A gastronomical adventure in Nueva Ecija: A 'Biyahe Ni Drew' itinerary

It’s a common knowledge that Filipinos looooove food. We are very fond and proud of our local cuisines that are distinctly Filipino. But in Nueva Ecija, they take “distinct” to the next level with their tilapia ice cream and cow-meat longganisa, among other odd gastronomy, that you can taste nowhere else but in this province.

Nueva Ecija is also rich in history. In fact, it is one of the eight towns that first revolted against that Spaniards during the Spanish revolution. This is also where the mighty Gen. Antonio Luna was killed by his fellow Filipinos, and where the United States hosted the biggest rescue mission—also called “The Great Raid”—in the history of American military service.

Indeed, Nueva Ecija is a province that, for sure, will excite all foodies, thrillseekers, and history junkies looking for a new place to fall in love with.

How to get there

Going to Nueva Ecija should be a no-sweat trip as it’s very accessible if you’re coming from Manila. From EDSA, you just traverse through the North Luzon Expressway then go straight to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. In four hours, you’re already in the Tricycle Capital of the Philippines that’s also famous for being the country’s biggest rice granary.

Where to go and what to do

Philippine Rice Research Institute
Science City of Muñoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija
 

Nueva Ecija is called the Rice Granary of the Philippines because it harvests the largest amount of rice in the country every year. It makes sense that the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is also situated here.

When you visit PhilRice, you should definitely check out the PhilRice Museum where different kinds of rice seeds are exhibited. You can definitely see, touch, smell, and of course, even taste the many varieties of rice here, including black rice, brown rice, red rice, and the one that is most familiar to all Filipinos, the white rice!

Proving that PhilRice is serious when it comes to rice studies, they have a place called the Future Rice area where you can experience for yourself how to plant and harvest rice and vegetables, among many other produce.

However, this kind of activity doesn’t happen all-year round due to changing harvesting seasons. But if you really want to experience this, it’s best that you coordinate with PhilRice before coming over.

Philippine Carabao Center
Executive Avenue, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija
 

Proving its strong dedication to science and research, Nueva Ecija houses the Philippine Carabao Center which strengthens studies on how we can fully maximize the carabao aside from using them in farming activities.

Here, Drew Arellano learned that more than 130 carabaos are milked every day. And every month, they gather around tanks and tanks of carabao milk, which eventually translate to the production of around P500,000-worth of dairy products such as cheese, pastillas, ice cream, and more.

Various natural wonders
 

And though Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province—meaning it is situated in the middle of vast lands—that doesn’t necessarily translate to lack of aquatic wonders. In fact, the majestic Dupinga River and Gabaldon Falls & Ecopark are situated here, which you can enjoy for—wait for it—free!

Two hours away from Cabanatuan City is the beautiful Minalungao National Park. Drew says that it’s best to come here during summer as the water is bluer and the surroundings are greener by this season—perfect for a #WishYouWereHere selfie!

For bold and tough Biyaheros, why not extend the adventure-hopping by going to Middingin Falls? This is situated in the town of Carangalan, also a two-hour drive away from Cabanatuan City.

As this is an underrated, yet-to-be-discovered tourist attraction, getting to this nature wonder isn’t a walk in the park. You need to ride a 4x4-wheeler truck for about an hour just to reach the forest. Then from there, you walk for about 30 minutes amid the grassy forest and two cold rivers before you finally reach your destination. But trust Drew: the tiring walk is worth it.

Where to eat
Central Luzon State University
Science City of Muñoz, 3120, Nueva Ecija

From the many trips that he has already had, Drew says that he has already tasted all sorts of ice cream. From the common ones like the chocolate and nuts-flavored ice cream to the bizarre ones like the bacon ice cream. But when he found out that there’s a tilapia ice cream at Central Luzon State University, he simply couldn’t just believe it.

How does it taste like? Let’s ask Drew to do the talking. He explains, “May tidbits. Parang keso. Parang binudburan ng niyog—actually, tilapia bits. Shocker!”

Hotel Harvest
1179 Pio Del Pilar Street, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
 

Given that Cabanatuan City is also affectionately called as the Longganisa Capital of the Philippines, you can never go wrong with ordering longganisa meals in this city. And at Hotel Harvest, they serve only the best longganisa as well as pochero, beef veggies, and batotay, among others.

“If you’re here in Cabanatuan, taste batotay,” tips Drew. Batotay is like longganisa, but made of cow’s meat. It is processed with garlic, MSG, pepper, salt, soy sauce, and sweeteners.

