Once we say Zamboanga Metropolis is colourful, we’re not simply referring to the color-blocked sail of the vinta or the rosy glow of Santa Cruz Grande Island’s Pink Seaside. The vividness of Asia’s Latin Metropolis goes past what the eyes can see. Its intricate historical past as a settlement and kaleidoscopic mixture of cultures are greatest skilled by way of one other basic sense — the sense of style.
Zamboanga Metropolis is certainly one of our most-loved meals locations for the sheer vary and variety of what it could actually convey to the (eating) desk. From the saucy red-orange sticks of satti to the motley flavors of knickerbocker, listed here are a few of Zamboanga’s most sought-after culinary delights and the place to seek out them.
Ever heard of curacha?
If it sounds acquainted, it’s most likely as a result of it reminds you of La Cucaracha, a Mexican people track a couple of cockroach that additionally turned fairly fashionable within the Philippines. Curacha (in Chavacano) and cucaracha (in Spanish) imply the identical — cockroach. And it’s no shock on condition that Chavacano, Zamboanga’s dominant language, is a Spanish-based Creole.
However earlier than you lose your urge for food, know that we’re not going to ask you to go full Concern Think about Zamboanga. As a substitute, we’re inviting you to have a style of essentially the most mouth-watering crustaceans that the area has to supply — spanner crabs!
Curacha acquired its identify due to its spiky, bushy look that kinda resembles you-know-what. However should you look carefully, it kinda seems just like the love little one of a large crab and an extended lobster. And since it packs extra meat and extra taste than the crabs we’re used to, they’re wanted. Fortunately, they thrive within the waters surrounding the area.
For a lot of, the very best place to have a style of curacha is Alavar Seafood Restaurant, which serves curacha cooked in and doused with its well-known specialty sauce, which is constructed from coconut milk, aligue (crab roe paste) and varied spices. This tremendous wealthy sauce mixed with the seafood umami bombs which can be curacha, you’ll by no means style different crab dishes the identical means once more.
However be warned: It’s not low-cost. You may order curacha by the kilo (minimal 1 kg). The final time we dined right here, a kilo of it in alavar sauce prices P1500 to P1700, relying on the scale of the crabs.
The sauce alone is unforgettable. It’s so fashionable that vacationers drop by Alavar on the best way to the airport to take house frozen packs of it.
Alavar Seafood Restaurant
Deal with: 173 Don Alfaro Road, Zamboanga Metropolis
Working Hours: Every day, 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Specialty: Curacha in Alavar Sauce
However should you’d quite take house freshly caught curacha, head over to Aderes Flea Market in Guiwan. You should purchase raw curacha at a cheaper price right here, together with lobsters and different seafood.
How acquainted are you with Moro dishes? A bit of bit? Not fairly? In no way?
For those who dwell in Metro Manila or close by areas, you most likely haven’t tried it. (Or in my case earlier than my Zamboanga journey, not even heard of it.) We’re used to dishes from Luzon and Visayas. Many people are much more acquainted with overseas fare. So when in Zamboanga, have a style of Moro delicacies!
Greater than a 3rd of Zamboanga Metropolis’s inhabitants observe Islam. The Moros, Filipino Muslims, have developed a meals tradition that’s fascinatingly completely different from different areas. Whereas garlic, onions and ginger stay widespread substances, the Moros wish to additionally use spices like galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime and turmeric, that are extra common in our maritime Southeast Asian neighbors.
You’ll additionally discover that the Tausugs love utilizing coconut milk and — get this — burnt or charred coconut, which supplies lots of its dishes its black look. It does look just a little bit intimidating at first look, however belief me, it’s tremendous scrumptious. It doesn’t style burnt in any respect, but it surely supplies depth and complexity to its style that’s fairly laborious to explain. You’ve gotta style it your self.
In Zamboanga Metropolis, essentially the most handy place for vacationers to pattern Moro dishes is Bay Tal Mal. It’s as a result of they serve latal (P959), which is a platter of varied Tausug dishes together with the next:
- Tiyulah itum (tiyula itum or tiulah itum, actually “black soup”), beef in black broth made with burnt coconut and spices.
- Beef kulma, beef cubes stewed in a curry sauce.
- Piyassak, beef liver cubes cooked with pounded spices, charred coconut and coconut milk
- Rooster piyanggang, hen marinated in burnt coconut and varied spices after which grilled.
- Rooster kaliya, hen stewed in coconut milk with lemongrass, turmeric, ginger and different spices.
- Beef adobo
- Fried fish
- Fried shrimp or squid
- Kiyaliya kapaya, papaya; or cucumber sambal (the sambal is so fab delish!)
Though not on the menu, I believe one of many dishes on our platter was utak-utak (fried fish cake).
You may get pleasure from this platter of delicacies with rice. However we normally add a plate of mee goreng (P259), which is served with laborious boiled egg. We simply love mie goreng so we order it every time we spot it on the menu. (LOL.) However they’ve much more gadgets on its menu.
