THE Philippines is a country known for its abundance of street food, with different varieties ticking the categories of both sweet and savory. One’s morning isn’t complete without manong yelling “taho” as he passes by, or without hearing the snap, crackle, and pop of fishballs as they’re placed into hot oil.

It’s no surprise then that the online travel guide, Taste Atlas, included the Philippine delicacies of taho, maruya, and espasol in its most recent list of the best street food sweets in the world.

A quick history

Known to be one of the local delicacies found in the Bicol region of the Philippines, maruya or “banana fritters,” as it’s known to other countries,  is made by slicing or mashing bananas, covering them with flour, and then frying them and serving them with sugar afterward. The concept of banana fritters, though, is not entirely new. 

Banana fritters are believed to have come from West Africa in Djibouti, where people would fry bananas or plantains in hot oil. The addition of flour and sugar is a touch Filipinos seem to have decided upon on their own; if Filipinos are known for something, after all, it’s that they like sweetness over all else. This much can be seen from how they make their spaghetti, which is known for its candy-like taste.

Espasol, on the other hand, is known to have origins in the province of Laguna. It is a sticky sweet made out of sweet rice flour as well as glutinous rice flour, and then served with sugar, grated coconut, and coconut milk. 

Taho, shockingly enough, also did not originate from the Philippines. It was in China that this snack was created, first only being served as tofu with toppings like almond syrup on top, and then later passed on to the Malay in the Philippines. The Filipinos then added sago and arnibal, or the brown sugary sauce found poured all over the taho. 

Gaining recognition

The Taste Atlas’s rankings, according to its website, are based on ratings taken from their audience. The site received 326 ratings, and 50 food items were chosen in total to be a part of the list.

The list is in no way intended to be the final word on the matter, it said. 

“TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food,” it said. .

“Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried,” it added. 

Taho — perhaps one of the most well-known Philippine delicacies amongst the bunch — was ranked 25th, making it the highest-rated dish among the Philippine snacks. It recognizes the fact that taho is readily available on practically every street corner in the country. Still, it notes that Mr. Bean in Quezon City and Gloria Maris Sinangag Express in Manila serve some of the tastiest taho.

Others listed were Ulli’s Street of Asia in Cebu as well as Balay Dako in Tagaytay.

In 37th place is maruya. Like taho, they can be found practically anywhere in the Philippines. Try looking for a place that sells turon, or banana cue; where there’s turon, there’s sure to be maruya, too.

Espasol ranked the lowest amongst the three in 44th place; recommended by customers was the espasol from Carlito’s Restaurant in Iloilo and Rowena’s Cafe in Tagaytay. 

But there’s no need to be limited to these places though. While they may not be as abundant on the streets in quantity like taho, you’re sure to find someone selling this powdered delight if you spend enough time looking. 

What’s in store for the future?

This isn’t the first time Taste Atlas has decided to shine a light on the delicacies of the Philippines. In the past, it has also written an article listing maruya and taho as part of the top ten best street food sweets in Southeast Asia. 

On another occasion, it wrote an article highlighting Filipino food completely, rating banana cue, espasol, maruya, and taho as the best Filipino street food sweets in the country. 

Time and time again, the Philippines has been recognized for its delicious cuisine; whether it be for meals like sinigang or bulalo, or snacks like the ever-popular taho.

One can only hope that in the future, the country’s excellence will continue to be recognized even in its most obscure, out-of-there dishes and not just those already famous to the masses.