For us Ilonggos, Batchoy, a noodle soup with chopped deep fried pork rind (chicharon) and pork and liver trimmings, said to have originated from our neighboring island of Iloilo specifically in La Paz district, is a snack or refreshment eaten in between meals or as a complete meal in itself during the day. It is best eaten also during rainy season maybe because it is comforting for the senses with its strong peppery and savory taste that is balanced by the addition of the tasty egg noodles and chicharon.
Usually found in hawker stalls, local eateries, established restaurants and old fashioned diners instead of prepared at home unless you know the secret to making this flavorful broth and prepared to cook it for hours, this bowl of steaming Batchoy that’s prepared by seasoned cooks and enjoyed at a place of your choosing, is a real treat.
Upon ordering, you are given the choice between Special Batchoy or Regular and the difference is not only the portion size (Special is bigger) but the Special also has the addition of a raw egg added to the piping hot broth just before serving which turns the egg translucent and slightly cooked that you could easily mix in the broth. In fancier and more modern restaurants the egg they put in is hard boiled, which, I personally do not find authentic enough maybe because I am partial to the ones we serve at my parents’ restaurants, which has been around since the 1980s, that only has runny egg.
When my husband and I visited Singapore, we had a bowl of Bak Chor Mee from Famous Eunos inside ION along Orchard Road. For me, it was reminiscent of Batchoy, with its egg noodles, richly flavored broth and meat toppings. The addition of dumplings however makes it decidedly different and it was less robust and salty. I was also missing the umami taste that our Filipino Batchoy is famous for. Eating the Bak Chor Mee though, made me wonder if the Batchoy is really an original Filipino dish or if it really has Chinese or Singaporean origins. The names are even similar and sound alike.
I may never know. What I know for sure is that, I am grateful to be living in a city where this bowl of flavorful comfort is only a few minutes away, ready to satisfy an empty stomach or a craving for the familiar and local that always comes and goes.
The Batchoy in this photo is from my father’s restaurant, Chinky’s, Araneta Ave., Bacolod City, when my mom and I had lunch there last time.
