International Street Food Festival 2016

Truffle Lechon worth for effin P350.00!!! It was really good, but the skin wasn't crispy, the serving so under-portioned.

When rumors first came out that the World Food Congress 2016 would be held in the Philippines, I got giddy, and when it was revealed that the venue would be in BGC, I had no excuse not to go. And it was amazing how the news spread like wildfire, almost everyone I knew had heard about the event, and almost all of them had intentions of going. This made me realize how much foodies there are out there. Shortly after posts of how bad the line was and how pricey the choices were, a lot of my friends backed out. But apparently, this post proves that nothing swayed me from getting my fair share of the street food feast, and a few of my friends as well.

I went Wednesday at 7pm...the line stretched for two blocks, and I had to wait in line until 8:15pm before I got it. What helped me through the ordeal of the hunger was the sound of Up Dharma Down serenading us onstage. I only wish I wasn't as hungry nor lining up outside when they were playing. Getting in was one thing, getting my food was another series of waiting, from queuing up to pay which took me about twenty minutes and another thirty in line to claim my dinner. I got fed a little over 9 o'clock with food that was the sized a bit smaller than a salad plate. The sad part was that a lot of the vendors were sold out by the time I got in the venue, so I had to settle for other options...which I didn't regret in the end. Although I must comment that the first day of the event there were a lot of confusion in the line, and there's nothing worst than waiting for twenty minutes only to be told in front of the counter that you're on the wrong line and must go to the back of the other line to claim your food or order. They did correct this with a signage when I returned on the last day though.

I went for the Satay Bee Hoon for P220. It's a Singaporean dish that is made out of beehon topped with steamed squid, prawn, spinach and tofu then ladled with heaps of peanut sauce and sided with two sticks of pork sate. The taste took me to some far-flung South East Asian town. I don't know if it was the relief or hunger, but it felt like it was the best thing I ate out of the other dishes I tried in the event. The best part I so loved in the dish was the prawn I ate...it was fresh, plum, succulent, a bit sweet and juicy...argggghh I wanted more but I refused to line again for one! That single piece of orange crustacean was the saving grace of the night. Unfortunately, it was not the same saliva-inducing dish I came back for four days after. I understand that they ran out of ingredients, and I can see the difference in toppings and taste.    

Satay Beehoon I ate on Wednesday was really good.

The Satay Beehoon I ate on Sunday tasted a lot different that it made me sad.

There's a sense of accomplishment when you reach the front of the line and get your food.

I'm not exaggerating on the line...I'm used to lining for commuting, this was a first for food.

Funny enough, I have the same shot two years ago of Army wearing the same top
and I was standing on the same side of the stage back then. UDD I love you!!!

So many media groups and personalities came to the event.

The Hoy Tord (P220) or Oyster Omelette was good, but had better in Ong Pin and Penang.

Sponsors showed their products everywhere, and the oysters were big, but I like
mine slurped out of its shell.

I wanted to try this, but I'm not a fan of fusion, so I chose not to buy it.
When food is over P200 each, there's a lot of considerations that needs to
be factored in, and this didn't make the cut for me because there is something
wrong about presenting a fusion dish in a supposedly authentic street food festival.

A lot of the shots were blurred because my brother took them.
I didn't try this Braised Zhu Hou Chicken either because it looked predictable
in taste...and I wasn't in the mood for chicken meat that night either.

Mee Siam (P280) waas one of the unusual tasting dish I tried...I wasn't a fan.
It was like spicy beehoon with a bit of sour aftertaste, but it lacked some
depth of flavor that my palette was looking for.   

Braised Duck set (P250) tasted familiar...it tasted like a duck dish from an old Chinese
restaurant with unpainted walls. You get your money's worth through the size and potions
of food being served on this one, the red paste that looked like chili wasn't spicy, it
tasted like some old secret recipe that ferments in clay jars for months.

Sticky Rice Banana being grilled on top of a banana leaf. I told my friend while
waiting in line, "I can't believe I'm doing this for a kakanin, in the end it's just
suman...I want mango with it more than saba though."

Sticky Rice Banana in Coconut Cream (P180) With long lines for dessert, we
opted for something we were willing to get in line for...I was craving for this
because it looked pretty and sounded East Asian and there was a buzz about it.
And it was really good, the coconut cream made the dish, but I still want my
mangga't suman more than the saba filling in it.

At the end of the day, I remember telling my friend that yes, it tasted good and authentic...a hit and miss for some dishes, but the prices were a rip off...seriously. Although steep price didn't keep people away, this goes to show how effective advertising can totally make you pay up. The lines were really a turn off, but at least there was a sense of camaraderie between foodies that made the experience less of a pain...everyone in the line was polite and people were sharing seats, smiling--plus what shocked me was that the counters were not checking people's claim stubs and trusted the honesty of customers announcing the number of their orders...so I don't know if the tallies were correct in the end, but I hope we leave a good impression on our invited guests after all this.