There is absolutely no argument, Jomar’s has the best pancit batil patong in Tuguegarao, but we were tipped off that it has another branch near the city’s Buntun Bridge; a branch of sort anyways, Jasmine-Jomar’s Panciteria. With our obsession with this noodle dish at fever pitch, we hailed a tricycle one afternoon and decided to check it out for ourselves.

BUNTUN BRIDGE IN TUGUEGARAO

We timed our visit right before sunset, might as well take some photos of Buntun Bridge, the longest bridge this side of the Philippines, along the way. We looked for a way down the banks of Cagayan River, hoping to find a nice spot to pass the time and ready our tummies for another bout of pancit batil patong.

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I became obsessed with pancit batil patong after trying out a plate at a roadside panciteria in Tuguegarao City a couple of years back. I’ve scoured Manila since then, trying to find that perfect eatery that serves the same pancit dish. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Looking for a restaurant selling one was hard enough, finding one that has the same legit flavor as those in Tuguegarao was nearly impossible.

INSIDE JOMAR’S PANCIT BATIL PATONG IN TUGUEGARAO

After several restaurants, I thought I finally found the perfect one at Jibs Pancit Batil Patung in Manila. My taste buds thought it has that same zest as those in Tuguegarao City—where this particular noodle dish came from. But during my recent trip to this city up north, I tried out the pancit being offered at Jomar’s Pancit Batil Patung, and realized I thought wrong.

► CHECK OUT: PANCIT BATIL PATONG IN METRO MANILA

It was literally along the street of Tuguegarao City where I first had my taste of the region’s famous pancit batil patong noodle dish.

We arrived in the city’s downtown area around eight in the evening. We bought a few cans of Red Horse from a grocery store and before going back at Pensione Joselina (now Hotel Joselina Tuguegarao), where we were staying, we passed a makeshift, hawker-style eatery set along one of the main avenues of the city. And since it looked quite popular with the locals, we decided to try it out for ourselves.

The rest, as they say is history.

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EVENINGS AT TUGUEGARAO CITY

During our recent visit to Tuguegarao City, we were determined to find this guerilla-type pancit batil patong stall again, not only to relive that first moment where I tasted my now ultimate favorite noodle dish in the country, but also to have another taste of their offerings.

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I tasted my first pancit batil patong dish the night before at a guerilla-type roadside eatery along Bonifacio Street near Hotel Joselina Tuguegarao, where we were staying. I was instantly hooked.

This was about two years ago and it was my first time to visit Tuguegarao City. The next morning, we hunted for a proper panciteria, asking locals as we went along. They were all saying the same thing, go to the Tuguegarao Cathedral, there’s one along its left wing. We followed their advice and we found Ed’s Panciteria (amazingly, it was just across Jomar’s Panciteria, which would later become our favorite pancit batil patong restaurant).

INSIDE ED’S PANCITERIA’S SIMPLE INTERIORS

It was basically a shack with a bare ceiling, unfinished floor with a few plastic chairs and makeshift tables. The thing that made us decide to eat there was the number of locals having their fill of their noodles, a good indication that this place serves a mean dish.

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