Different Lumpias ( Spring Rolls ) from the Philippines

Quezon City , Philippines

Chinese style -lumpia from Sincerity Restaurant, Binondo

Lumpia is a common term for any egg roll , spring roll , vegetable rolls that is Chinese in origin but through centuries of assimilation and adaptation to suit the local taste, preference, availability of the ingredients and due to health reasons  . There had been different  varieties of the lumpias in the country. It is more popularly called ” spring roll” since most of the vegetables used in the ingredients are grown in spring and it is normally eaten as a festival food during ” Spring Festival ” which coincide with Chinese New Year .

I have some relatives and friends who lives in Malabon / Navotas areas and some of them called  it ”  Sumpia” . I do not know where did they get the name but somehow the name eventually evolve .

Lumpiang Shanghai ala New Toho Restaurant ( This is one of the favorite meal of Dr. Jose Rizal) – The New Toho Restaurant  had more meat compared to the regular lumpia.

The recipes, both fried and fresh versions, were brought by Chinese immigrants from the Fujian province of China to Southeast Asia and became popular where they settled in Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Lumpiang Shanghai ala Ilang-Ilang restaurant

Lumpiang Shanghai is one of the MUST Try menu at the Ilang-Ilang Restaurant in Binondo . It is bigger compared to the other Lumpiang Shanghai in Binondo area.

Lumpiang Shanghai is not a spring roll that came from Shanghai , China.  It was more of a marketing style to lure people asking for a more specific name to the spring roll. It is sometimes called Lumpiang Baboy because of the main ingredient , which is ground pork meat. But according to some Filipino-Chinese , people name these spring roll to Shanghai because of the many Fujian, Cantonese, Taiwan dishes in the country.

Shanghai is more cosmopolitan and urban in nature which makes this dish more international appeal. Hence it was called ever since.

Globe Lumpia located in 740 Raon St. ( Gonzalo Puyat street ), Quiapo, Manila.

Globe Lumpia or Lumpiang Sariwa is the most popular spring roll hole in a wall type of eatery near Quiapo church . I usually order 2 to 3 Globe lumpia . They are one of the cheapest in Manila. Their special ingredient includes julienne papaya , jicama  ( picama/ singkamas) , sayote/ chayote with generous topping of crush peanuts, finely chop fresh garlic and their special sauce. The most busy day is friday and on weekends. It is best to accompany the lumpia with softdrink like sarsi or sprite.

The store had been there since 1956 .  The price increased from 20 centavos in the 1950’s to Php 18.00 . The restaurant can only accommodate between 15 to 20 people. I would always frequent the place since i  just lived just a few blocks away, until a few years ago. Some television shows like Kris TV, Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho , Ceasar Montano and even Dolphy are some of the famous clientele of the place.

Lumpiang Bangus – Milk Fish Spring Roll

Milk Fish Spring Rolls or Lumpiang Bangus may have traced its origin to the milk fish producing provinces of Pangasinan, Sarangani, Davao area.  The main ingredient is from milk fish fillet . This is a healthy spring roll , But compared to the regular Lumpiang Shanghai or Lumpiang Frito – This is more expensive . In a recent food fair, I also have tasted Lumpiang Tahong ( made from mussles ) from Cavite province. There is also Lumpiang Kanduli or Creme Dory spring roll. These are some of the spring rolls that i have tasted .

There are mostly fried , wrapped fresh with the cooked ingredients which consists of vegetables and some meat. Most people refer Chinese -style lumpia because of the main filling is made of sauted chopped carrots, green beans, tofu, bean sprouts , mushrooms, sayote ,crush peanuts , fried and crush vermicelli noodles, hoti ( type of green seaweed ) , lettuce leaves ,wansoy ( chopped coriander leaves) , with sweet sauce or slightly spicy sauce. Some would like more more fresh chopped garlic included in the wrapper , some do not like fresh garlic and wansoy ( chopped coriander leaves ) . BUT i loved them.

Lumpia Puso ng Saging (  banana blossom spring rolls)

Lumpia Puso ng Saging or Banana Blossom Spring Roll is not popular in mainstream Philippine culinary palate , But once you tasted it , you will be a convert . It is one of the alternatives for meat and oily deep fried spring rolls. The ingredients is quite common especially when you come from a province where there are a lot of banana plants in bloom.

The common variety of banana blossom is  the saging na saba ( a type of plantain) .  I have tasted this lumpia in a gathering of some senior citizen which prefers this type of lumpia compared to lumpiang shanghai  . This is the same with Lumpiang Kabute ( Mushroom Spring roll) In mushroon growing areas , They used 2 to 3 types of mushroom , chop them finely combined with tofu , carrots and spices. They can be a good alternative to the usual fried lumpia.

