Food, Kiosks and Stalls

The Prohibited Taste of the Streets, Part 1: Street calamares at Marcos Alvarez

It’s undeniable that some people are biased against street food. For one, it may be an instant source of hepa (read: a disease acquired from the orgy of germs in underprocessed street delicacies topped with all the toxic emissions of the Metro and dipped in a vinegar-like concoction flavored with the essence of different salivary glands; hence the term “hepa break”). Another reason would be the lingering greasy taste, with a touch of black soot (aka carcinogens), which is not at all appealing to any heath buff or even the nominally health conscious. Whether or not the colorful street food anecdotes are but isolated cases is immaterial, because for many of us, anti-street food socialization starts at home when our parents (or any adult in the house) prohibit (note the strength of the word: not discourage but prohibit) us from buying any of this “dirty” foodstuff (read: isaw baboy/manok, betamax, adidas, tenga, fishballs, etc). But deep down our subconscious (and our tastebuds) yearn for the dangerous and unknown. The adventurous eater in us just waits for that moment to rebel and eat whatever is not included in the mainstream menu. My inner rebel was freed at the isaw stands in UP, and since then I haven’t stopped experimenting. Now I’m exploring the pedestrian delights in my hometown – the Street Foods of the South.

First stop: Street Calamares

When you check out “calamares” on ever-reliable Wikipedia, you automatically get redirected to “squid” because calamares is after all, squid with some breading. Some sites call it Philippine camaron rebosado (how’s that for a sosy euphemism?). Whatever you call it, it’s good ol’ reliable calamares, classic bar pulutan. But have you noticed the recent sudden influx of street calamares? What used to be a staple appetizer in many restaurants’ menus is now on the streets—now available for all walks of life!

The calamares capital in our area is located at the corner of Marcos Alvarez and Alabang-Zapote road. There are five to six stalls most nights. During non-rainy peak hours, the stands can number up to eight. The standard fare for each stall include a small container for barbecue sticks, vinegar with aged garlic and siling labuyo in an erstwhile mayonnaise jar, a frying pan powered by a mini-Gasul-driven fire, and an improvised colander to drain the oil from the calamares (the colander is made of chicken wire, which I am sure had previous uses, proving again: maabilidad at resourceful ang Pinoy!). The stalls are made of wood scraps; these are on-the-go food stalls, very reminiscent of the fish and squidball vendors roaming the streets.

A bite-size piece of calamares costs P3 each. For some loose change, I sample a treat of dubiously fresh squid, coated with breading that tastes like Jollibee’s Chicken Joy, and cooked in recycled oil. Believe me, it’s not bad-tasting at all: in fact, it’s rather pleasant that the taste of the breading reminds me so much of Jollibee. However, the breading overpowers the flavor of the squid, and since one of my requirements for any joint that serves calamares is that the breading is not supposed to kill the squid taste, they lose points with me here. The squid is relatively tender and tastes like typical calamares, but it’s a bit more starchy than meaty (meaty is good since its a good indication of freshness). But then again, it’s street food, and by default, we expect very little in the freshness department (not to undermine the quality of the Malabon squid they use, which according to the kuya manning the stand, sells at P70 a kilo, relatively cheaper than those sold in the market).

My calamares treat was a rather fleeting dining experience. Apart from the fact that it was supposed to be eaten quickly just like any other finger food (or any tusok-tusok food), I deliberately had to make it quick for safety reasons: had I been less vigilant, my cheap meal may have cost me more than I bargained for (a hazard of having street food is being exposed to potential pickpockets and the occasional street brawl).

Minus the doubt-for-freshness and regard-for-security bits, the whole experience of “dining” at the Marcos Alvarez calamares stands has shown me that there is indeed no monotony in the Southern Manila culinary scene. They say that the street food scene gives you a good idea of the local culture (think Thailand and Singapore). If this is true, then this tells me that much of our culture is yet to be explored and savored, and we get a chance to broaden our experience each time we try something new. In fact, I find that our appetite for adventure can easily be satiated by occasionally indulging our more physical appetites at places like this.

Street Calamares Stands (take your pick!)
Marcos Alvarez corner Alabang Zapote Road,
Las Piñas City

Tags: alabang zapote road, calamares, las pinas, marcos alvarez, street food

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