FISHBALL
A kariton in the Philippines is a unique cart made with wood and other scraps. Usually, the man pushing this kariton sells fishballs, kikiam and nowadays kwek kwek as well.
Fishballs are fish cakes, made with fish filet and flour molded into balls. Kikiam are meat rolls and kwek kweks are boiled quail eggs coated with a buttermilk tempura mix. All are dumped into a wok of hot oil. People lure in for tusok tusok (picking either/or with a skewer stick) then dipping it into sweet, vinegar and/or chili sauce.
In the Philippines you’ll find the fishball kariton by malls, by public transportations, but specifically outside schools. Students often go for a quick merienda (snack) that fits their budget.
“Let’s make tusok-tusok the fish balls”
TAHO
Taho, a cup of happiness. This is a classic sweet snack in the Philippines made with silken tofu, sago or tapioca pearls, and a simple brown sugar syrup mix.
Freshly made each morning, served warm for breakfast or cold for merienda (snack) at any given time of the day.
In the Philippines, usually a man holding a stick over his shoulder that carries two tin buckets filled with taho, walks around screaming “taho!”, for people to come running out of their homes only to bring this comfort food back to their homes to enjoy.
ISAWAN
Starting in the middle to late afternoon, you’ll smell the charcoal being lit and you’ll know it’s time for your snack.
Barbecue in the philippines is nothing compared to the usual barbecue we all know of. While we have the normal ones like pork and chicken skewers, we also have more to offer, and most of it are a delicacy for non-Filipinos.
All these barbecue types are skewered into a bamboo stick, grilled in charcoal and served with a spiced vinegar.
BALUT PENOY CHICHARON
Amongst the many Filipino street vendors, the chicharon and balut vendor is an iconic one. You’ll see them mostly sell on the streets, by bus stations and other public transportation centers in the Philippines, as these are great to-go snacks.
Chicharon is deep fried pork skin. As many know this as pork rinds. Often served with vinegar to give it a little kick to its crunchiness.
Balut is a fertilized duck egg sold boiled with a hard white part, yolk, sabao (juice/broth from the protein) and the cooked semi-developed embryo with a pinch of salt over it. This is a filipino delicacy.
Penoy is also a duck egg but without the fertilized duck in it. Street vendors usually sell the penoy and balut together.
ICE CANDY
ice candy is one of the most favorite summer treats of Filipinos. It is a frozen juice (or smoothie) in a plastic-like popsicle.
In the Philippines, ice candies come in many different flavors. Most common ones are mango, buko (coconut), avocado, melon, ube and chocolate.
BINATOG
Who remembers in their childhood days, the shouting of "Binatoooggg" while manong is ringing his bell, the sound meant that a Binatog vendor is riding a bike and roaming around the streets to attract people who crave it.
the binatog vendor usually riding a bike, has two covered buckets attached in the back: one containing the binatog, while the other carrying the condiments like grated coconut, sugar, salt, etc.
Binatog is another go-to street food “meryenda”. It is boiled white corn kernels, then topped with either sugar, or salt (sometimes both) and a handful amount of grated coconut.
MANGGA BAGOONG
There are many classic food pairings around the world such as tomatoes and basil, bread and butter, chips and salsa, etc.; but for the Filipino people, there is this one that just sticks out the most —green mangoes and bagoong (shrimp paste).
Mangga (mango) with “bagoong” is a go-to snacks of Filipinos. “Bagoong” is a Pinoy-style shrimp paste that has a distinct funk to it that many Filipinos are drawn to. It can be cooked in many ways and can leave a salty, sweet, tasty and very funky flavor in your palate.
Hardly a recipe at all, this snack item is worth the share due to its popularity in the Philippines as well as its uniqueness especially with non-Filipinos. It is found everywhere placed in water filled glass jars where the streets are most crowded with street food.
SORBETERO
"Dirty Ice cream", as we call it in the Philippines is often sold in colorful Sorbetes carts which roam the streets and neighborhoods all summer—this means all year round if we take into account the country's average temperature which ranges from 70 F to 90 F.
“So why’s it ‘dirty’? Well, it’s usually street food since we live in a third world country, with all the implications that come with that. Some say that the name was spread by mothers trying to scare their kids away, but it didn’t stop them either way. (sidenote: our ice cream is perfectly sanitary.)
Since it's almost "tag-init" or summer for most of the year, Dirty ice cream is one of the most sought-after street side snacks. The most common flavors are Ube, Mango, Cheese (Quezo), Mais (Corn), Macapuno (Coconut), Tsokolate (Chocolate) and Abokado (Avocado). Fun fact, flavors are most enjoyed when you mix and match them.
One is alerted of an approaching two-wheeled Sorbetes cart when a handbell is sounded by the "Sorbetero" or the Dirty ice cream vendor. The kids and adults will then come running to buy and enjoy it either in a cone, cup, or "monay" (bread) sandwich.