Our family went on mini-vacation in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte a month ago (I soo miss those good times. sob. sob). From Vigan on our way to Pagudpud, we stopped over in Laoag to have lunch. We met with our company bureau chief in Ilocos Norte and she brought us to this very lovely foodie place called Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant. Being there was both a culinary and visual treat. Saramsam is housed by Balay de Blas, one of the establishments in Laoag City offering good accommodation to travelers to the North.
Saramsam is famous for its Pinakbet Pizza. Pinakbet, for those who are not in the know, is a vegetable dish that the Ilocos Region is known for. It usually has squash, string beans, okra and eggplant and some amount of fish bagoong (in some provinces, bagoong na alamang is used). Saramsam apparently rode on its popularity and offered one of its signature dishes, the Pinakbet Pizza. Its best when drizzled with some fish bagoong and a few drops of
chili oil (which is really hot!).
 |
| Pinakbet Pizza (P200, small; P375, large) |
Aside from the iconic Pinakbet Pizza, we also ordered a lot of other things:
 |
| Saramsam Pasta (P160.) - something new - a pasta dish with chunks of sweet, ripe mango. Tickles the palate. |
 |
| Ylocano Fresh Pancit (P115) - good but a little salty. |
 |
| Canton Guisado (P115) |
 |
| Creamy Chicken Pesto (P150) |
 |
| Tuna Pasta, P150. |
 |
| Chicken Pesto Pizza, P200, small; P375, large) |
 |
| Pepperoni Pizza, P185, small) |
 |
| Tropicale Pizza, P200. |
 |
| Salamagui (tamarind) juice, P185 per pitcher. Sweet and a little sour. Yummy and refreshing! |
 |
| The Menu |
Upstairs
Downstairs
 |
| At the lobby of Balay de Blas |
 |
| Reception area. To the right is the entrance to Saramsam |
The following day, while in Pagudpud, lunch was at Kapuluan Vista Resort and Restaurant where we had:
 |
| Menudo, P250. |
 |
| Dinuguan, P300. (There's bagnet on top!) |
 |
| Chicken Afritada, P250. |
 |
| Beef Caldereta, P300. |
 |
| Pancit Bihon, P180. |
 |
| Grilled Pork Steak, P275. |
 |
| Iced tea, P40 per glass. |
 |
Food here is good (though prices are a little steep). But another thing I like here is that they have several dogs roaming around - all poodles which are sooo cute.
|
 |
| The beach at Kapuluan Vista Resort |
After three days, two nights in Ilocos Norte, we proceeded to Baguio City. After leaving Pagudpud on our way to the summer capital, we stopped by Batac for breakfast. As we had been in Ilocos for five days and still not having the chance to eat Ilocos empanada, we didn't let go of the opportunity to finally have it at the famous Riverside Empanadaan (I thought it was 'Empanadahan' but it's not. Hehehe.).
There are several stalls inside the huge eatery and we chose Glomy's Empanada for our viands and rice. We ordered:
 |
| Warek-Warek |
 |
| Igado |
 |
| Bagnet |
 |
| Dinuguan |
Surely, we didn't forget the reason we're here - Ilocos empanada! We bought from another stall, though. Unfortunately, I fail now to mention the name of the stall 'coz I forgot to look (sorry!). Also, I've no idea how much the viands cost each, I didn't care to ask because by the looks of it, they're quite cheap. Haha! I paid less than a thousand pesos for all the viands, rice and drinks. My sister paid for the empananadas, though and I failed to ask her how much (In Manila, a special Ilocos empanada - with longganisa - is priced at P50,
while the ordinary - without longganisa - is P40.) .
 |
| For those who haven't eaten an Ilocos Empanada, its orange dough is crunchy on the outside. Inside, you'll find strips of green papaya, one whole egg and one Vigan longganisa. Pour some sukang Iloko (Ilocano vinegar) into it before taking a bite. So good! No wonder this delicacy is popular even in Manila. |
Of course, I didn't forget to "document" the making of empanada. I think it needs some skills. Haha! It's a joy to watch and a bliss to eat. :-)
Inside Batac's Riverside Empanadaan
Ilocos Norte is one unforgettable place to visit because of its wonderful sights - the beaches and windmills - plus the delectable food.
I would certainly want to visit a second time someday soon.
.jpg)
