Why We Love Street Foods(And You Should, Too!)

I was busy searching for a blog topic when I was accidentally read this post, "I WOULD RATHER GO HUNGRY THAN EAT FILIPINO STREET FOOD AGAIN". Seriously, I was fascinated with her blog post and coming from a foreign point of view about Filipino street food is not new to me. Heard a lot of these kind of reaction and impression and that's okay because we have different cultures, beliefs and taste for food as well!

But for us Filipino's we do love street food, don't we?  When we say STREET FOODS we really mean food sell in the street.

CC: PHOTOPIN

It was said from a blog ytravelblog, that the foundation of any strong culinary heritage is the street food. And yes, I agree to that because this is where we inspire tourists to come and visit our country and have a taste of our culture and that includes the FOOD. In with that, we make a name and that name will forever be remembered by any foreign tourists once visited our country.

We Filipinos are popular and famous to have a BALUT, PEANUT, Bananacue, Camotecue, Maruya, Ginanggang, Fish Balls, Tempura, Squid Balls, Chicken Balls, KWEK-KWEK and TOKNENENG, TAHO, Dirty Ice Cream, Halo-Halo, Green Mango(manggang hilaw), and barbecue, in the street. 

And here in Davao I have a list of my favorite street foods that I'm sure you also love it.

Food made with freshest ingredients are cook in front of you. Once you see it was already cook and ready to serve don't eat it. Just be careful though.

ISAW(Chicken Intestine Barbecue)

You really have to be meticulous in eating this kind of a street food, you have to make sure that the intestine is well cleaned, it must be clean inside out, boiled, and grilled or immediately dip in a hot boiling oil with sticks.

How to eat? Just dip it in suka or vinegar with onions, pepper, and other spices. Or ketchup either sweet or chili (it's your choice) then you eat it.

photo credit: geekdope via photopin cc

CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN 

Is cook in a high temperature to achieve the crispiness of the chicken skin. And when it is cook, you can dip it with vinegar(same as with the isaw).

(C) My Sari-Sari Store

But make sure that the oil use here is not the same oil use the other day(or being use over and over).

BATICOLON (Chicken Gizzard Barbecue)

Same with the Isaw, BATICOLON is properly clean, cook marinated together with the spices, then grilled or dip in a hot boiling oil. After that, you can dip it with chili sauce or vinegar.

(C) Visit Pinas

TOKNENENG

Here in Davao, TOKNENENG is called KWEK-KWEK.  Well, this is how they called it here, even if I keep on insisting street vendors that Kwek2 comes from a quail egg and TOKNENENG came from a chicken or a duck egg dipped in an orange batter and deep fried until crispy. But they are used to call it KWEK2. So that's it, KWEK2 or TOKNENENG here are the same.

(C) Darlz 86

This is how Davao street vendors serve their TOKNENENG(or kwek2), they usually pair it with cucumber and guso seaweed.

CHILLED DRINKS/REFRESHMENT


And because Philippines climate is characterized as having a relatively high temperatures and high humidity, people are fond of drinking chilled drinks or cool refreshment the likes of, BUKO JUICE, ICE CANDY, TAHO, DIRTY ICE CREAM.

Dirty Ice Cream/Sorbetes

photo credit: chotda 

via photopin cc

ICE CANDY
(C) MY SARI-SARI STORE

BUKO JUICE

photo credit: AdamCohn via photopin cc

TAHO

photo credit: Ace Reston via photopin cc

Not to worry, most of the street vendors here in Davao is very careful in preparing their food, because every now and then Davao City Health Officers are checking their places and the food they serve as well.

(C) MINDANEWS

Davao Street Vendors are discipline. They are required to get a health card from the City Health Office and upon getting a card they are examined to make sure they don't have a communicable disease since they are selling food and most of all they are trained for FREE on proper food preparation. That is why I LOVE TO EAT DAVAO STREET FOODS because our street vendors religiously follow the rules & regulations set by our Local Government.

Well, I eat street foods once in awhile, just to end my cravings.

You should visit Davao now and taste our street foods located at the San Pedro St., Roxas Avenue, Ilustre St., and Bolton Street.