My First Ever Ilocos Emapanada!

I like to travel and try food from the places I have visited, but I have never been to Ilocos ever! I have passed by Ilocos but not really stopped over and try the food. I was really hoping to go there this coming October but something came up and my buddies had to back out.

BUT STILL I was able to find a way to taste the infamous Ilocos Empanada! And it was actually just a jeepney ride away from my house.

I am talking about Farinas Ilocos Empanada!

But FIRST! What is an Empanada...mainly what is an Ilocos Empanada?

Ilocos Empanada is an Ilocano snack make out of green papaya, mongo, egg, and longganisa, enveloped in a crunchy orange-colored crust made out of rice flour with its signiture Ilocos vinegar as its condiment.  

I am part Ilocano thanks to my mother but I was not able to really embrace that side of my culture since I was raised here in Manila. I do know that Ilocanos are great cooks since I grew up mostly with Ilocanos as my housemates they cook delicious meals that not only are yummy to infinity but also healthy.

But yet again most of them did not grow up in Ilocos so I was really torn if these were authentic or not.

According to the owners of Farinas, Almost 90% of the ingredients that they use in their store are directly shipped from Ilocos to ensure the authenticity of the Ilocos empanada. Another thing I noticed is that the vegetables that they use are organic which is really great. They also use an organic munggo which is my first time to see as well.

I was able to try their tapa meal and also the infamous Ilocos Empanada.  

The tapa was specially marinated and the texture of the meat is exceptionally tender which is great because I don't really like to chew that much on my meat. The scent of the meat was really nice which did remind me of the ones I've tasted when I was young but that wasn't as tender as the one from Farinas. 

Now let's dig in to the infamous Empanada shall we? Since it was my first time to try it, I was a little scared because I don't know what to expect, but better dig in than never right? 

I was in a big surprise because at first bite, the taste just exploded in my mouth. It was like meeting a new friend in a way. The mixture of the vegetables and the meat was just right with the crunchy orange wrap. 

Other best sellers of Farinas is their ultimate empanada - why ultimate you ask? Because it has bagnet inside! 

Their store is quite small, but very homey. I remember a similar store I eat to that looks like this when I was in Highschool so this does remind me of my younger years. But even with a small store, they serve delicious food that I think both young and older generations would like. 

Its a must try if you ask me! You can have a taste of Farinas at 56 Visayas Ave, Project 6, Quezon City and also visit their Facebook page for more information. 

Have a safe and Happy Sunday ahead! 

xx Alice