Iloilo City is the birthplace of the La Paz Batchoy, a noodle soup with pig meat and innards, sprinkled with chicharon (fried pork rinds) bits and spring onions, originating in the La Paz district. The noodles are usually egg noodles. But in Iloilo, you’ll also have the option of bihon, misua, or sotanghon (vermicelli).

There are a few accounts for the origin of batchoy. One account is that the dish was invented by a man named Federico “Deco” Guillergan Sr., a butcher at the La Paz Public Market who opened a batchoyan (batchoy stall) in 1938. He experimented with different ingredients until he got the perfect taste and named it batchoy.

Another account says that Teodorico “Ted” Lepura, although he opened his stall in 1945, learned the recipe in the 1930s from a Chinese merchant. One more account says that a man named Leonito, the grandfather of the owner of Netong’s, one of the iconic batchoyans in the city, adapted the noodle dish served by Chinese vendors and added the leftover meats they were selling in the market (I think the third account is a mix of the first two). Whatever account is closest to the truth, we should be thankful to all the men who invented or innovated the noodle soup that we now enjoy!

And because I was in the birthplace of batchoy, I just cannot not have a crawl for it. So I went to La Paz Public Market where 3 of the best batchoyans are: Deco’s, Netong’s, and Ted’s Oldtimer (yes, these 3 are the same icons that make up the batchoy history). I’m so happy that these “pillars” of the La Paz batchoy industry are all located in the same area, making my crawl convenient.

So here was the game plan for my crawl: I ordered the batchoyan’s best version and checked on the broth, noodles, and toppings/ingredients. For the noodles, I just got the egg noodles so I can compare apples to apples. I also went to all 3 batchoyans in the same day (in a span of few hours) so I can accurately compare them with one another.

Here’s what I think of each batchoy (in alphabetical order):

Deco’s Extra

The broth of Deco’s batchoy was light and flavorful. However, the noodles were too soft, losing the chewiness. The chicharon, while still crunchy, easily lost its crunch when soaked in the broth. It had intestines, giving it a slightly bitter taste, which I like. And compared to the other two, Deco’s pork slices are larger.

Netong’s Mega Bowl

This version of batchoy had a flavorful broth (more than Deco’s) and its noodles were perfectly chewy. The chicharon bits (actually, I want to call it chunks because of its size) are generous and a bit soggy but still crunchy. What made this bowl special is it had bone marrow in it, making the broth more flavorful (by the way, only the Mega Bowl has bone marrow).

The only missing ingredient (or maybe I didn’t notice it) was the isaw (intestines), which Deco’s and Ted’s versions have. By the way, Netong’s batchoy was perfect with the puto (rice cake).

I saw that the other customers also ordered their dinuguan (pig blood stew). So I also got one and it was good!

Ted’s Extra Special

Ted’s batchoy has a sweeter broth than the two, which I find unusual. The noodles are softer than Netong’s but still retained some chewiness unlike Deco’s. The chicharon didn’t even retain any crunch after getting soaked in the broth. There’s nothing noteworthy about its meat and innards (isaw and pig liver).

The Winner?

Netong’s! Their version’s broth and noodles are superior than the other two. The toppings, especially the chicharon, were also better. If there’s isaw on it, it will be the perfect batchoy (again, I’m not sure if I just missed it).

Post-Review Bonus: Lars Buko Batchoy/Coconutchoy

If you’re the adventurous type, you can also try Lars’ “Coconutchoy”, which is batchoy with broth made with buko (coconut) water and noodles mixed with buko strips. Of course, the broth was sweeter than normal.

But if you prefer to stick with the traditional taste of batchoy, just skip this one.

PS If you will have a batchoy crawl at the La Paz Public Market, don’t forgot to stop by Madge Cafe and wind down with a good coffee blended the traditional way.

Are there other batchoyans that I missed? Comment them below.

Other entries in the Iloilo City Trip series: A Vacation in the Heart of the Philippines (Introduction) | Trying the Iconic Dishes of the City | Visiting Churches and Museums

Iloilo City Trip: The Search for the Best La Paz Batchoy

Deco’s Extra

Netong’s Mega Bowl

Ted’s Extra Special

The Winner?

Post-Review Bonus: Lars Buko Batchoy/Coconutchoy