Street Food

The Poblacion area is trendy. It’s becoming increasingly popular as a food and arts hub in Makati. Cultured but unpolished, hip but a little seedy, it reminds me of what Malate in Manila used to be.

If you’re familiar with our blog, then you already know how much we love eating local food when we travel. A lot of that traveleating involves street food, which in many countries, has a reputation for being less than sanitary. The Philippines is one of those countries.

A steady flow of seafood and activity is what you can expect on Vinh Khanh Street in District 4. Known for serving the best street seafood in Saigon, this was easily my favorite dining experience in our two weeks in Vietnam.

We visited Nijo Market a few days before and oysters there were priced at JPY 150-200 apiece. At Gotsubo? Just JPY 105 each for a minimum order of five. If that isn’t enticing enough, the owner throws in an extra oyster or two if he likes you. Just kidding. He does it for everyone.

At first, we weren’t sure what they were. They looked like shanties or shuttered newsstands. We couldn’t see any people from where we were standing but every one of them was lit from the inside. Could these be those famed yatai food stalls that Fukuoka is known for?

Reserved it seems for smaller establishments that haven’t done enough to earn an actual star, the places on this list are recommended by Michelin Hong Kong as part of the guide’s first ever street food section.

If Shinsaibashi is for shopping, then Dotonbori is for dining. If you like to shop and eat, then this is where you want to be.