After checking in at Hotel Luna in Vigan, we hopped on a kalesa for a tour of the city. It was delightful to explore using this traditional mode of transportation. However, I couldn’t shake off a bit of guilt about my weight, worrying the horse might struggle, but I managed to enjoy the ride nonetheless. Haha At the end of the tour, we got the opportunity to taste Vigan empanada at Irene’s Vigan Empanada along Salcedo Street, near Calle Crisologo.
Irene’s is a typical karinderya, but they provide ample seating with long tables, perfect for accommodating our large group.
After a brief wait, our empanadas arrived. While waiting, I took the opportunity to check out their menu. The special Pork Longganisa Empanada was priced at about P50, and they offered other varieties such as Bagnet, Sisig, Beef, Chicken, and Tuna. However, if you’re visiting Vigan, it’s recommended to try their basic Empanada with Pork Longganisa.
As I chatted with fellow travel bloggers, our empanadas arrived.
Coming from previous experiences of eating empanadas from Ilocos Norte, particularly in Batac, I immediately noticed a difference – the color. The Vigan Empanada has a lighter color and is much crispier. Upon inquiry with our local friends, I learned that Vigan Empanada gets its lighter color because they don’t use Achuete in the galapong (rice flour dough), unlike in Batac, where it’s colored orange.
The Vigan empanada was delicious. Its crispy dough and generous filling allowed the full flavor of the egg yolk to come through. Another distinction of Vigan Empanada is the inclusion of only the egg yolk, shredded green papaya, vegetables, meat, and longganisa. In Ilocos Norte, they put the entire egg.
I gained a deeper understanding when I got the chance to witness the preparation of the Vigan empanada firsthand. I captured everything in videos, intending to upload them to my YouTube channel soon. It was fascinating to observe how effortlessly the cook rolled the rice flour dough onto a banana leaf, adding the vegetables, meat, and egg yolk before sealing it all together.
Returning to our table, I ate all my empanada. It was both delicious and filling. Although I wanted to try another one, I was already full, especially considering we still had dinner at the hotel later that night. Yes, I know, there’s too much food, right?
Luckily, just as I finished my empanada, the Vigan Okoy arrived – a dish of fried shrimp with egg, equally crispy. I managed to eat half of it. This is where they use the remaining egg white from making empanada.
When you visit Vigan, be sure to try the Vigan empanada to enhance your experience in this heritage city. After all, exploring a place includes savoring its culinary delights, right? If you plan to explore the Ilocos region, don’t forget to try the empanada of Ilocos Norte for comparison. I did just that during this trip, tasting both the Vigan and Batac empanadas.
