Brief History of Pancit Cabagan
Not many are aware that the renowned “pancit Cabagan” actually originated from an Ibanag town in Isabela province which is called “Cabagan” (located in the northern part of Isabela).
According to www.atbp.ph, pancit Cabagan is of Chinese origin. With the uncited research that it used, it said that a Chinese trader who landed in Aparri, Cagayan, introduced pancit in Cabagan, Isabela in the early 20th Century. This merchant was known to be Sia Liang, or locally known as Dianga. He married a Filipina named Augustina Deray Laddaran, who established a pancitera in Cabagan during the pre-war period. Later on, when one of Dianga’s workers learned and mastered the production of the “miki” (uncooked noodles), he then put up his own pancitera which has also paved the way for other locals to put up their own restaurants, and eventually lead to the innovation of different versions of the dish. For starters, one of the most famous panciteras in Isabela that serves one of the best versions is Felicita’s, which, of course, is from Cabagan town – that is to say, they have already branched out in most parts of Isabela, and in other provinces.
Now that you know this, take note also that there are several pasalubong stalls along the national highways of Isabela and other parts of Quirino province that sell freshly made authentic Cabagan miki which are mainly bought by avid pancit lovers who, maybe, are bound north or traveling south of Cagayan Valley. For what it’s worth, I consider it as a crowning glory of my long trips because not many are able to make an authentic homemade Cabagan miki to start with.
Though there is no actual study that would find out how popular pancit Cabagan is, its popularity could be likened to some Pinoy pancits that have made their way to the menus of small-scale restaurants in the different parts of Luzon, or in the country. In Nueva Vizcaya alone – where there is a sizeable number of Isabelino migrants – small restaurants or carinderias (whether owned by an Isabelino or not) have already considered pancit Cabagan as a must-have because of its popularity to pancit lovers and distinct tempting taste among other variations of pancit i.e. lomi, Malabon, canton, miki guisado, bihon guisado, batil patong (a derivative of pancit Cabagan) etc. It is also interesting to note that most of the pancit lovers nowadays are more accustomed to just simply saying “Cabagan” in reference to pancit Cabagan (and that’s how it’s going to be for the entirety of this article)
Since some carinderias are sensitive to the budget of their customers, Cabagans are often categorically enlisted as regular or special – with a price gap of P10 – P15 – so that some pancit lovers can still get a taste of a decent Cabagan without hurting their pockets, or lest they are on a strict diet.
But just how do these restaurants and/or carinderias give justice to an “authentic” pancit Cabagan?
Before I give you my TOP THREE (3) list, I just want to share a brief description of an authentic Cabagan miki: just imagine a strand of thin noodles which is made out of flour, some leavening agents, and salt. FYI, a fresh Cabagan miki only lasts for four to five days before it gets stale. So, when you decide to set it aside for a couple of days, make sure to spread it across a clean and plain surface (preferably woven round platter a.k.a. bilao, or manila paper) and make sure to mix it once in a while in order to expose all the strands especially those from beneath the spread, or else it will spoil even before the prescribed shelf life – in Iloco, we call that unfortunate unbecoming of a miki as “naalunguup.” Anyway, it may look too brittle that it’s a bit frightening to rake it in bare hands, but don’t let it fool your eyes. While the strands become firm that it feels crispy, the quality will go back to being soft as you mix them gently. Magic!
screengrab from youtube.com: coconutstv channel
Click here to read Cabagan's traditional recipe as told by my reliable source who was born and raised in the Ibanag town of San Pablo, Isabela (a town away from Cabagan). If you have read the recipe, you will notice that there’s no secret ingredient. And because of that, several carinderias have thrived on the luxury of cooking their own version by adding chicharong baboy, sautéed ground beef, more veggies and whatnot. I don’t really feel bad about this heavy loading of extra ingredients. Personally, I just don’t like veggies on my pancit Cabagan, that’s all.
By the way, the Cabagan noodles that you get from the market which look wet, “plasticky” and “yellow” are unauthentic. I hate to put those innocent and noble vendors on-the-spot, but at least now, you know. I could only assume that these types of noodles being sold elsewhere are already added with food coloring and some sort of preservatives.
So, upon tirelessly searching for the holy grail of Cabagan within central Nueva Vizcaya (Solano, Bayombong and Bambang), I have come up with my own TOP THREE (3) list of restaurants or carinderias which were able to cook convincing versions, and one that gallantly boasts on an extremely gastronomical wonder version of a Cabagan.