Of course, Drew enjoyed eating batotay. “Mag pagkamaalat, garlicky,” he says. “I love it!”

Hapag Vicenticos
1077 Del Pilar Street, Cabanatuan City, 3100 Nueva Ecija
 

Many tourists say that a trip to Nueva Ecija isn’t complete if you haven’t eaten at Hapag Vicenticos in Cabanatuan City, a very popular restaurant that looks like an old house with a very homey feel.

Of course, Hapag Vicenticos is known not just for its old-fashioned setting but also for its mouthwatering food. When Drew got here, of course he ordered the restaurant’s bestselling meals: crispy kare-kare, fried rice, bulaklak kinilaw, chicken binakol, and crispy binagoongan.

Drew, of course, also tried out their homemade local dish. “Lahat ng inihain sa amin, panalo! Pero ang namumukod-tangi siyempre [ay] ang tortang Cabantuenyo, leche flan [made of carabao’s milk], at ang pleasant surprise [na] adobong pusit!” So if you find yourself here, you should try out these meals, too!

Carmelite Monastery
Carmel of Our Lady of Nazareth, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
 

Another product that Nueva Ecija takes pride of is their Carmel Flakes, and you can buy this nowhere else but here at Carmelite Monastery!

The Carmel Flakes are made by the hands of the Carmelite Sisters. Though for sure you would want to meet the ladies behind the sweet Carmel Flakes, they don’t normally go out as they’re not allowed to mingle with non-Carmelites due to their religious practices.

Nevertheless, their Carmel Flakes are for everybody! “Ayos ‘to. ‘Yung lasa niya, parang barquillos [at] ostia na [medyo] matamis. Swabe lang,” explains Drew.

Various pasalubong centers
 

In every out-of-town trip, it’s already a common practice among Filipino travelers to buy goodies, or locally known as “pasalubong,” for their friends and family back home. So when you go on a trip to Cabanatuan City, make sure to drop by Milka Frem and buy fresh carabao milk products, Edna’s Cake Land and try out their various specialties: cheese roll, ensaymada, and Sylvana, and Puno’s Ice Cream where you can taste Nueva Ecija’s best-tasting homegrown ice cream.

Where to stay

If you plan of staying here overnight, you will not run out of a place to stay in. “[Sa mga] probinsya, may mga hotels talaga na nage-exceed sa expectations mo. Dito sa Cabanatuan City, highly progressive city, umuusbong ang negosyo,” says Drew. “Puwede kayo mag-build ng isang magandang hotel kasi may market.”
 

You can go to Crystal Waves Resort on Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Dinarayat in Talavera which has its own swimming pools. Adults have to pay P300.00 while children can come in with a fee of 250.00.

If you’re holding an event, maybe you would prefer Sierra Madre Suites on Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road in Palayan City instead as it has a huge ballroom and other amenities that are perfect for events. If you’re on a tight budget, their single-room costs P2,700.00. But if you’re in the mood to have some #YOLO moments, why not try their Presidential Suite? Though it costs P6,500, you’re gonna feel like a pampered Biyahero when you’re here!

And if you want a nearby food-tripping, why not opt to stay at Hunter Valley in Cabu, Cabanatuan City instead? This resort is known for its crispy mushroom a la calamares and mushroom sisig! They have several villas where you can stay at. Just pay P1,215.00 per day, and you’re already in for a treat.

Of all the many available hotels and accommodations in Nueva Ecija, Drew chose to stay at Harvest Hotel at 1179 Pio Del Pilar Street in Cabanatuan City which, according to Drew, has a very homey ambiance. If you’re coming in with your lovey-dovey, you can choose their most affordable room, Standard Twin, that costs P3,600.00. But if you want to maximize your stay here without minding too much about the expenses, their Loft Suite 2 amounts to P8,000.00.

“That feel na chill [lang]. Parang bahay mo at magiging komportable ka. Sasalubong sa’yo ay flat-screen [TV], personal living area…” he says. “Feeling rich ka!”

True: Nueva Ecija is known for its many names, including Tricycle Capital of the Philippines, Rice Granary of the Philippines, and Longganisa Capital of the Philippines. But false: Nueva Ecija is all about just that.

As in our trip, we found out that Nueva Ecija can be a perfect place for foodies because of their distinctly local food that’s unique only in this province, including tilapia ice cream, batotay, tortang Cabantuenyo, and Carmel Flakes, among so many other good food. Thrill-seekers and nature-lovers will also find home here with the beauty of its waterfalls and rivers. —Juju Z. Baluyot/BMS, GMA Public Affairs

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