Backpacking Philippines: A Sampling of G&B Buko Pie and Pancit Cabagan in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya

A Sampling of G&B Buko Pie and Pancit Cabagan in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya

On the national highway of Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, Tutubi's driver prodded him to stop and sample the best buko pie (pie made from buco, young coconuts) in town to which he acceded to the request.

The driver parked the car in front of a small restaurant named G&B Noodle Station, with many other vehicles parked nearby, to buy a famous pasalubong of the province that even buses, on the request of passengers, stop to buy the stuff in boxes.

Sampling the buco pie, Tutubi tasted hints of cheese and milk, a recipe quite different from those sold in Laguna, particularly Los Banos' Orient Original Buko Pie but equally good.

photo of G&B buco pie. The pie is about 6 inches in diameter and 3/4" thick.

fresh buko juice to wash down the buko pie and later the pancit

Similar though to Orient Original buko pie is the so called "Original" syndrome where all buko pie vendors in Laguna now put the word "original" in their own "trademarks" to confuse buyers unaware of the authentic original. In Nueva Vizcaya, you can see buko pie vendors boarding buses selling pies with the same, almost identical, colors of G&B buko pies, the reason why at G&B, there's a sign warning unknowing people that they only sell their pies at their store and ambulant vendors boarding buses sell G&B buko pie clones are not sanctioned.

Looking at the menu plastered on the walls of the street side restaurant, the picture of pancit cabagan tickled the curiosity of Tutubi that triggered his ordering the local version of pancit that originated in Cabagan town of Isabela. Tutubi's driver told him the authentic version of Cabagan pancit comes with raw egg smothered on the wheat noodles the same way Filipinos do with sisig.

pancit cabagan in all it's goodness.

G&B's version of pancit cabagan comes with pieces of hard-boiled eggs. The pancit version is named after Cabagan town of Isabela where the noodles are made, similar to the naming of pancit bato in Bicol named after Bato town of Camarines Sur.

G&B Buko pie costs P40/box and usually bundled in boxes of three for P120.On the way to Isabela, Tutubi bought one box to sample and later bought three boxes on his way back to Manila as pasalubong.

Question: should you happen to sample both, can you give your opinion on which is the best buko pie out there? Or do you have other pies in mind?

You may visit G&B official website for history and contact telephone numbers.

How to get to G&B Noodle Station:

Commuters riding buses to/from Isabela, Tuguegarao or Banaue will just have to ask drivers and conductors to make a brief stop at the place. Oftentimes, you don't have for chances are other passengers already requested a stop-over at the place.

Labels: Cagayan Valley, Delicacies, Nueva Vizcaya, Pasalubong

posted by GingGoy @ 8:44 PM,

31 Comments:

At Aug 13, 2008, 6:24:00 AM, Unknown said...: The food looks amazing! especially the pie!
At Aug 13, 2008, 8:11:00 AM, Moms Life Blog said...: hello there, added u under my blogroll as BackpackingPhilippines:) check in there ciao!
At Aug 13, 2008, 7:20:00 PM, Toe said...: Wow, buko pie from Nueva Vizcaya? That is very interesting. Tapos, may keso pa. I love anything with coconuts. May tira pa ba? Penge! :)
At Aug 13, 2008, 10:36:00 PM, Advertiser said...: Hi! Thanks for visiting me! Have been reading and enjoy photos about the Philippines, what a beautiful country!
At Aug 14, 2008, 12:23:00 AM, Anonymous said...: OHMYGAAAHHH, tutubi! that pancit looks GREAT!!!! i am weak in the knees.
At Aug 14, 2008, 10:49:00 AM, Jasper said...: hmmm pansit cabagan and buko pie with cheese and milk. i should try these out!
At Aug 15, 2008, 4:46:00 PM, Unknown said...: oh how i miss them!but i havent known bout pancit cabagan?
At Aug 15, 2008, 10:31:00 PM, Akilez said...: Hi,

I saw your picture about the Hospital in Corregidor. One of your pic there is shadow man on the other side of the entrance. a man looking at you
At Aug 16, 2008, 5:31:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Everything is totally new to me, as I never have been in Asia. Very interesting I must say and the food looks yummy - especially the pie!
At Aug 16, 2008, 10:30:00 AM, GingGoy said...: luke, the pie actually is not good, it's great! :P

gen2507, thanks

toe, i will inquire if the owner's open to franchise arrangements :P

eunice, better if you visit us here than just pictures :

acey, naiiba nga sya. Ka-lami gyud!

jasper, i recommend it

ghee, me too. not until my driver told me about it

achilles, oh...i still remember that. already pointed out to me by my officemates

lifecruiser, you'll love it though it's far
At Aug 16, 2008, 11:52:00 PM, Anonymous said...: tutubi, great blog, as always. am in france and wanted to send you a video link of something on tv about the phil. really great. how do i do that? mikel
At Aug 17, 2008, 6:46:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Sarrrap. This makes me hungry :)
At Aug 18, 2008, 2:50:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Pancit cabagan for me please - looks delicious, fresh and healthy :-)
At Aug 18, 2008, 11:35:00 AM, Oman said...: ang sarap naman ng pansit. kaya lang kakaiba yata kasi may nilagang itlog.

sayang di ko na-try yan ng dumaan ako bagabag papunta banawe.
At Aug 18, 2008, 12:36:00 PM, Anonymous said...: The pancit looked tasty. I can feel my stomach growling na.