The list contains all “special” versions of Cabagan, and that I have included the price, the list of ingredients, and my own rating (5 Stars as the highest) which is based on the price, waiting time, hmmm-Factor (over-all appeal), freshness/authenticity of the Cabagan miki, and of course, the Cabagan broth – the soup with which the Cabagan miki was cooked and saturated on, and is actually served automatically along with the Cabagan without extra charge and without even asking for it.
TOP 3 – Kuya Sidney’s
Located at Abbacan St., Poblacion North, Solano, Nueva Vizcaya (behind PNP-Solano)
Hours of operation: 8:00am – 8:00pm, Sunday to Saturday
Cabagan Price: P100.00 (KSP Overload, short for Kuya Sidney’s Pancit Overload)
Waiting time: 5 mins (No queue of orders)
Rating: *** 1/2
Ingredients:
Authentic Cabagan miki
Veggies (Cabbage, carrots, Baguio beans)
Boiled quail eggs
Chicharong baboy
Lechong karahay (fried pork belly)
Pork strips
Pork liver
Ground beef
Served w/ separate Cabagan broth
It's a love at first sight! The entire plate is generously mixed with veggies and proteins which give justice to your “one shen” (100 pesos). So, if you have an XL appetite, like me, then you might want to order this over the “Todo Toppings” version that they serve for P90.
The Cabagan broth is bland, which is kind of expected. Indeed, the chef gives the customers the freedom to come up with their own “fix-mix” that would best fit their taste buds. Obviously, the most common mix is the toyo-mansi-onion, but at times when calamansi is not available, one would be doomed to use vinegar as an alternative acid, and those who want it spicy would want to add red hot chili peppers; or others would look for chili-oil (garlic-sautéed chili) as their condiment of choice – it actually depends on what’s available at the moment. Anyway, after adding my fix to the bland broth, it was as if I have unlocked the door to the room where the fresh Cabagan miki is being manufactured. I could taste the floury pinch just from the broth alone.
So, why only three and a half stars after being satisfied with the broth? Well, I was too drowned with the added ingredients that I was orphaned by the Cabagan miki. I was expecting too much from the “Overload” mentality that I could swim over a plate of Cabagan miki while seeking temporary refuge from the toppings and garnish, but my tables were turned. The explosive taste of the veggies, chicharong Baboy, lechong karahay, pork liver and pork strips overpowered the distinct taste of the Cabagan miki. This time, I could care less about the broth because I was too focused on digging the plate for a karat of the Cabagan pinch.
Now, is it still a good treat? For me, yes. I still don’t want to discount the fact that the KSP Overload is based on an authentic Cabagan miki, and in fairness to the toppings, they could well independently stand on their own because they were all carefully cooked and salted just enough which makes a careless fix-mix less imperative. That is to say, you could almost ask for rice because of the tempting and sinful taste, smell and look of the toppings that may work best with a lazy steamed rice. And again, I don’t like veggies on my Cabagan.
TOP 2 – A.R Pancitan
Located at Rizal Blvd, Brgy. Banggot, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya (two blocks away from Saint Catherine School)
Hours of operation: 6:30am – 7:00pm Sunday to Saturday
Cabagan Price: P60.00 (Super Special)
Waiting time: 15mins (full house)
Rating: ****
Ingredients:
Authentic Cabagan miki
Lechong karahay (fried pork belly)
Veggies (Cabbage, carrots)
Boiled egg
Crispy fried minced garlic
Served w/ separate Cabagan broth
First, I was happy that they would instantly give you a saucer of chopped white onions to experiment on your fix-mix (as well as Kuya Sidney’s). As a pancit lover, or Cabagan for that matter, it’s already part of my DNA to mix fresh onions (white or red) on my fix for an extra kick.
This time, the broth looks far darker and concentrated than the rest of my other top picks. Without so much assumption on what condiment was used, I just trusted the dish and tasted it to find out. And… it was bland. Like Kuya Sidney’s, it hides within the broth the rich and floury taste of the Cabagan miki once the fix is added.
