Taste Atlas' Top 50 World's Best Soup in 3 Consecutive Years, the Sinigang!

The Philippines' Sinigang made it again this year in the Taste Atlas' Top 50 World's Best Soup! Ranked as the World's Best Soup (Top 1) in 2021, the 7th Best in 2022 and the Top 42 in 2023, just one spot ahead of the equally famous Pinoy Soup, Bulalo that ranked as Top 43!

Halo-Halo De Iloko's Sinigang na Manok sa Sampalok at Buko

The author tasted for the first time the
Sinigang sa Sampalok at Buko in La Union!

There are a lot of versions of the Sinigang such as the Sinigang sa Sampalok (Tamarind), Bayabas (Guava), Mangga (Green Manggo), Kamias (Bilimbi) and what have you. As a popular Filipino dish next to Adobo, one might claim to have tried all the versions, but a unique sort is on the menu of the Halo-Halo de Iloko Restaurant in La union, the Sinigang na Manok sa Sampalok at Buko (Chicken Sinigang in Tamarind and Fresh Coconut Juice with Kernels), served in a big coconut shell as its soup bowl! It is similar to Aklan's Chicken Binakol that also uses coconut juice and meat in the soup but with the tangy twist of sourness from the tamarind that blends well with the sweetness of the coconut! This variation of the Sinigang is definitely a winner to deserve the title, World's Best Soup! 

I enjoyed the dish so much that I cooked my own version at home. It's also a way to celebrate the World's Best Soup, the Philippines' culinary gem and pride, our very own, Sinigang!

Coconut Juice and Kernel

Home cooked Chicken Sinigang sa Sampalok at Buko

Another specialty of the restaurant is the Okoy (Crispy, deep-fried fritters) but instead of the usual mung bean sprout (toge) and squash (kalabasa) as its base, they used sweet potatoes, making the dish a tad bit sweeter than the original recipe.

Okoy (Crispy deep fried fritter)

The Chicharong Bulaklak (Deep fried pork ruffle fat) was not as crispy as expected and the serving portion was a little disappointing. Do not be fooled by the picture below, it's a close-up shot of the dish served in a miniature kawali (wok).

Chicharong Bulaklak (Deep fried pork ruffle fat)

Another must-try when in the North is the Bagnet (Crispy fried pork belly). The Halo-Halo de Iloko's Bagnet is not the best but not bad either. However, the meager serving portion is not commensurate to its price. It should be noted too that the restaurant does not issue official receipts; the bill is only scribbled (illegibly) on a small piece of paper with the orders and corresponding prices. 

Bagnet

To complete the experience at the Halo-Halo de Iloko, one must not forget to order their Special Halo-Halo served in a coconut shell. Afterall, this is their best seller and flagship product. 

Special Halo-Halo in Coconut Shell

The interior design of the al fresco diner has a campy kind of charm with old capiz window panels hanging on one side and some on the ceiling adorned with dangling parols (lanterns). There are wood carvings of masks and carabaos on the walls, old lamps, old furnitures and other odd stuff on display. Nevertheless, the entirety is quite pleasant with a homey atmosphere.

You may also buy food and novelty items for pasalubong at the restaurant. They have T-shirts, bagnet, sukang Iloko, longganisa, chocolate de tablea and bamboo bags.