Noodling around Tuguegarao to find where to get the best Pancit Batil Patong in its birthplace will spawn countless answers.
That’s because almost every square kilometer in Cagayan’s capital is home to at least one panciteria, each with its own variation of the famed noodle dish.
Maybe it all comes down to a matter of subjective preference, but for local tourism officials, the answer was objectively Eva’s Panciteria.
Also known as Annafunan Panciteria or Eva’s Food House, the establishment has made a name among Tuguegareños for its “clean, delicious” take on Batil Patong.
The dish’s name refers to its cooking process: “batil” for the carabeef and pork bone broth that is whisked or beaten with the drippings from its poached egg, and “patong” for the generous toppings that consist of seasoned meat cuts like carabeef and pork liver.
Eva’s fresh miki noodles, made in-house daily only in portions that it can sell to ensure consistent quality, are allowed to absorb some of the broth.
The finished product is the meat, vegetable, and egg-topped noodle dish served with a side of its soup, and a saucer of chopped onions and calamansi—which are further mixed with soy sauce.
Diners may opt to pour the soup over the noodles for added flavoring, or drink it alongside mouthfuls of the Batil Patong.
According to Evangeline Cagurangan, the eponymous Eva of the food house owned by her husband, Leo, they established their business 12 years ago.
Her original recipe only involved carabeef and pork liver. Eventually, they adopted vegetables and other toppings, such as carajay (crispy pork belly), which is more typically associated with the rival noodle dish Pancit Cabagan in Isabela to the south.
Eva’s most basic “Regular” menu item costs P120 while their most expensive “Super Special” offering sells for P180. The former consists only of carabeef and pork liver as toppings, while the latter also includes carajay, shanghai, and chicharon bulaklak.
Regardless which version one chooses, first-timers will definitely be surprised by the unique taste of Batil Patong and more so, its large portion size and generous toppings.
What could be mistaken as good for two to three people is actually only one plate designed for a single person’s consumption.
Beyond the quality and quantity of Eva’s Batil Patong, it is probably their recipe’s representativeness of the whole of Tuguegarao’s specialty that keeps locals and outsiders alike coming back for more.
You won’t need to order seconds with that portion size, but you will surely return with an appetite just as excited the second time around.
