Where and What We Ate in Batangas

Calle A. Delas Alas, Taal

(043) 408 0029

All we wanted to try in Taal was their tapa (tapa is usually beef, but in Taal, it's pork). We wanted to find one for lunch in the market but the tricycle driver brought us to Taal Bistro, telling us we won't find cooked tapang Taal in the market.

I liked Taal Bistro's tapang Taal—tender and garlicky, I could have eaten it all by myself with a cup or two of rice—but found it a bit expensive.

Brgy. Sabang, Lipa City

Branches:

Banay Banay Crossing, Lipa City

Old Bus Stop, Lipa City

When I asked my friend what was the specialty in his province, he said lomi (thick egg noodles). Lomi? Sounds so ordinary. But the lomi in Batangas really is different (no veggies here) and tastier than the lomi I know. Plus it's got hunks of meat toppings. Now, what is chami (see rightmost photo)? It's lomi with substantially less soup.

Star Tollway Exit, Brgy. Tambo, Lipa City

Another Batangas specialty my friend mentioned was the bulalo. We settled for the first bulalo place we found: Japong's. Curious if their bulalo was any different from the bulalo I've had at home and in other places... well, no, it still tasted like any other bulalo I've had. But, that's not to say I didn't like it. The meat fell off the bones and the soup was slurp-worthy (we finished the entire bowl). Oh, and the tapa here is beef, definitely not tapang Taal (because we are in Lipa, hehe).

Old City Hall Compound, B Morada Avenue, Lipa City

Bibingka Php 17

Bibingka with salted egg Php 20

Bibingka with kesong keso (cheese) Php 20

Special Bibingka (with salted egg and cheese) Php 23

Here's a place in Lipa City my friend excitedly took us to: D' Lover's Line Bibingka. He frequents this little roadside hut for their freshly cooked and very affordable bibingka. The bibingka is served with a steaming cup (or two or three—refill is free) of salabat (ginger tea).