Some people travel for sightseeing and adventure. Others prefer to focus on the food.

For foodies, travel revolves around sampling delicacies you can only find in a particular place, immersing in local culinary experiences, patronizing homegrown cafes and finding the best pasalubong you can bring back home.

For those going to Nueva Ecija, here are just a few of the unique dishes you can find there.

1. Tilapia ice cream

Tired of the usual rocky road and vanilla ice cream? How about a nice big helping of tilapia ice cream? Daerry’s novelty ice cream is one of the products of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), developed as a response to the challenge to make use of tilapia, a type of freshwater fish. Ingredients include all-purpose cream, condensed and fresh carabao's milk, chopped walnut and diced cheese, as well as steamed tilapia flakes!

Though the flavor may sound bizarre at first, it’s actually pretty good. The tilapia ice cream doesn’t smell or taste too fishy. It’s mostly sweet, with just a subtle trace of fish in between the thick texture of cheee and chunky walknut bits.

Where to try it: College of Home Science and Industry, CLSU, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija

2. Puno's Ice Cream & Sherbet

If tilapia ice cream is a bit too much for you, don’t worry. There are other tamer ice cream flavors out there. If you’re passing by Cabanatuan, be sure to try ice cream from Puno Ice Cream and Sherbet, the top homegrown ice cream brand which has been offering frozen treats to Novo Ecijanos for around six decades.

Bestsellers include Cheese Cashew Macapuno ice cream and Buko sherbet with lychees. They also have other flavors including Ube Cheese, Strawberry, Fruit Salad, Cookies and Cream, Corn Queso, Chocolate with Cashew and Langka Cheese Cashew.

Where to try it: Puno’s Ice Cream, Maharlika Highway, Bitas, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

3. Pinapaitang kambing with alibangbang leaves

Pinapaitan is an Ilocano native delicacy composed mainly of goat innards or internal organs such as liver, intestines, heart and others. In Nueva Ecija, a local version involves cooking the broth in alibangbang or butterfly leaves, a souring agent similar to tamarind leaves. The result is not as sour as the traditional Ilocano papaitan that makes use of bile, but tastes closer to sinampalukan.

This was one of the dishes served during a special catered lunch at Minalungao National Park, along with other interesting side dishes like ensaladang labanos (pickled radish salad), biya (goby) and ulang (crayfish).

Where to try it: Minalungao National Park, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija

4. Boodle fight

The military style of eating where food is prepared on a long table for people to eat with bare hands has become a culinary experience it itself, especially for city folk and balikbayans who have never tried it. Viands and rice are usually arranged on top of banana leaves for diners to choose from and eat with their bare hands.

Meals like these, which usually consist of grilled meat, fish, local vegetables, salted duck egg, and pancit, are best for big groups.

Where to try it: Crystal Wave Resort, Talavera, Nueva Ecija

5. Local kakanin

Since it’s the “rice granary of the Philippines,” you can expect that kakanin (native delicacies made from rice and root vegetables) is popular in the province. Instead of simply eating it, you can make your experience more unique by learning how to make it yourself.

PMP Paradise Farms offers culinary tours where visitors can try making palitaw and nilupak among others. Palitaw is a small, sweet rice cake made from rice flour and water. The treats are sprinkled with sugar, coconut, and sesame seeds before serving. Nilupak is another delicacy made from either mashed cassava, sweet potatoes or cardaba bananas wrapped in banana leaves and served with margarine.

Where to try it: PMP Paradise Farm, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija

6. Batotay and Cabanatuan longganisa

Every province seems to have its own version of longganisa and Nueva Ecija is no exception. For breakfast, be sure to try Cabanatuan garlic longganisa, a very savory variant of the well-loved sausage typically made of ground pork and spices.

If you prefer your longganisa on the sweet side, try batotay, a beef-based longganisa coated with a distinctive sweet sauce. You can also pass by the wet market to buy strings of longganisa to take home.

Where to try it: The Harvest Hotel. 1179 Pio del Pilar Street, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

7. Bangus spaghetti

Chanos Chanos is a local family-run food stall that started serving baked bangus to their patrons in 2015 and opened their second branch in 2017. To encourage kids to eat more fish, they developed recipes that use bangus instead of meat, including spaghetti, nachos and sisig.

Chanos Chanos' spaghetti uses bangus flakes with a creamy tomato sauce, resulting in a healthier yet still delicious family favorite. Seating is limited in their branch along Maharlika Highway, but it’s good for a quick road trip stop since they’re located near a gas station. Chanos Chanos can deliver trays and usually caters to large groups and events at the PhilRice Institute.

Where to try it: Chanos Chanos, Maharlika Highway cor. Bayuga Street, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija

8. Buko lumpia

For coffee and milk tea lovers who want something modern and fresh, check out Caffe La Tea, the homegrown tea and coffee hangout in Cabanatuan City. Aside from serving mouth-watering beverages (like Dark Choco Rock, Salt and Cheese), they also serve appetizers, pasta, sandwiches and Pinoy rice toppings (try the Cabanatuan longganisa rice). One of the more unique items in the menu is Chiz Buco Lumpia, a regular lumpia filled with strips of coconut, veggies, ham and cheese. The spicy Deviled Tofu is also a must-try!

Where to try it: Caffe La Tea, Robisons/NE Pacific Branch, KM. III Maharlika Highway, Cabantuan City, Nueva Ecija

9. Carabao's milk dairy products

While most people are very familiar with cow’s milk, milk from carabao or water buffaloes are popular here. Carabao's milk is said to be richer and creamier compared to cow's and goat's milk because of its high percentage of milk fat.

Tourists can buy fresh carabao's milk and dairy products from Milka Krem, the dairy products outlet of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in Munoz. Their innovative products include carabao mozzarella cheese, kesong puti, cream cheese, premium ice cream, flavored yogurt, and pastillas de leche.

Where to try it: Milka Krem, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija.

The author was a media participant in Lakbay Norte 6, a media tour organized by North Philippines Visitors Bureau in partnership with Manila North Tollways Corporation/NLEX-SCTEX, Victory Liner, Inc., and the Nueva Ecija Convention and Visitors Bureau.**

Tilapia ice cream

Source : https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/03/05/17/9-unique-eats-in-nueva-ecija

Image source : https://coconuts.co/manila/news/your-next-food-adventure-tilapia-ice-cream/