Once I tried it for the primary time, Bay Tal Mal was nonetheless positioned alongside Mayor Jaldon Road. But it surely has since moved to the 4th stage of SM Mindpro.
Bay Tal Mal Restaurant
Deal with: 4th ground, SM Mindpro, La Purisima Road, Zamboanga Metropolis
Working Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm; Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Specialty: Latal (platter of Tausug dishes)
One other restaurant that serves this Tausug tray of goodness is Dennis Espresso Backyard, located close to the airport. Right here, they name it dulang (P1100), but it surely’s mainly the identical. However whereas Bay Tal Mal’s platter has 10 completely different dishes, Dennis’s has six.
Talking of Dennis Espresso Backyard…
Dennis Espresso Backyard‘s roots may be traced again all the best way to 1962 Jolo, Sulu, the place a small cafe referred to as Omar’s Place was established. Sixty years later, the identify has modified and a number of branches have sprouted together with this one in Zamboanga Metropolis.
We already talked about the dulang or latal that they serve right here. However it’s extra well-known for one thing else — you guessed it — COFFEE! Dennis Espresso Backyard takes delight of their genuine espresso referred to as the kahawa sug, which may be served scorching or iced. It’s extra on the robust finish of the spectrum, so should you favor daring espresso, this could possibly be for you! The iced model, nonetheless, is served with milk.
Apart from Sulu espresso, additionally it is fashionable for his or her bangbang sug or native Tausug pastries. We labored up an urge for food earlier that day so we determined to order the entire gadgets on their snack menu! Apart from, we actually needed to attempt all of them! Every merchandise prices P95 now. The final time we visited (2022), it was solely P65.
- Jualan saing, deep-fried bananas with sweetened coconut dip (consider it as a deconstructed banana que)
- Jualan panggih, deep-fried candy potatoes with sweetened coconut dip (form of a deconstructed camote que)
- Daral, crepe with candy filling product of coconut (filling tastes like bukayo)
- Panggih-panggih, deep-fried flour rings
- Wadjit, glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk (unavailable throughout our go to)
- Pitis, glutinous rice flour truffles with coconut filling, wrapped in banana leaves
- Patulakan, pounded rice with milk and grated coconut, wrapped in banana leaves
- Biyaki, grated candy corn truffles, wrapped in corn husks then steamed
We additionally ordered pastil, which is analogous to empanada with togue filling and served with a candy and spicy sauce. (We additionally tried pastil in Tawi-tawi but it surely had bihon noodles as filling.)
Out of all of this, we loved jualan saing, daral, biyaki and panggih-panggih essentially the most!
Dennis Espresso Backyard
Branches: San Jose Highway (Baliwasan), KCC Mall Zamboanga Metropolis, Yubengco (Tetuan), and Southern Heights (La Paz)
Specialty: Kahawa sug (Sulu espresso) and Bangbang sug (Tausug pastries)
As we explored Zamboanga Metropolis, we couldn’t assist however discover that plenty of institutions serve so-called satti. We even noticed a lot of regular-looking homes with indicators that learn, “We serve satti”. It acquired us extremely curious! Satti appears like satay (hen satay, beef satay), so I had my concepts on what it could possibly be. However many satti signages had illustrations of bowls, not sticks of meat, which confused us at first.
Properly, nicely, it turned out that satti is certainly much like satay (grilled skewered meat). However on this a part of the world, it’s normally served half-dipped in a bowl of red-orange spicy sauce with cubes of molded rice. And to my shock, that is truly a breakfast favourite! Nothing beats a spicy kick to begin the day!
Once we requested the locals (principally tricycle drivers) for the very best satti place within the metropolis, all fingers pointed at Jimmy’s Satti Meals Haus. Sadly, on account of time constraints, we did not pay a go to. Too unhealthy!
(That stated, we had been in a position to attempt satti at Dennis Espresso Backyard! I’m a sucker for something grilled and spicy, so it was love at first chunk for me. I nonetheless want I acquired to attempt Jimmy’s although. However I assume this provides me a purpose to return to Zamboanga!)
Jimmy’s Satti Meals Haus
Deal with: Pilar Road, Zamboanga Metropolis
Working hours: 3:30 am – 5:30 pm
Specialty: Satti
For those who’re craving pork, you is likely to be shocked to know that one space in Zamboanga has mastered the artwork of constructing lechon! Sure, entire pig roasted to perfection! Right here in Tetuan, lechon is bought at kiosks stationed alongside the highway. And there are many them right here!
I used to be fairly shocked to find out about it at first as a result of town has a big Muslim inhabitants. Earlier than setting foot right here for the primary time, I initially (mistakenly) assumed that pork — a staple protein in Pinoy kitchens elsewhere — can be notably absent in most elements of town as a result of it’s forbidden in Islam. However there it was, a road lined with pork lechon stalls promoting kilo after kilo of suckling pig.
