A Taste of Vigan, Away from Vigan
—Pasamic, 09:55 A.M.
The empanada, which is of Spanish origin, has been celebrated and loved by Filipinos and welcomed onto their dining tables. The immense love for the dish has willed it to reach various parts of the Philippines with different variations. The standard empanada filled with raisins, sweetened ground meat and potatoes is fine, but for a taste of the real thing, head on over to Solibao for a taste of their authentic Vigan empanada!
The Ilocano specialty is now being served in the Summer Capital of the Philippines — another reason to pay Baguio City a visit.
Solibao’s take on the authentic empanada includes ground longganisa, shredded cabbage and a hard-boiled (or soft-boiled, if you’re lucky!) egg in between, all skillfully wrapped in a thick, bright orange dough (pilais), deep-fried and served warm with a side of vinegar and chili. They produce a fresh batch every day to ensure the best quality only for their customers. Not to mention, their empanadas always run out even before the day ends. (need we ask why? I think not.)
What’s not to like about the Solibao empanada? The enticing bright orange color, the mouth-watering explosion of flavors, even the make-shift ambiance of a Filipino home and the cold Baguio air. Even the very first bite doesn’t disappoint. Truly a taste of Vigan, away from Vigan.
The dish is only about the size of a hand, but do not be fooled, it’s quite heavy on the stomach. You might begin to feel a little full half-way through the meal. So be careful, it may be ‘wantusawa’ (“want-to-sawa” meaning the desire to be satisfied until you’ve reached boredom). So slow down, take your time to enjoy the meal and get the best of the experience.
It can be bought for the reasonable price of 65 pesos. The empanada is not only heavy but healthy as well, fit for food enthusiasts either on a budget or on a diet — sincerely one of the main reasons why I fell in love with the dish. It’s a snack for early mornings and late nights, rainy days and heatwaves. Try it and see for yourself, you’ll surely love the dish too!
Can the empanada be stored? Yes. Would I recommend eating it after a day or two? Absolutely not. While it still remains edible, the empanada is best consumed immediately, preferably with a side of vinegar ready for dipping. Some prefer vinegar, others might prefer ketchup, but hey, you do you, right? The dish is already inarguably good on its own, but to take the food experience to another level why not add a garnish of your choice and see what happens? (hint: it’s still just as good!)
Solibao, whose name takes after the native Philippine instrument, is a Filipino-grown restaurant serving authentic Filipino Food since 1972. It can be found only in Baguio City in four branches (and counting!). Their branches are scattered all over the city landmarks for the convenience of our tourists, along Upper Session Road, in front of Burnham Lake, near Heritage Mansion and below Cedar Peak Hotel. Let’s show the Filipino-grown restaurant some love, and maybe they’ll be in branches near you too!
If you happen to be in town and you’re not in the mood for the orange treat, don’t worry, Solibao has other dishes for you to try. Their menu offers you an array of dishes perfect from breakfast, lunch, snacks to dinner. May I recommend trying their crowd-favorites Special Palabok and Kare-Kare, and perhaps for dessert, their Puto Bumbong?
For that lutong-bahay, swak sa bulsa, Filipino food experience, head on over to Solibao!
