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Ilocos Travel Tips

Famous Food in ilocos

1.) Insarabsab - Roasted pork liempo that’s sliced thinly and tossed with onions in a mixture of vinegar, calamansi juice, salt and pepper.
2.) Karimbuaya - Karimbuaya  (scientific name: Euphorbia neriifolia linn) is a plant that grows abundantly in northern Luzon, particularly in Ilocos Sur. The cactus-like plant has fleshy, oblong-shaped leaves and grows almost into a big tree with stubby thorns. It is also known as soro-soro in Tagalog.
3.) Poqui-Poqui - It is only made up of sweet eggplant and of course egg with some chopped tomatoes.
4.) Dinengdeng / Inabraw
5.) Dinardaraan - Crispy dinuguan
6.) Utong - Sitaw (string beans) adobo
7.) Sinanglaw - Dish that uses innards, tripe and liver, simmered like papaitan, but without the bitter intestine juice).
8.) Bagnet - Cured and fried pieces of pork belly
9.) Dinakdakan
10.) Igado
11.) Chicken Pepian - chicken kare-kare cooked in Ilocano style

Pasalubong Specialties in Ilocos

1.) Corn snack/chichacorn in Paoay
2.) Longganisa-stuffed empanada
3.) Fuzion pizza
4.) Glomy’s empanada in Batac
5.) Miki from Batac
6.) Basi Wine
7.) Bagoong monamon
8.) Soft biscocho in Pasuquin Bakery
9.) Glomy’s empanada in Batac
10.) Garlic camote chips / colorful Ilocano woven blankets or inabel in Laoag Public Market
11.) Bagnet P360/kilo in San Nicolas Public Market
12.) Longganisas for P240/kilo in San Nicolas Public Market
13.) Sukang Ilocos

Suggested Restaurant in Ilocos

1.) Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant & Bar - well-know for their unique flavors of Pizza not far from the cathedral
2.) La Preciosa - along Rizal Avenue in Laoag
3.) Bistro Candon - a three-hour drive from Laoag Four Brothers Compound, Candon, Ilocos Sur
- Must-trys dinengdeng na papaya with clams (P175), dinengdeng na bamboo shoots with saluyot and inihaw na bangus (P175), vigan longganisa pizza (P185), igado (P185), and poqui poqui with bagnet pizza (P180)

4.) Casa Teofila Lodge Resto Grille at Pantay Daya, Vigan City
- traditional Ilocano dishes
- bestsellers include pinakbet (P75), buridibod (P95), igado (P85), and pinaupong tilapia (P80).

5.) Leila’s Cafe is located on General Luna St. Barangay 5, Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
- longganisa break (or longganisa crepe), bagnet carbonara, bakareta (beef caldereta), bagnet dinardaraan, and Graceland, a crepe filled with peanut butter, banana, and bacon.

6.) Kusina Felicitas - main restaurant of Grandpa’s Inn #1 Bonifacio St. Corner Quirino Blvd., Vigan City
- authentic Ilocano dishes such as their bestselling pinakbet with bagnet (P180), sinanglao (P190), poqui poqui balls (P125), and dinengdeng with tilapia (P125).

7.) Abuelita’s - located along Mabini street, near Calle Crisologo at 39 Gov. A Reyes St. Corner Mabini, Vigan City
- Bestseller native bibingka (P13 per piece), empanada (P30), croquetas (P40), pinakbet (P40), igado (P45), sinanglao (P55), and dinengdeng (P35).

8.) Kuboville, or ‘Kubo Village,’ - traditional Filipino and Thai dishes Barangay III Salcedo St. Barangay 3, Vigan City
- bestsellers tom yum (P245) and phad thai (P95), beef tapa (P135), locobaco (or chicken Inasal with rice) (P99), and vegetable spring rolls (P35).

9.) Ihawan sa Caoayan at Don Alejandro Quirolgico Caoayan, Ilocos Sur.
- Must-trys puque sashimi (P175), prawns with pineapple (P220), sizzling mixed seafood (P195), and ginataang alimango (P400)

10.) Los Majitos de Vigan aka little treasures at General Luna St. corner V. Delos Reyes, Vigan City
- Vigan delicacies with a Western twist. Bestseller items from their fusion cuisine include bagnet wraps (P150), nachos platter (P150), carbonara (P100) and longganisa rice omelette (P120)

11.) Hidden Garden was transformed into a full-blown at 56 Barangay Bulala, Vigan City- authentic Ilocano fare. Must-trys from their menu include sinigang na bagnet (P190), pinakbet with bagnet (P150), poqui poqui (P100), and longganisa (P130)

12.) Cafe Leona - along Calle Crisologo, right in the heart of Vigan City
- Filipino, Japanese, European and other international cuisines. Bestsellers from this diverse menu include their bagnet bacon maki (P180), longganisa maki (P160), poqui poqui (P130), pinakbet pizza (P325), caoayan special pizza (P350), and bagnet KBL pizza (P375).

Night Life in Ilocos
1.) Legacy Superclub - Calle Crisologo, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines
2.) Cafe Leona - Calle Crisologo, Vigan
3.) Sitio Bar - Around the Plaza Area, Florentino St, Vigan City
4.) Cockhouse Bar Videoke - Castro Avenue, Laoag
5.) Brewster Bar & Grill - Gen. Hernando Ave., Laoag, Ilocos Norte
6.) Kurihara Videoke Bar - 980 National Hwy, Dingras, Ilocos Norte
7.) Passion KTV Bar is next to Calayab and is located in Province of Ilocos Norte
8.) Night market - located at the sunset boulevard right across city hall and below the four-lane Laoag Padsan Bridge.
9.) Padsan river dike - boulevard complete with shaded structures for those spending time gazing at the majestic view of the Laoag bridge at night.
10.) DAP-AYAN (Meeting place)
11.) Blue Bar - Ilocos Norte Brgy. Balaoi, Malingay, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte?
12.) Star Gazzing Night Club - Pasuquin?
13.) Bistro 51 - Tawnee's Petron Station, 51-A Nangalisan, Laoag City
14.) Live Acoustic Bands - Villa del Mar/Emohruo Evangeline Beach Resort/Terra Rika’s Casa Blanca Seaside Grille
15.) Night Life Bar - Laoag

BDO Branches in Ilocos Norte in Ilocos Sur
1.) Vigan - Puregold (Puregold Vigan, Jose Singson St., Brgy VIII, Sta. Elena, Vigan City)
2.) Vigan - Quezon Avenue (Corner Bonifacio St. & Quezon Ave. 2900 Vigan)
3.) Vigan - Plaza Maestro (GF+E340 Plaza Maestro Comm'l. Complex, Burgos and Florentino Sts)
4.) Ilocos Sur (Candon National Highway cor. Abaya St. 2710 Candon)

BDO Branches in Ilocos Norte
1.) Laoag - Balintawak (Corner Rizal & Balintawak St., 2900 Laoag City
2.) Robinson's Place - San Nicolas (Unit 1-00144 Robinson's Place, San Nicolas)
3.) Laoag - Castro (Pichay Bldg., J. P. Rizal cor. A. Castro Sts., Laoag City)
4.) Ilocos Norte - Batac (Aoigan Bldg., Washington St., Batac 2906)