Once we requested locals for suggestions, one institution that was persistently talked about was Prince Tasty Lechon. They’ve a number of stalls all through town, however we selected the one in Tetuan, only a quick stroll from Alavar.
Like others beside it, Prince is a small stall with a suckling pig on show as a employees member chops away. You may ask for a chunk of the crispy pores and skin to have a style. A kilo prices P550 (as of January 2025, it’s now P600). You may as well order half a kilo, which is at P350. You may have it as a complete slab or have it chopped.
Tetuan lechon is commonly in comparison with Cebu’s extra well-known model. When you style it, it’s not obscure why. It’s simply so flavorful! The pores and skin is tremendous crispy however not laborious; it breaks with the gentlest of bites. The meat is moist, juicy and tender. The mixture of calamansi, garlic, onions, pepper, bay leaf and different herbs seeps so deep into the meat. We weren’t given any sauce. Undecided if it truly is eaten with out it or the employees simply forgot. However regardless, there’s no want for it.
If a kilo or half a kilo remains to be an excessive amount of for you, you’ll be able to order a combol meal from Prince Foodcourt, positioned on Estrada Road, only a quick stroll from their stall alongside Don Alfaro Road. For P150, the set contains 200 grams of lechon, two cups of rice, a small bowl of soup, and a drink.
Prince Tasty Lechon Fastfood
Deal with: Estrada Road, Tetuan, Zamboanga Metropolis
Open: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Up to now, we’ve already coated principally foremost programs and heavy proteins. How about we transfer on to dessert?
Right here in Zamboanga Metropolis, no different dessert has reached the legendary standing of the knickerbocker. The what?
Knickerbocker! Consider it because the fruitier, more healthy stepsister of the halo-halo. This loopy colourful concoction is a mixture of jellies and recent fruits like watermelon, apple, pineapply and mango, drizzled with condensed milk and topped with strawberry ice cream. It’s brilliant, candy, and creamy, good for laundry down no matter lunch or dinner you had.
Lately, you’ll be able to get pleasure from a cup from distributors at Paseo del Mar, however should you’re after the unique, head over to Hacienda de Palmeras Lodge and Restaurant, extensively thought to be the institution that invented this tropical dessert. The restaurant is about in a backyard in a quiet nook of town, however nonetheless simply accessible by jeepney or tricycle.
Hacienda de Palmeras Lodge and Restaurant
Deal with: Pasonanca Highway, Sta. Maria, Zamboanga Metropolis
Working Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 10:00 am – 10:00 pm; Saturday-Tuesday, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Specialty: Seafood and Knickerbocker
After all! Any TPT journey isn’t full with out pillaging the parks and again alleys for some good old style road meals! These on a regular basis accessible munchies inform loads in regards to the place, its folks, and its tradition. You could find road meals wherever, particularly in busy areas like the general public market and across the metropolis corridor.
Common Pinoy faves like kikiam, fish balls and banana que can be found, however you’ll additionally discover one thing distinctive to the area. My favourite is chikalang. No, not chika lang. Chikalang! It’s a glutinous rice cake rolled in brown sugar. It’s similar to pilipit or karioka, solely greater, denser, heavier and really very purple.
It’s normally among the many many gadgets on peddlers’ bilao. We had it at Paseo del Mar!
R.T. Lim Boulevard additionally hosts a lot of road meals distributors. A number of the road meals decisions are satay or “ihaw-ihaw”, pastil, and lokot-lokot. You’ll additionally discover balut and penoy as quickly because the solar begins to set.
On our final go to, we seen locals promoting one thing in styrofoam containers. Curious, we approached one and requested what was inside. To our (pleasant) shock, it was mie goreng! It’s served with fried egg on prime and a calamansi on the aspect, and drizzled with scorching sauce. At the moment, we snagged it for under P35!
Coincidentally, we had been simply speaking about craving noodles simply moments earlier than so we didn’t even give it some thought! We additionally had a pleasant dialog with Kuya Jul, the vendor, as we stuffed our face with noodles.
It’s totally attainable to attempt all of the eating places and meals spots talked about above by yourself. In your itinerary, you’ll be able to insert a lunch or dinner cease, whichever is closest to the world you’re exploring that day. (We’ll publish a pattern itinerary, so make sure to verify again quickly.)
But when you need a extra insightful expertise, you could be a part of a Meals and Tradition Tour, provided by iTravel Vacationer Lane, led by Errold Bayona.
It was truly Errold who launched to us these superb foodie locations years in the past. So once I not too long ago returned to Zamboanga, I already knew the place to go to eat.
Chances are you’ll contact them by way of any of the next:
We paid for the entire meals featured on this publish.
Now we have tried three completely different inns in Zamboanga and all of them had been respectable and nice:
When you have an even bigger funds, you might also try these different properties within the space:
2025 2 1 – Up to date data together with opening hours and costs
2022 6 5 – First uploaded
Phrases by: Yosh Dimen
Pictures by: Yosh Dimen & Vins Carlos
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