ducks that strut across their yard. While youāre probably expecting something eclectic from Casa Baraka, what they actually serve is five-star restaurant-caliber Filipino comfort food.
āŗSEE: THE LIND BORACAY DINNER
AL FRESCO SEATS AT CASA BARAKA |
We visited the casa for breakfast, hankering for the holy trinity of Filipino morning mealātapsilog, tocilog, and longsilog. That last one, however, was out of stock. They explained that they make everything themselvesāfrom scratch. So if they canāt procure the proper ingredients, they simply donāt offer them for the day. Alright, commendable. So, instead of garlic longganisa, we opted for their much vaunted hamburger.
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TOCILOG (ā±235.00) & TAPSILOG HOME DELIVERY (ā±265.00) AT CASA BARAKA |
Their silogs are priced a bit too steeply for me. To be fair, the meat portion is a tad more generous than usual, has two eggs, atchara on the sides, fried rice, and comes with a cup of Milano Blend Arabica-Robusta brewed coffee. While the tocino was good, their beef tapa was betterābeef strips with the perfect combination of savory, vinegary, and salty elementsāmaking me wish I ordered it instead. I did, nevertheless, got the full experience a couple of days later when our aunt treated us to a takeaway breakfast from Casa Baraka.
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 some sort of mayo dip. The patty has that distinct char-grilled taste, very subtle flavor. I, however, prefer my burger to have a much stronger flavor and with a softer bunābut I might be the minority here, as they said itās one of their best-sellers, and not a few people I spoke with in Cabangan has nothing but praises for it.
CASA BARAKA IN CABANGAN |
CASA BARAKAāS BRIGHT INTERIORS |
While having breakfast, we got to talking with its very animated ownerāunaware, lunchtime crept up on us and we were soon ordering food again. This time we requested for their mushroom truffle oil pizza and bagnet kare kare.
MUSHROOM TRUFFLE OIL PIZZA ~ ā±359.00 |
Iām no truffle expert, but their truffle pizza was quite good. The winner for me though was the bagnet kare-kare. Serving size is massive, itās actually good for two to three personsātotally justifying its price. It has generous amount of veggiesāpechay, stringbeans, and eggplants, no banana blossoms thoughāand more importantly, it has chunks of bagnet. Itās not your usual kare-kareāwith actual peanuts bits still swimming on its thick, creamy, and somehow garlicky, sauce. While I wish that the bagnet skin still retained its crispiness, itās still one of the best kare-kare Iāve tried in Zambales, or any other place for that matter.
BAGNET KARE-KARE ~ ā±339.00 |
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