Lapaz batchoy is a quintessential ingredient of Ilonggo cuisine. No feature about the culinary plethora of the Ilonggos would be complete without mentioning this meat-noodle-soup concoction. In fact, batchoy is an attraction itself for tourists visiting Iloilo and almost a way of life for the locals. Here’s a basic guide of what’s in and around a bowl of Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz batchoy.
NOODLES
While the original recipe calls for miki (noodles mainly made with eggs), La Paz batchoy through the years has innovated to include bihon, sotanghon and miswa noodles. Bihon usually draws out more flavour due to its milder taste while sotanghon gives batchoy a smoother texture, literally. Miswa, on the other hand, brings out the softer side to batchoy-eating but it is still miki that makes an authentic batchoy experience.
VARIANTS
The original batchoy blend has pork strips, pork liver and intestines with garlic, onions, chicharon, onion chives and pork caldo. As time went by “healthier” versions were innovated by Ted’s Oldtimer. Beef batchoy consists beef strips, caramelized onions, garlic, celery, and onion chives with beef caldo. The chicken variant has chicken strips, garlic and onion chives in chicken broth.
SPECIAL, SUPER OR EXTRA SUPER?
Until that time I thought that “Special, Super and Extra Super” were just varying bowl sizes. Then I found out these meaty ingredients really makes the big difference (plus few grams in the noodle weight). Special only has pork slices and upgrading it to Super - four slices of pork liver are added. Adding 6 pieces of pork intestines makes your batchoy an Extra Super. Now you (and I) know ….
CONDIMENTS
Enhancing the flavour of every bowl of Lapaz batchoy are soy sauce and pepper. This duo concocted in the soup complements the garlic and chives garnish-seasoning. For some, chili sauce adds a kick to it while others just content themselves with the plain caldo.
CALDO
Caldo (or broth) dictates the real taste of batchoy. The original recipe had guinamos (local term for bago-ong) mixed in it but it was eventually disposed off to lessen risk of allergies to patrons. Aside from pork (beef or chicken) constantly boiled in, onions and brains added but your guess is as good as mine since this is a closely guarded secret of the trade. All batchoyans offer “bottomless” caldo, that’s why genuine Ilonggos, they say, eat batchoy by first sipping all the caldo, ask for another bowl and eventually finishing it all.
SIDES
Lapaz batchoy goes well with pan de sal or puto (native rice cakes). Ted’s Oldtimer bakes its own pan de sal (actually it’s sister company, Dulgies that takes care of it) and puto to ensure its freshness everyday.
TRIVIA
Did you know that Ted’s Oldtimer started in 1945 with only PhP 10 as capital? It now has 34 branches nationwide, both company owned and franchises. Ted’s Oldtimer along Diversion Road has a capacity of 150 and is open 24/7. Orig batchoyans provide utensils in a cup of hot water that are even adapted up to this day – even in some modern Ted Oldtimer batchoyans.
During the 2010 Elections, a presidentiable and his veep secretly escaped from their on-going campaign sortie in Iloilo City - just to have a bowl of Lapaz batchoy. And years ago, a very popular singer-actress was subjected to blind items (in the national tabloids) when she ate Lapaz batchoy in a batchoyan - right across the fast food she’s endorsing! Incidentally then, the fast food also offers batchoy on their menu.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Thank you to Ms. Dolor Borro of Ted’s Oldtimer Lapaz batchoy and the staff at Ted’s Diversion, for the gracious accommodation during the photoshoot and interview.
NOODLESWhile the original recipe calls for miki (noodles mainly made with eggs), La Paz batchoy through the years has innovated to include bihon, sotanghon and miswa noodles. Bihon usually draws out more flavour due to its milder taste while sotanghon gives batchoy a smoother texture, literally. Miswa, on the other hand, brings out the softer side to batchoy-eating but it is still miki that makes an authentic batchoy experience.
VARIANTS
The original batchoy blend has pork strips, pork liver and intestines with garlic, onions, chicharon, onion chives and pork caldo. As time went by “healthier” versions were innovated by Ted’s Oldtimer. Beef batchoy consists beef strips, caramelized onions, garlic, celery, and onion chives with beef caldo. The chicken variant has chicken strips, garlic and onion chives in chicken broth.
SPECIAL, SUPER OR EXTRA SUPER?
Until that time I thought that “Special, Super and Extra Super” were just varying bowl sizes. Then I found out these meaty ingredients really makes the big difference (plus few grams in the noodle weight). Special only has pork slices and upgrading it to Super - four slices of pork liver are added. Adding 6 pieces of pork intestines makes your batchoy an Extra Super. Now you (and I) know ….
CONDIMENTS
Enhancing the flavour of every bowl of Lapaz batchoy are soy sauce and pepper. This duo concocted in the soup complements the garlic and chives garnish-seasoning. For some, chili sauce adds a kick to it while others just content themselves with the plain caldo.
CALDO
Caldo (or broth) dictates the real taste of batchoy. The original recipe had guinamos (local term for bago-ong) mixed in it but it was eventually disposed off to lessen risk of allergies to patrons. Aside from pork (beef or chicken) constantly boiled in, onions and brains added but your guess is as good as mine since this is a closely guarded secret of the trade. All batchoyans offer “bottomless” caldo, that’s why genuine Ilonggos, they say, eat batchoy by first sipping all the caldo, ask for another bowl and eventually finishing it all.
SIDES
Lapaz batchoy goes well with pan de sal or puto (native rice cakes). Ted’s Oldtimer bakes its own pan de sal (actually it’s sister company, Dulgies that takes care of it) and puto to ensure its freshness everyday.
TRIVIA
Did you know that Ted’s Oldtimer started in 1945 with only PhP 10 as capital? It now has 34 branches nationwide, both company owned and franchises. Ted’s Oldtimer along Diversion Road has a capacity of 150 and is open 24/7. Orig batchoyans provide utensils in a cup of hot water that are even adapted up to this day – even in some modern Ted Oldtimer batchoyans.
During the 2010 Elections, a presidentiable and his veep secretly escaped from their on-going campaign sortie in Iloilo City - just to have a bowl of Lapaz batchoy. And years ago, a very popular singer-actress was subjected to blind items (in the national tabloids) when she ate Lapaz batchoy in a batchoyan - right across the fast food she’s endorsing! Incidentally then, the fast food also offers batchoy on their menu.ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Thank you to Ms. Dolor Borro of Ted’s Oldtimer Lapaz batchoy and the staff at Ted’s Diversion, for the gracious accommodation during the photoshoot and interview.