Favorite Pasalubong from Dagupan

by @SiRVis

 

A travel journal that will give you a pleasant view of people, places, food, culture, history and events from a refreshing perspective

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WHENEVER we travel, we usually bring back with us some souvenirs from that place. Souvenirs that range from shirts, keychains, sweets, handicrafts and native delicacies. It’s a Pinoy thing they say, and we have a word for it: pasalubong.

Pasalubong is a Filipino tradition of travelers bringing gifts from their destination to people back home. It can be anything that will serve as a gift or memento for the family, friends and even as a token for someone you are about to meet. It is usually the town or city’s OTOP product (One Town One Product) which can vary from fruits, specialty dishes and handmade products that distinctly identify the place.

Dagupan City is acclaimed as the Bangus Capital of the World and home of the world’s tastiest milkfish. On top of the list of the favorite pasalubong from Dagupan would naturally be bangus and its processed products. One of the most sought after bangus product is the boneless bangus. Deboning bangus is said to originate in the city. The deboned fresh milkfish is marinated with vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper and packed. If you plan to ship it abroad or expect a longer travelling time, get the vacuum sealed pack boneless bangus from my favorites Dagupena (now located in Calasiao), Jam Sweet Jam in Guilig St., Bonuan Boneless Bangus (formerly MF Sandoval Trading) in Goring’s, Burgos Extension and First Fresh Catch Seafoods in A.B. Fernandez East. You could also buy boneless bangus and other processed bangus products like bangus shanghai (ground bangus rolled in lumpia/ spring roll wrapper), tinapang (smoked) bangus, bangus (wonton) siomai at the Dagupan Product Center, Malimgas Market, Makong Market and Mele’s. Want it bottled? There’s Bonuan Bangus sardines from Bonuan Best by Dr. Westley Rosario at the Aquarium (not a pet shop but a pasalubong center), Tapuac District, Dagupan. Maldita Gourmet Tuyo and Tinapa is another favorite homemade bottled pasalubong product.

Do you love Christmas Ham? The most sought after Christmas ham from Dagupan, Mamalols Ham is available all year round in the restaurant in Tapuac District! Their emapanada and pork chicharon are also must tries.

For breads and pastries, tops are Pedrito’s hopia and pineapple or cheese bread roll, Jam Sweet Jam’s cream puff, and Eat’s by Ella’s Butterfly cookies. Rubis siopao is the hands down favorite for steamed buns. The restaurant has a mini pasalubong area too where you can buy Chinese products, and baked and dry goods from different localities. For native sweets and delicacies: Capito’s pastillas, Rebecca’s cassava cake, Kimmy Sunflower brittle and bocayo from Bacayao.

Giving pasalubong is like a showcase of the place where you bought the products. It makes the gift extra special because you bring part of your journey and experience as if the person to whom you give the pasalubong was there with you. Eating pasalubong from Dagupan City is like a gastronomic time machine that brings us to Dagupan and to the time when we first tasted Dagupan’s best products. Makapailiw tan makapaeras anto?

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