Snack Houses in My hometown

Summer is definitely around in our country. So hot, the sun is scorching. Thirst is best quench by cold drinks. Personally, I go for fresh fruit shakes and my favorite halo-halo ( - a kind of dessert made of sweetened fruit and crushed ice with milk or ice cream, particular around islands in the Philippines ). See Digman Halo-Halo here.



My love for halo-halo rooted from my childhood years in my hometown_ Guinayangan Quezon.
As a child, my mother would take me and my brother to Aling Aida or Aling Pina, then both equally popular refreshment parlors in our town. Both served superb snack menus which included sandwiches, spaghetti, pancit, noddle soup and ofcourse halo-halo.


Growing up into teens, I spent half of my highschool still in my rustic town. These two refreshment parlors were our Starbucks where I would hang out with friends after school. But instead of fraps we enjoyed our tall glasses of halo-halo.




Summer vacations from college in Manila, were also full of memories of meet-ups with my friends in these snack houses.

These were also the places of our quaint town where you would be obliged to treat your friends on your birthday, incase it was randomly remembered on the spot. Hence, an unplanned halo-halo treat was a practical decision both for your wallet and for the grateful well wishers.







My regular yearly short vacations with my own family to my hometown, keeps me abreast with updates about these establishments.

Between these two snack houses, Aling Pina's remains standing up to the present. Only, it's now called by a different name_ Jomari. Still owned by the same clan ( Isaac's), one of them was Tin-tin a classmate/friend way back in my primary school.





At Jomari's (Aling Pina's), halo-halo is presently priced at P27. Still using the same vintage ice crusher, must be the secret of a delicious halo-halo.



Good news! Our favorite halo-halo mates shanghai rolls in a bun sandwich still keeps our mouth waters at P15 which I remember used to be P2.50 per sandwich.

I would say this sandwich is particular here. I remember one incident in the past, when I brought a friend/guest from Manila introduced her to this unique concoction. She said : a whaaat? rolls inside a bun? She took a bite and loved it!

The humble beginnings of this snack house which used to be a pharmacy was these original shanghai sandwiches in recycled milk carton boxes being sold infront of the owner's aunt pharmacy. The rest is history.



Today, the place is not limited to snack menu anymore but offers lunch and dinner dishes too. My brother brags to me about its newest unique concoction which is a spaghetti in black sauce made up of pork blood stew dinuguan. This one, I haven't tasted yet. A must on my next visit this summer.





As for the other one, Aling Aida's, whose owner with the same name, died years ago, had closed down and since then the place with new owner turned the place into a funeral home.
Is this ironic or what ?

Digman Halo-halo Atbp.

Officially, summer is yet to come in the Philippines beginning March . But being a tropical country, the mother sun never really leaves our sky. She hides for a short time on rainy season, only to shine for a longer time. As early as this month, summer is pronouncing her presence with the hot weather we have everyday.

During hot season is the best time to enjoy cold treats. The other night, we drove up to Bacoor, Cavite just to enjoy our favorite halo-halo.


halo-halo - a kind of dessert made of sweetened fruit and crushed ice with milk or ice cream

Suddenly, this one reminds me of my American friend, who candidly often shares (over facebook) her enthusiasm about this dessert she had once tried here in Manila and couldn't get over it . She managed to find a Filipino resto near her place and once or twice she shared her halo-halo treats. Hello Joyce !!

the original

It's not far from us actually. We live in the next city. At night without traffic jam, it takes only 20-30 minutes drive to get there. It's the place we go to when halo-halo cravings hit us.

the famous

Digman is a street in Bacoor where the original and the famous halo-halo parlors residing, across by each other since the 70's. Both are quite popular and had been graced by famous celebrities ( if that would be considered as measurement of popularity) according to each wall of fame. Their walls with photos of famous people who had eaten there.

There has been a controversy that even reached the court of which was deserving of using the word original . Well, now we know who got the right. We eat at the original, always.



We have been eating halo-halo here for like more than 10 years now and the place hasn't changed a bit.



Except the prices. Nth times go up through the years.






But the flavours stay at their best. We usually eat the halo-halo with the place's equally delicious siopao and barbecue.



You could also buy tahong chips made from salt water mussels/ clam tahong meat which the town of Bacoor is also famous for.



Beside the halo-halo eatery is an ice cream parlor which we also frequent but not to eat ice cream.




But to buy empanadas ( meat pies) for take home. Sometimes the girls bring them along to school as snacks the following day. We buy them still fresh from the pan and really hot.

We love driving to Bacoor and just indulge with our favorite snacks.

Dream Ice Kakigoori,MOA

Since June of this year the rain pours continuously. But yesterday was an exemption, it was tepid hot Wednesday (today is too!). This hot day made me notice the Dream Ice Kakigoori booth at Moa.



The crew was a busy hand and it took a while before she served our orders. A cup went on few shower stations to fill up. First it went to the snow shower where fine ice coned up the cup.



And then. it went through color flavoring showers..



Toppings selection finalized the dressing..



All set to quench the thirst!!

The verdict : it's like a snow cone and our local pinoy halo-halo combined