Dagupan City's Pigar-Pigar

This is one hefty plate of pigar-pigar, Dagupan City's well-known street food, beloved by students and beer drinkers because it is cheap and filling. Imagine stir-fried strips of beef (sometimes cara-beef) and liver bits loaded with cabbage and onions. This could be gamy, so be generous with calamansi, chili, and fish sauce. Zamora Street in Dagupan City is ground zero for pigar-pigar, where stall upon stall offers this dish at night. 

I grew up in Dagupan, but this was the first time I sampled pigar-pigar. A trip to the city is not complete without eating this, aside from the other Dagupan favorite, the Bonuan bangus. I'm still at a loss though, why they call it pigar-pigar. Pigar is Pangasinan for to flip over. I guess this describes the cooking method of stir-frying the beef strips. 

Garlicky Longganiza: Alaminos and Laoag

It all started with this photo I posted in Instagram. I was craving for garlicky longganiza last December, and I posted this Laoag variant which I ate during breakfast in Fort Ilocandia the month earlier. I remember how potent the Iloko vinegar was, perfect with the longganiza, and how happy I was. My Instagram friend recommended the Alaminos variant, which is garlicky--not sweetish at all--like the Laoag longganiza. She said Kalye Juan serves Alaminos longganiza. I made a mental note to try the latter.

A week later I dropped by Kalye Juan and promptly ordered the Native Longganiza (P150). You can also have the set meal all-day Longsilog Breakfast (P175). The former has more sausages. For those craving for garlicky longganiza, both are good value for money. I love the accompanying omellete, which is how we cook our scrambled eggs at home. It also reminded me of poqui- poqui, without the eggplant. 

Just a few weeks ago I was at MOA and had my Alaminos longganiza fix.

A quick note: Philippine longganiza comes either as garlicky or sweet (hamonado), and some provinces are known for their peculiar takes on this Spanish influenced sausage. Needless to say, I'm partial to garlicky ones.


Kalye Juan
Robinson's Manila
(+63) 02 525-8052

Update: Pangasinan's Heling and Violeta Special Tupig

Update: I met the gracious lady who provides us with Villasis-based Heling and Violeta Special Tupig. You can contact the latter through cell phone no. 0919-7596166

Tupig is described as a delicacy from Pangasinan made of glutinous rice and grated coconuts and cooked over  live coals. The municipality of Villasis is known as tupig central, and it is passing through this town on my way to and from Manila that I got acquainted with this snack. Sold by ambulant vendors (although there is now a section in town featuring stalls selling tupig), the tupig I knew were quite slight but tasty, especially when eaten warm. I love the smoky flavor and the interplay of coconut meat and the essence of the banana wrapper.

One day in the office someone brought a box of special tupig, the contents of which were heftier than usual, but just as tasty. The printed box did not provide any leads on who made it. Any idea where I can score a box of this special treat?