While Vigan has a  list of must-eats like the Empanadas and Okoy in Plaza Burgos, the pastries by Arcelli’s Bakery along Florentino Street, Royal Bibingka and kakanin, local restaurants in Vigan  also serves pizza but with a different twist! Like any other pizza, “pinakbet pizza” includes usual flavors, except that its toppings include squash, patani beans,  eggplant, okra and string [...]

The Poqui-Poqui Balls are a modification of the popular Iloko Poqui-Poqui made with eggs, mashed eggplant, tomatoes and onions. This particular version had pork and formed in to a ball and was dipped in breadcrumbs before frying.  Poqui-Poqui balls looked like giant meatballs sitting on top of attractive combination of red and yellow sauces. It has different textures too-crispy on [...]

Tinubong  is a Vigan specialty , derives its name from its container, an internode of buho (bulo in Ilocano) with the node at one end, which is called tubong in Ilocano. With the other end of the tubong open, a wet mixture of  rice flour, sugar, and coconut milk, small strips of young coconut flesh, cheese and margarine is inserted [...]

Vigan Ukoy is also sold alongside the popular Vigan empanada at the “Vigan Empanadaan” under the bell tower of St. Paul Cathedral. This ukoy may be less popular but it is equally as good as the Vigan empanada. It is a popular afternoon snack in Vigan , though some use it as viand for regular meals. Vigan ukoy is crispy [...]

If the Tagalogs have their tira-tira, the Ilocanos have their balicutsa or balicutya. And while the former are in stick form, the latter are shaped like curlicues; both are sugar candies made from sugarcane. The balicutsa is only plentiful after a sugarcane harvest. You don’t bite into a balicutsa. You simply allow the whole piece to melt in your mouth. [...]