Northern Exposure

I'm part Ilocana. However, I have never been to Vintar, Ilocos Norte (where my grandmother is from)--until this week.

Last Tuesday, I went with my balikbayan cousin Uly and his wife Rina, and their 2 girls Courtney & Maya, to a trip to our lola's hometown. We got on a PAL flight to Laoag early morning of January 5, and in 55 minutes or so, we were there. After checking in at the Java Hotel, we had lunch at Max's and then off we went to Vintar.

Oh, did I tell you that Max's Laoag serves Bagnet and Higado? Neat, huh?

After Vintar, we visited Fort Ilocandia. We walked around the 78 or so hectares of FIR, and so naturally, we got hungry. There was one problem though. After Max's, we didn't know where else to dine in Laoag! Good thing one of my friends was just in Laoag before the New Year's, so I called her. And she directed us to Saramsam.

Saramsam is a quaint restaurant along Rizal Street, more like a family watering hole, where one can get authentic Ilocano fares (oh, excuse me, but the menu said Ylocano). The ambience feels like a mixture of Kainan Augusto (in Kapitolyo, Pasig) and Cookbook (along Luna Mencias in Mandaluyong). We ordered the usual Pinakbet, and Bagnet, Dinakdakan and Higado. We also got "safe" comfort food like Sinigang & Adobong Pork Chops. And when the food was brought in, I suddenly had this sense of having dinner in the family dining room, with people asking one another, "Can you please pass the...?"

The Pinakbet was goooood, so were the Higado and Dinakdakan. Our Bagnet didn't turn out okay, though. But the KBL (kamatis, bagoong and an L word that translates to sibuyas in Talalog) that went with is was really nice! And we ordered Wild Basil Iced Tea to wash the meal down with, but not everyone liked it. I guess I'm the only one with the taste for "mangkukulam" concoctions, as Tita Mimi always says.

Pinakbet

Higado

Bagnet with KBL

Adobong Pork Chops

Dinakdakan

Poque-poque

But what we got curious about was the Poque-poque. And before you guys censor this entry, let me just explain that Poque-poque is roasted eggplants sauteed in onions and tomatoes and scrambled in eggs. And I must tell you that that Poque-poque was good! In fact, Saramsam carries some unusual dishes like the Pinakbet Pizza and the Poque-poque Pizza and the Dinardaraan (Dinuguan to Tagalogs; "Dinner-on-the-run" for Filipinos in Hawaii) Pizza!

I tell you, this trip to the north was really an opener for me--both historically and gastronomically. I finally got to see where my mom's mother was from, and I actually met people who knew my mother before I got to know her. I met new relatives and got re-connected to those I knew from waaaay back, too.

Also, my taste buds were awakened to a whole new experience. I never really realized that such simple dishes could taste so good! The Ilocanos are so known for being frugal, hence the development of dishes which cannot really be considered fancy like Kapampangan or Batangueno food. But this simplicity never compromised taste and nutritional value, except for the Bagnet maybe.

And so, I'd like to share my Auntie Azon's Pinakbet recipe. Being my mom's sister, she is one of the nearest people I have who remind me of my mom and their origins in Vintar, Ilocos Norte.

Pinakbet

• 1/4 kg bagnet, cubed
• 1 bundle small sitaw (not the long ones), cut into 2" strings
• 5 small ampalaya
• 5 small eggplants (the round ones or the short eggplants are okay, but not the super-long tagalog ones)
• 1/2 cup patani seeds
• 2 small kamote, cubed
• 1 small bundle okra, cut into 2" long
• a lot of tomatoes (1/3 kilo is fine)
• garlic, onions, ginger
• 1/4 cup bagoong isda

Place the cubed bagnet and tomatoes at the bottom of a clay pot (palayok). Layer the remaining vegetables and pour the bagoong. Cook the Pinakbet over low fire. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are wrinkled. Do not stir the Pinakbet. Instead, hold the pot and the lid together with a pot holder and shake the Pinakbet for about 3 times. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

P.S. The L in the KBL above is called lasuna (Ilocano for small native onions).

P.S. 2: When we were in Paoay, we sampled Pinakbet Pizza at the Herencia Cafe in front of the church. You should try it if ever you are in the area.