(SPOT.ph) Hailed on social media as the "stop-over park," South StrEAT Gourmand Container Park is located along Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay road, the main route for those headed up to Tagaytay. You won't miss the massive strip of containers decorated with light, bright, and pastel colors juxtaposed against punchy, angular shapes. They take inspiration from the Memphis Milano Movement, an art movement that the park deeply relates to, with its oddball taste of oblique angular patterns clashing with bold colors, and sharing the same story of reinvention.
At 1,200 square meters, South StrEAT is twice the size of its older sister in Maginhawa which makes it one of the largest street parks in the south with the widest selection of snacks, entrées, drinks, and desserts—a total of 29 food concepts! If that sounds a little overwhelming, here are 10 food finds at South StrEAT you'll want to try.
Kimori’s Spicy Tuna Temaki
Inspired by a Japanese street stall in Hong Kong, these hand-rolled sushi cones are stuffed with sushi rice, pickled mango, cucumber, and cubes of tuna in a
El Kiosko Cubano’s The Cubano
El Kiosko Cubano’s goal is to bring the flavors of Havana to Laguna, and their talent with the plancha has gifted us with their authentic Cuban sandwich (P250). Made with thick strips of ham, cheese, pickles, and mustard, on buttered, crusty bread, each bite lets out an audible crunch, and you can’t help but give out a sigh from the buttery, cheesy, and smoky marriage of flavors.
Noritaco combines Mexican cuisine with Japanese ingredients, and the Sampler (P170) lets customers get a taste of their delicious, albeit, peculiar food fusion. Mini taco triangles are heaped with different proteins—tender Angus beef, crispy chicken teriyaki, delicate strips of pork tenderloin, and generous ribbons of
Taqueria Manila’s Sisig Nachos
For P195, Taqueria Manila's Sisig Nachos combine all the pika-pika you’ll ever need while enjoying a few buckets of beer with the buds. A base of colorful tortilla chips is slathered with beans, corn, pickled jalapeños, cucumber, tomatoes, crunchy Nagaraya, and a generous helping of crispy, crispy sisig.
Malay Ko’s Beef Rendang
A tasty fusion of Filipino and Malaysian cuisine, Malay Ko serves favorites from mouthwatering, spicy laksa to creamy kaya toast. Expect the flavors of their Beef Rendang (P260) to have less of the familiar pungent heat you normally associate with Malaysian food, but is rather, more similar to a mildly spiced caldereta with a nutty aftertaste. Served with nasi goreng, it’s the best of both worlds.
#GroupHog’s Sizzling Dinakdakan
Craving something closer to home? #GroupHog’s Sizzling Dinakdakan (P200) brings a touch of Ilocano pride to the South. A mix of boiled and grilled pork swimming in a rich coconut cream with chopped spicy green chilies, then served on a sizzling plate is a sight that’ll make you a little weak in the knees.
Foxtrot and Echo’s The Emily Cheese Bomb
The folks behind Foxtrot and Echo take burgers up a notch with the Emily Cheese Bomb (P198), a delicious monstrosity of their already-hulking Emily Burger made with two thick beef patties separated with slices of cheddar cheese, and an entire jar of creamy cheese sauce (P68) for you to pour onto the bun.
Sisig Fix’s Mushroom Sisig
The Mushroom Sisig (P200) at Sisig Fix looks simple but delivers big flavor. This is served with lots of crunchy garlic for texture, a perfectly fried egg for creaminess, and chilies for those who love heat.
Tatang's Classic Lechon Belly
You don’t expect to find gobsmackingly delicious lechon belly (P200/1/4 kg, P400/1/2 kg, P800/1 kg) at a food park, but Tatang’s will be a pleasant surprise. The meat is tender and flavorful, with the lemongrass stuffing shining through, and the skin being perfectly crackly and salty, complementing its vinegar dip.
Crazytella’s Hazelnut Brownie Fudge
Personalized dessert is quite the treat, and Crazytella offers a variety of flavors, their most popular one being the Hazelnut Brownie Fudge (P160/Regular, P200/Large). Served in a Nutella jar, this decadent combination of creamy vanilla ice cream, fudgy brownie, puffy waffle, and a generous mound of fudge is also customized with your name. It looks so pretty, it deserves to go on the ‘Gram.
Photos by Jericho San Miguel