Colon Night Market
in
Cebu, Philippines
Work and the flurry of activities around the holidays have
always taken me North of our downtown home. So when my week
long vacation started last Wednesday, I immediately vowed
to visit the downtown street Colon with its annual Night Market
now on its 5th year. This night market is open starting 6 PM
when the whole stretch from the Metro Gaisano to the University
of the Visayas is closed to motor traffic.
I had that chance the next day Dec. 23rd. Since it was already
well into the Christmas holidays, Ive already bought and given
out my gifts. This was a purely sight-seeing paseo across downtown.
I have discovered a whole new dimension to the Night Market
with the shopping out of the way, the Food Dimension! Oooh the
many sinful delights!
I found some Kwek-Kwek stands. Kwek-kwek is hard-boiled
quail egg, dunked in a batter and then deep fried. Aside from
the grease, quail eggs are also known to be high in cholesterol.
Who cares? Thats just for starters. I also found deep fried
chicken skin in cute little brown paper packets. A little vinegar
for the acid and hanging rice – puso, and you have yourself a
quick snack.
To my delight I saw piles upon piles of sa-ang, a shellfish,
which is one of my favorites. There are a lot of ways
people cook this delicacy so they get the meat out of the shell.
You see, if you overcook it, the meat will become tough and curl
up so far into the shell that you wont have any chance of
prying it out. Some say to blanch it using brine, some say to
use actual seawater, some even use Sprite, some heat the
shell on hot coals. If you cook it right, the meat will be just
right and will come out just enough for you to pull it out.
For this guy, he says he blanches them, but obviously,
he had to use a hammer to break the shell.
The perennial barbeque grills were there but to my delight
they now serve grilled seafood too! Like these fat slices
of White Marlin @P60!
And for dessert, there is always the Sorbetero with his ice
cream cart. Finding this guy at the end of the food stretch
brought back memories of my childhood days and hot
summer afternoons.
What pleasant surprises has Colon brought you lately?
Please do share, I would love to hear about them.