:D
At Aug 18, 2008, 9:08:00 PM, GingGoy said...: mikel, you may send me here: tutubi [at] backpackingphilippines dot com

bw, kakagutom nga...naiba sya

lawstude, the original pancit cabagan has raw egg on top of it and called pancit batil patung in Cabagan, Isabela where it came from

kyels, a pancit tour of the philippines is in the making :P
At Aug 19, 2008, 8:22:00 PM, Anonymous said...: thaks tutubi. sent!

mikel
At Aug 26, 2008, 6:01:00 PM, Anonymous said...: if you want to have a taste of delicious buko pies, visit Celine's Buko Pie at National Highway, Brgy. San Roque, San Rafael, Bulacan. It's equally deicious, some say, but I say, it's better and a little thicker.
At Aug 26, 2008, 6:03:00 PM, Donna said...: If you want to taste those buko pies but can't go to Nueva Vizcaya, try Celine's Buko Pie in Brgy. San Roque, San Rafael, Bulacan. It's a small store along the National Highway.

Some say it's eqaully delicious as GnB, but I say, it's better and thicker.
At Aug 26, 2008, 6:04:00 PM, Donna said...: If you want to taste those buko pies but can't go to Nueva Vizcaya, try Celine's Buko Pie in Brgy. San Roque, San Rafael, Bulacan. It's a small store along the National Highway.

Some say it's eqaully delicious as GnB, but I say, it's better and thicker.
At Aug 26, 2008, 6:06:00 PM, Donna said...: If you want to taste those buko pies but can't go to Nueva Vizcaya, try Celine's Buko Pie in Brgy. San Roque, San Rafael, Bulacan. It's a small store along the National Highway.

Some say it's eqaully delicious as GnB, but I say, it's better and thicker.
At Aug 27, 2008, 10:15:00 AM, Ruy said...: There's a pansit in the neighboring province of Cagayan called "Batil Patung" which is served with raw egg on top and raw onions. It's a unique experience.=)
At Aug 28, 2008, 10:27:00 PM, Anonymous said...: hi to! sarap! when we gonna try the pancit buko?
At Aug 29, 2008, 10:49:00 PM, GingGoy said...: donna, i'll try that buko pie in bulacan if i have the chance

ruy, i was told batil patung and pancit cabagan is one and the same when there's the raw egg. Tuguegarao even proclaimed itelf the "pancit capital of the philippines"

ate wena, nakalimutan ko na nga yun pero sige :P
At Sep 6, 2008, 1:41:00 PM, Norly Grace said...: G&B's buko pie is the best in the area! i've sampled almost all in the vicinity, and they're the yummiest. it's a best-seller everytime i give it to friends in manila for pasalubong.
At Mar 16, 2009, 11:10:00 PM, Anonymous said...: try buko G&B buko it's really delicious, once you've tasted it, im sure you'll always crave for it and will never missed to drop by to have some more...>ake
At Jul 18, 2009, 6:09:00 PM, Anonymous said...: sarap talaga ng buko pie sa G&B..d best! hi sa mga pinsan q jan..mguwi kayo dito sa cabagan..hehe
At Oct 16, 2009, 1:07:00 AM, Anonymous said...: when you go to nueva vizcaya, try to stop at grill hub garden restaurant in the town proper of bambang.the place is clean & ambience is superb. food is great!
At Feb 17, 2010, 5:25:00 PM, Anonymous said...: hi guys, i found a place here in manila, along visayas avenue infront of yellow cab pizza, you can buy a buko pie there, it's the same with g&b, it costs 50 pesos, the name of the store is DJV Special Buko Pie :D
At Feb 22, 2010, 6:16:00 PM, Anonymous said...: guys they also have stall in quezon city memorial circle, hmmm yummy taste it, i'm sure you will love it too.
At Mar 28, 2011, 11:27:00 AM, Anonymous said...: hi! G&B now has a branch in the town of Solano... it's more convenient for people not travelling... just ask the locals here

A Sampling of G&B Buko Pie and Pancit Cabagan in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya

31 Comments:

Post a Comment