The dipping sauce is very varied too, Some use ordinary vinegar with some finely chopped garlic, shallots , chilli peppers and ground peppers. Other favorite condiments includes, banana ketchup, soy sauce with vinegar with finely chopped onions, chilli peppers and calamansi .

The banana blossom lumpia is much cheaper to make compared to the mushroom lumpia .  One big banana blossom only cost between Php 15 to Php 30 in local wet market ( depending on season and availability )

Lumpiang Shanghai by Ambos Mundos

Ambos Mundos is one of the oldest restaurant in Santa Cruz, Manila area . The restaurant offers Filipino, Chinese and Spanish dishes . One of the fave is their Lumpiang Shanghai .

Lumpiang Ubod / Sariwa by Max’s restaurant

Lumpiang Ubod ng Niyog- This is one of the most popular spring rolls being offered by Goldilocks, Max’s restaurant , Kunina ni Kambal among several others. The main ingredients are the young coconut  heart are sauteed with shrimp and pork, rolled in crepe-like wrappers made with flour , egg and cornstarch. Special coconut farms specifically for the production of palms. If unavailable , Picama /Jicama  / Singkamas can be used to substitute .

home -style lumpia

The author have tasted at least around a dozen or so variation with different types of ingredients and preparation. I have an aunt who prepares Filipino- Chinese style of lumpia with 18 ingredients .  I tried to collectively write about the different types of lumpias that i have eaten , mostly in Metro Manila . But i think that there are more than a dozen  of spring roll variants.

This is our home-style version of lumpia- It is our way of combining different ingredients and cooking styles. The wrapper is home made .

Lumpiang Tagalog by Kusina ni Kambal

The cheapest and one of the most underrated ones are Lumpiang Frito / Lumpiang Toge or Lumpia Gulay ( normally fried )  – without the wrappers, The dish is called Lumpia Hubad or Lumpia Tagalog. 

lumpiang frito  is also called lumpiang gulay ,lumpiang toge

They are commonly sold as street foods all over the country and price range from Php 4.00 to about Php 40.00 in posh malls. Spring rolls or lumpia ingredients vary from one family to another . It may also due to the availability of the ingredients.

Mann Hann restaurant serve lumpia. Delis like Little Store, DEC, or sunday market bazaar regular Yen Ching , New Po Heng near Binondo church , GLOBE lumpia in Quiapo , Maki Place, New Eastern Restaurant along Ongpin street, Sincerity in Yuchengco street ( formerly called Nueva)  , Polland , Baliwag Lechon among others.

Marikina Culinary and Heritage Tour part 2

Marikina City

altar

We proceed with the tour around the Iglesia Filipina Independiente or the Aglipayan Church.  The group saw the church choir rehearsing for holy week .

Birhen  Maria Mulawin

  Mulawin aka Molave  ( Premna integrifolia )  is a tree species reaching a height of about 10 meters, that is found in Southeast Asia.   When the tree was cut they found an image of a virgin in the wood. The image was venerated by the locals hence acquiring the title . The Virgin Mary of Mulawin ( Mulawin ) . The tree was from Laguna. A big slab was given to Marikina.

Our Lady of the Barangay

choir

The choir was rehearsing for holy week, The group was able to take a few snap shots

Mama Ting’s

Mama Ting’s is one of the best places to buy everlasting, rellenong bangus , pork hamonado  and beef morcon in this part of Marikina – Their store is located near Kapitan Moy along J.P. Rizal street .

Mrs. Lourdes “Mama Ting” Diguangco started cooking rellenong bangus for selling in 1998 and she would bring only some of them to the public market. She was only selling 30 to 35 pieces every week. It was only in 2010 when she decided to open a takeout store.

 everlasting

We opted to buy everlasting , It is comparable to embutido but it is presented in a llanera ( oval shaped mold ) the aluminum mold is commonly used for the more popular leche flan ( steamed ceme caramel ) .   It is also advisable to pre-order their specialties especially on weekeneds , holidays and on Christmas season.

Address: 246 J.P. Rizal St.  Barangay Sta Elena, Marikina City

Contact  : Cellphone number:  0917-511-0208  Land-line Telephone 624-7100

lunch buffet

beef with mushroom

 beef is tender with mushroom – However it is a bit oily

fish fillet

 fish fillet is fried creme dory and with regular mayonnaise dip

Lumpiang Tagalog

Lumpiang Tagalog is also called Lumpiang Hubad – without the wrapper .  I have tasted this dish several times. The lumpia had chopped ubod ng niyog ( coconut palm heart ), togue (mungbean sprouts  ) tokwa ( tofu ) sliced carrots , beans, cabbage, chopped celery , shrimps .

baked spareribs

We ate a lunch buffet at Cocina de Kambal at the Kapitan Moy building

Our Lady of the Abandoned Church

History :

The original church was built in 1572 made out of light materials wherein both the Augustinians and Jesuits fought over the ecclesiastical control of the area. On March 10, 1687, Governor Gabriel Cruz Elasque ordered the transfer of Marikina to the oversight of the Augustinians and merged with the ministry of San Mateo, Rizal   . He instructed Don Juan Pimentel ( Mayor of Tondo ) to vacate and demolish the visita  of Jesús de la Peña as the Marikina river would flood the site during the rainy season. Due to increasing population and floods,  the parish had to move into higher ground  the much larger, present structure was built. The church was subsequently made an independent parish in 1690.

