In a Filipino home setting, the type of dishes that are typically  served is greatly influenced not only by the parents preference but is mainly on where the mother or the father grew up or was originally based.  We take pride by the fact that every region or provinces of these country has their own type of dishes or cuisines to be proud of.

One great example is the Ilocano dish.  Ilocanos has a lot of amazing dishes to offer. One must not be limited to Pinakbet and Pinapaitan when it comes to Ilocano cuisine. Unknown to the many, Ilocos is one giant melting pot of great food.

But one does not need to travel far down north, in order to satisfy your cravings. Just an hour or so and you will land at Lilac St. Marikina where Manganen Bagnet House is.

One must think that this restaurant is fancy and expensive judging by the way it looks from the outside. But upon stepping in, you will undeniably feel transported to Vigan or Ilocos where wooden furnitures and brick walls is apparently not a thing of the past.

Sheila, one of the owner and whose managing the restaurant full time wanted to highlight Ilocos’s famous dish – Bagnet. So they came up with their own Balai Bagnet, it’s a house-made bagnet which they only use the pork belly and they’re not using any other parts of the pig unlike the usual bagnet from Vigan that uses all parts.

But for those who opts for the well-known Vigan Bagnet, they also have it for those die-hard fans of this amazing dish.

Dinakdakan – first dishes of Manganen Bagnet House that I tried. I rarely see this item on the menu of a Filipino restaurant so when I saw it on their menu, I just couldn’t pass the chance to try it. With its sweet, sour and mildly spicy taste, this dish has captured my heart and of course, my tummy. It clearly became my instant favorite.

Bagnet Kare Kare – clearly this one is a killer too. Imagine, combining two of the well-known and best tasting dishes, Kare-Kare and Bagnet. You will surely empty the bowl in no time.

Poqui-poqui – This dish sounds funny and is not really known for many. But don’t be deceive by how it sounds but rather focus on how it tastes. Because this one packs a different twist to your typical eggplant recipe.

Bicol Express Bagnet – the famous Bicol dish made with a twist. They used bagnet instead of the normal pork ingredient. They also made sure that they’re using freshly made coconut juice and not the powder ones sold in the groceries. Thus, creating a very appetizing dish. If you’re wondering how spicy this is, I must say it’s just with the right amount of spiciness, if you’re looking for the burn your tongue and taste buds kind of hotness, you will need to get it from the south region where it’s a known delicacy.

Tuguegarao Longganisa -a typical Ilocano breakfast would always include a Longganisa, but Sheila made us taste the Tuguegarao which is simply her favorite. Mainly because of its meatiness and delectable taste. It’s still with it’s famous garlicky taste but not too overpowering.

Ilocanos are famous for making their Halayang Ube so we definitely tried Manganen’s version of this. We love how creamy and delicous it is, yet it’s not too sweet.

They also served us their Benguet Pressed Cofffee which was a delight because I feel like I was in Baguio when sipping it. The aroma and taste was so amazing.

For those who can’t go by without condiments, they have all the Ilocos inspired condiments at your disposal.

We simply enjoyed our Manganen Bagnet experience because of the very good food served, great Ilocos vibe and very accommodating owner with her staff who assisted all thoroughout with a smile on their face.

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Manganen Bagnet House
Address: 116 Lilac Street, SSS Village,Concepcion Dos, Marikina City
Contact Number: 02 2469069 ext:185
Store Hours: Mondays to Thursdays – 11AM to 10PM and Fridays to Sundays – 11AM to 11PM