Back To Basics at Palabokan sa Obrero

T was craving Palabok yesterday and I decided to bring her to an old favorite of mine introduced to me by my friend Jomay.  The place is simply called Palabokan sa Obrero along R.Papa in Manila.  It is basically a fast food eatery frequented by working class citizens who are too busy to prepare a home cooked meal.

The specialty in this joint is Palabok, a noodle dish with thick golden shrimp sauce topped with assortment of toppings depending on the cook's recipe.

Palabok Bihon Special - P48

Their version here is a complete meal by itself.  The noodles are covered with a rich golden shrimp sauce with annatto oil and topped with slices of egg, tinapa flakes, tofu, squid adobo, pechay baguio, and shrimp.

If there is Squid Adobo, it must be good

They don't scrimp with the toppings.  See the egg slices and squid adobo on the side along with a couple of calamansi (Calamondin) which you can squeeze on top to add a tangy dimension to the dish.

You can also pick what type of noodles you prefer.  In this case, T decided to try Bihon (Thin Rice Vermicelli Noodles) as the main star of the dish.  Its silky and smooth texture is a perfect vehicle for the rich and thick sauce.

Bihon as noodle of choice

While T is enjoying her meal.  I ordered Danggitsilog.  I've been craving Danggit since I posted our trip to Taboan Market in Cebu last week.  Danggitsilog is basically a meal of Garlic Fried Rice, Egg and Danggit, a type of dried fish mainly sold in Cebu.  It is a typical breakfast meal enjoyed my most Filipinos.

Danggitsilog - P55

The Danggit was crisp and perfectly salty.  The combination of the Garlic Fried Rice and Danggit is a match made in heaven.  The saltiness is just right and also goes well with the chili vinegar on the table.

Crispy Salty Goodness

T and I enjoyed our meal.  The Danggit was good and the Palabok was even better aside from the price being extremely affordable.  So if you are tired of the usual Palabok suspects that you find in major chains, try visiting Palabokan sa Obrero for a taste of their Palabok Specialty.

Palabokan sa Obrero
R.Papa cor. Felix Roxas St. Manila
(100 Meters away from LRT R.Papa Station)