The Jamboree is where all the food will be, and there is no entrance fee!
This year's World Street Food Congress is held at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Philippines. Today, April 20, is the first day of the 5-day event which features not only food, but also talks from food experts.
We headed over to the Jamboree where all the food stalls were gathered. Most of the food originated from Asia but there were also a few from America. Of course, the Philippines was well represented by a whole row of stalls!
In general, they had a system where per stall someone is assigned to get your order and give you an "order slip" for it. Then another person is assigned to collect your payment. Lastly, someone hands over your order. Some stalls also offer takeout in plastic cases.
A few minutes after opening time, there were already lines which only got longer and longer. We were able to try 5 stalls.
Bali BBQ Ribs: Warung Sunset, Indonesia
For me, this has the best value for money. At Php300, you get 5 pieces of meaty ribs. It has a hint of sweetness and spiciness different from the usual Western BBQ.
Martabak Makobar: Martabak Makobar, Indonesia
Dessert is also represented in this jamboree. This "dessert pizza" has a bibingka-pancake-like dough that was chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges. One order had 4 slices which equates to 4 different toppings. Mine had Cadbury, Kitkat, Matcha Kitkat, and Strawberry Pocky. This was then drizzled with condensed milk for a finishing touch.
Banh Xeo: BánhCăn 38, Vietnam
The mini clay pots and pans caught my attention. There were 2 "cooking stationns", one for the Ban Can and another for the Ban Xeo (crispy seafood pancake). You can choose between spicy sauce or peanut sauce for this one.
Triple Sauce Seafood Tempura: Keng Eng Kee, Singapore
This is recommended by many online sites. In one order, you can get squid rings, crispy shrimp, and crispy softshell crab plus three dips which were chili crab, black pepper and salted egg yolk sauces. The crunch combined with the three sauces identify this street food item.
Hoy Tord: NCC Catering, Thailand
The lines already got long around this time. I'm guessing office workers around the area were making a visit. This seafood omelet has a good amount of oysters in it with matching spicy sauce.
The stage is set and for tonight, Up Dharma Down is scheduled to perform.
This event is until Sunday so you still have 4 more days! Just some notes: the place can get quite cramped and hot, the lines can get very long, and the price is a little high for some items. But you will be able to try street food from different countries without having to travel far and get the hawker center vibe while you are at it. Also, maybe more seats / areas to eat would help :)
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