In the streets of Tisa, Cebu City lies a variety of food options, most of which are local, but the most popular food that Tisa has to offer is their siomai; so popular that “Siomai sa Tisa” has become a selling point for siomai vendors all over Cebu provinces. Most food places that offer siomai advertise it to be from Tisa, even outside the barangay of Tisa and sometimes even if it’s not from Tisa. To really taste the authentic Siomai sa Tisa, we went to Tisa itself.
In the specific street where the authentic Siomai sa Tisa originated, there was quite the crowd. You know that it’s authentic street food if people are actually eating on the streets and sure enough, tables on the sidewalks were occupied with people dining.
There were a lot of options on where to eat siomai, most of them advertised to be “walay tugpahay”, which literally means “not landing on the ground” implying that they never rest since they are open 24/7. The place we ate in also has other Filipino street food options aside from of course, the steaming hot siomai that they serve.
Siomai is a Chinese dumpling that made its way to Filipino tables and added with Filipino twists, it became a favorite. The siomai we ordered was really good, especially because it had more filling than the wrapper. It was also economical, costing as low as eight pesos per piece.
We ate at the downstairs area which had a few tables and chairs and paired our late night snack (or meal) with a classic Mountain Dew.
It was great to visit Tisa, it gave me reassurance that I was eating the authentic Siomai sa Tisa. As authentic as the food is, the authenticity of the environment is also appealing. Some things about it just makes it so Cebuano like pairing siomai with hanging rice and using plastic as gloves. It is definitely not perfect and I think it needs improvement in its sanitation. However, I was ready to put my concerns aside and it wouldn’t kill me anyway.
Filipino street food holds a special place in my heart, especially siomai. Siomai is a staple for Filipino college kids making it through another day. From being the most economical lunch option in college to a late night snack craving, it will always make its way to somehow be a part of my life and I don’t think I would ever feel indifferent to its taste.
Despite being heavily influenced by other countries, Filipino food culture is very rich. I’m very happy to write a little bit about Filipino food and to share my experience. Thank you for reading through and I hope you enjoyed it!