The church enshrines one of several images of the Virgin Mary venerated as miraculous, which has received Papal recognition.

historical marker

In 1898, during the Philippine-American war, the first image was burnt along with pertinent records of the devotion in Marikina. In 1902, a new image was created, and is the one presently venerated in the parish.

interiors

The church sustained major damages during the closing months of the second world war . The carillion  ( church bells )  out of about 7 or 8 , more than half were destroyed from Allied bombings . The remaining bells were later kept within the church grounds –

Our Lady of  the Abandoned  replica

This was according to Mr. Jonathan Blaza . Renovation started in the 1950’s up to the late 1957 with the help of various civic groups .

side altar

The church was again renovated and enlarged in the mid- 2000 and additional trompe’l -oeil style of paintings were added .

apostle and saint statues

Architecture : The church was constructed  in Baroque  style, it is characterized by a heavily-fortified facade, large-scale ceiling paintings, a dramatic central projection of the facade, a round-style pediment for the bell-tower.

Our Lady of the Abandoned  Parish Catholic Cemetery

apartment style niches

The cemetery is well-kept with small manicured lawn planted with common plants like ixora ( santan ) dracena

columbary

century -old acacia tree

This century -old acacia tree is a mute testament to the colorful history of the place. The old acacia tree is a host for ficus , Drynaria quercifolia ( oak leaf fern)

We opted to walked along the J.P.Rizal street and saw a lot of old houses and beautiful gardens. The house above was probably made more than 50 years ago in concrete with  grill works , balcony , arches and adobe ( volcanic tuff ) walls.

garden

This is a private garden along 205 J.P. Rizal street within Barangay San Roque , Marikina City – it had semi-terete orchids, cattleyas, bromeliads, neogerelias , dischidias , ixoras , ficus

San Roque chapel

Salud Panciteria

Salud Panciteria is among the most favorite panciterias in Marikina . The panciteria ( noodle house ) started in 1960’s as a home-style restaurant.

I have eaten there several times and i must say that their Salud Pinagulong and Breaded Chicken is the best not only in Marikina but in Metro Manila. Located along 205-A 141 JP Rizal Street. There is a signage pointing the quaint restaurant along a small alley ( within a compound)

cashier area

Aling Salud

History

 The original founder is Aling Salud who have Chinese descent and have learn the art of making noodles from her parents. They eventually started selling their home-made noodles for less than a peso in one of the busy corners of  Barangay San Roque along JP Rizal street in Marikina in the 1960’s.  Soon, after she opened her panciteria which she named after her. family also continued running one in Laoag City in Ilocos Norte province. The current restaurant is now being managed by a third generation clan member.

Salud Pinagulong

The miki- bihon noodles strands is named as ” Pinagulong ” . What makes this noodle so special is that there are topping of fried pork  ( lechon kawali ) on top of the noodles.  Php 150 good for 2 to 4 persons

Torta con Carne with Special Sauce

Torta con Carne with Special Sauce is another MUST TRY  An additional sauce is added . The torta dish is a combination of Spanish , Chinese and Filipino influence .

personalized plate

Area:

The area can accommodate between 30 to 60 people at any given time.  Reservation is advisable . The restaurant also offers catering for baptismal, birthdays, weddings and meetings.

Address: 205A JP Rizal Street, Barangay San Roque , Marikina City

Contact Details: (02) 369-43-69 Cellphone : (0927) 752-6751

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NewSaludPanciteria

Sisig Sarap

Sisig Sarap is located within the sports complex . The restaurant caters to students and budget conscious individuals.

concrete murals

We also toured around the Marikina Sports Complex  . There used to be a railroad track which runs along the present day  Marikina sport complex ( daang bakal ) railroad system which also includes parts of Montalban , Rizal

Marikina Sports Stadium Bells

We end the culinary and heritage tour with a bright mood past 4:00PM

Note: I would like to ” Thank” Mr. Jonathan J. Blaza , Shoe Museum staffs , Cocina de Kambal , Salud Panciteria , Aling Remy’s Puto , Goto Garahe , Kapitan Moy -tourism office staffs and the people that we met during the tour.

Marikina Culinary and Heritage Tour part 1

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