BINGO! I finally felt the euphoria I was longing for because our main character was given the floor to shine. At last, I felt the hmmm-factor from A.R’s version. The lechong karahay cuts are just enough for me to feel that what I’m eating is actually special. The karahay cuts are too succulent and tasty that every time I chew half a spoonful of it, I instinctively exchange it with two spoonful helping of the Cabagan miki, which is unarguably authentic. The veggies are undoubtedly cooked and salted just enough to reveal their taste. The medium-rare cabbage will leave you wanting for more because of its crispiness. I still don’t like veggies on my Cabagan.
So, four stars. Why? Read back on the list of ingredients. I was totally alarmed by the crispy fried minced garlic garnish. Maybe I’m just too ignorant to appreciate fried garlic on a pancit, but I’d rather expect to see caramelized onion instead of fried garlic. So, that’s what cost the star.
Nonetheless, I’m still amazed that the simplicity of A.R’s Cabagan recipe could satisfy your crave for just P60. No wonder why there was a long queue of orders when I arrived, and many more were coming in when I left.
But wait ‘till you meet my CHAMPION.
TOP 1 – Jojo’s Pancitan at Kainan
Located at Zulueta St., Purok 3, Brgy. Salvacion, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (a block away from the "boulevard")
Cabagan Price: P80.00 (SUPREME OVERLOAD – Good for 2)
Waiting time: 5-8 mins (long queue of orders)
Rating: *****
Ingredients:
Authentic Cabagan miki
Lechong karahay
Igado (exclusively pork liver)
Veggies (carrots, Baguio beans) and Spring onions
2 medium-rare poached eggs
Served w/ beef broth
Chicharong baboy
It was such a neat trick to serve the Cabagan that is drenched in its own broth then served with a separate beef broth. This way, you could either sip the beef broth as your side soup and/or pour it onto the plate to smother the fresh Cabagan with it.
All my expectations were not only met, they were even exceeded by Jojo’s! I could hear my plate talking to me, taunting me to keep on scouring the bowl of the steamy Cabagan and see how tenderly and evenly it was cooked. It put me under a spell of submissiveness that I forgot I was on a strict diet. (But I had to be honest in my blog, so I had to eat!) The succulence of authentic Cabagan miki exploded in my mouth, boastfully unravelling its superiority over my inquisitive mind. The poached eggs, igado, lechong karahay and the timidly present veggies were very pleasantly cooked, thus complementing the tastiness of the Cabagan miki. I daresay that I was fortunate to have been to Jojo’s for this great version of the Cabagan. I rarely feel full and satisfied at the same time, and Jojo’s was successful enough in giving me that kind of pleasure. Price wise, you will never feel dismayed for spending less than a hundred pesos because their Cabagan will just slap you in the face with their VERY AFFORDABLE, authentic and scrumptious version.
Indeed, Jojo’s Supreme Overload brought me into a higher notch of my quest in search of the best Cabagan in town, or in the province for that matter. Jojo’s was indeed a game-changer. I’ll give it six stars if I had to.
If you have read my side story, you would realize that other expensive dish which are labeled “special” are just overly priced but would never leave you with a “happy-tummy.” Take note, Jojo’s Supreme Overload is just for P80.00, but if you decide to eat it alone, you’ll just end up in a food coma, so I suggest that you take the “Overload” version instead, anyway, it’s just for P50.00!
There are times when we don’t get exactly what we want, especially if we talk about food, and bashers would just easily tell you: “Eh, ‘di magluto ka ng sarili mong version!” (Then, just cook your own version!) No pun intended. Frankly speaking, isn’t that the reason why you get different versions of a single dish anywhere you go? That we all have our own unique and creative way of innovating a famous dish? Even a simple and innocent pork adobo has been and still being recreated several times which makes a few restaurants take pride on their own version in order to establish a thick percentage of patrons who are coming back religiously as if they were under a spell. But regardless how a simple dish can be transformed magically, food pornographers should always look for the dish that could bring them home.
Finally, take note that this list is limited to the small-scale restaurants within central Nueva Vizcaya which are easily accessible to the public, and which serve decent pancit Cabagan at a reasonable price. I may have missed out some locally popular carinderias that serve “the best Cabagan in town,” so feel free to leave your comments below for the readers to know where they could be lost in their seats just by eating pancit Cabagan.
N.B. I’ve also tried the Cabagan of: Engie’s (Bayombong), C Leah’s (Bayombong), Cashel’s Pancit Republic (Bayombong), Patrick’s Pancitan (Bayombong)