Day 76 (92 days to go) of my temporary language study abroad program in Baguio, Philippines.
This is the third installment of the food court feature. I have introduced several unique food courts in the past, but this one has a good balance in all aspects. First of all, the food is delicious, which is the most important. Next, it is inexpensive, filling, and has a wide variety of food, all the elements necessary to satisfy a gourmand’s hunger.
Please note that the food court introduced in this blog is not the type of food court often seen in commercial facilities in Japan, but rather a collection of outdoor food stalls with a strong local flavor.
Location of Foodies Boulevard
Foodies Boulevard is located about 5 minutes north of Burnham Park. The location is listed on Google maps, but no reviews are available. Despite its easy accessibility, it is somewhat difficult to find, as it is located in a slightly secluded area.
It is difficult to find at first sight, and it looks like a restaurant for those in the know, but it is quite crowded during lunch time. It may be that people like me who happened to find the place are heavy patrons. As for seating, there are only about 10 seats for roughly 4 people, so I recommend getting there early.
By the way, the name of the restaurant, “Foodies,” refers to travelers in search of good food, and “Boulevard” means a boulevard. It’s a good name, and it’s just like the name says it all.
List of stores
In the food court, there are “Filipino restaurant with nearly 40 kinds of menu”, “Filipino restaurant with mainly meat menu”, “Takoyaki & Pancake”, “Korean food”, and “Milk tea shop”. Although these are the only stores, the menus are varied and you can choose dishes according to your mood.
There are enough dishes on the menu that I could finally conquer all of them using the entire duration of my stay. Moreover, the prices of everything are somewhat cheaper than the restaurants in the area. And, as I will explain later, the portions are generous, so you can be satisfied with just one dish.
Unfortunately, no alcoholic beverages are served here. However, the waitress told us that it is okay to buy alcohol nearby and bring it to the restaurant. If you wish to purchase alcohol, please ask the waiter for permission before going to buy it.
Tasting the four items !
Pork Sisig 85 pesos (about 221 yen)
First, let’s start with the sisig, a well-known Filipino dish. Other restaurants charge over 100 pesos for this dish, but here the price is an astonishing 85 pesos. The taste is unquestionably good, and with a visual like this, how could it not be delicious? The portion size may be a little small, but it is well worth the price.
Pork Limpo 85 pesos (about 221 yen)
This is another familiar Filipino pork dish. With a visual like this, how could it not be delicious? The meat is firm, juicy and moderately chewy, and goes well with rice. The only drawback is the lack of a fork, which makes it difficult to eat, but I have no complaints about the taste or price.
Pansit Bihon 100 pesos (about 260 yen)
This is a Filipino noodle dish that is a beef noodle version of the common fried noodle. It tastes just like you would expect it to taste, with plenty of vegetables. It is hard to tell from the picture, but this dish is for two people, so even an adult male could fill up on this wonderful dish.
Sundubu Jjigae 100 pesos (about 260 yen)
Finally, we ordered Sundubu Jjigae from a Korean restaurant. As I do not like spicy food, I asked “Spicy?” and was told “Not so much. While I was waiting for my order, I was served kimchi as an appetizer.
The chige, which was served hot, contained tofu, shirataki mushrooms, and a clam-like shellfish. As we confirmed in advance, it is not that spicy, but mildly hot. The tofu was enough to satisfy me even without rice, and it filled my stomach quite well.
The amount of clams was ridiculously large, about 12 pieces.
Summary
This time I introduced the third food court that makes me want to go there every day. Cheap, tasty, and filling, and with such a wide variety on the menu, there is no reason not to repeat.
The only problem is that it is a bit far from the school. Even so, my desire to go back to the restaurant has won out, and I always have a reason to go back, such as on my way to the supermarket or to the city market. I love it so much that I would definitely go there every day if it were nearby.
Also, the staff are very nice. When I asked for beef noodle, they were very considerate and asked me if I wanted two servings. When the menu was out of stock, one of the waitresses even said in Japanese, “This one is recommended. I think I will probably write a second review of this place. I’ve said it many times, but that’s how highly recommended it is!