What can students eat in UBelt, Intramuros for less than P100?

AUGUST will definitely be a busy month for most students as they are set to begin another school year. 

Parents and students have been flocking to malls and other shopping centers to buy school supplies and uniforms as preparation for the opening of classes. But aside from these school-related materials, they also have to prepare the students’ school budget.

republicasia published a poll on its Facebook page where it asked students how much is their school allowance. Many said they spend P100 a day in school, which they divide between transportation fares, meals, and other necessities.

But with the increase in prices of goods and services in the country, are there still meals that students can buy for less than P100? 

Apparently, the answer is yes if you go to these carinderias and food stalls around University Belt (UBelt) and Intramuros, areas that students frequent.

University Belt

UBelt is not only popular for being home to dozens of universities and vocational schools, but also for having a diverse food scene. Here are three budget-friendly carinderias and food stalls that republicasia recommends that students visit:

Angkong Dimsum House

Angkong Dimsum House is popular among students in UBelt, particularly to those from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), for its wide selection and tasty dumplings.

Its dumpling menu has siomai (P70), Japanese siomai (P75), fried dumpling (P70), Kuchay dumpling (P70), quail egg siomai (P70), chicken siomai (P70). 

In her five years of working in the store, 29-year-old service crew Ruby De Guzman said that customers keep coming back to Angkong Dimsum House for its fried dumplings paired with the signature chili garlic sauce.

“Masarap at crunchy [kasi],” De Guzman said.

Meanwhile, customer Evelyn Conde, 25, said that her favorites are the kuchay dumpling and chicken siomai, which she has been buying since she discovered Angkong Dimsum House.

Location: P. Noval Street, Sampaloc, Manila.

Anchor’s Aweigh

If they want to choose from a variety of dishes, students just have to cross a street from Angkong Dimsum House to Anchor’s Aweigh.

This carinderia changes its menu daily, but on the day that republicasia visited it, Anchor’s Aweigh had the following: pork sinigang, pork tapa, pork menudo, chicken afritada, pork caldereta, pork steak, chicken adobo, pork binagoongan, pork adobo, and bicol express.

These dishes cost P60 exclusive of rice, which costs P13.

It also has vegetable dishes such as chopseuy worth P35.

Cashier Riza Parado, 34, said that two of its customers’ favorites are pork sisig and pork binagoongan, aside from the vegetable dishes.

Location: Delos Reyes Street, Sampaloc, Manila

Munch & chillz

Munch & chillz has almost everything on the menu. It has meals for lunch, merienda, dinner, and even for breakfast for students who have no time to eat before going to school.

For rice meals, Munch & chillz offers silog meals: tapasilog (P70), liemposilog (P75), sisigsilog (P60), lechonsilog (P75), tocinosilog (P65), porkchopsilog (P70), hungariansilog (P70), chicharon bulaklak (P70), bangussilog (P70), lumpiang shanghai (P60), and chickensilog (P70).

It also has ulam toppings such as bicol express (P45), pork dinuguan (P45), and chicken adobo (P40). Customers can also choose from their rice bowl toppings: hotdog rice (P30), burger rice (P35), nugget rice (P40), longa rice (P30), maling rice (P35), shanghai rice (P30), siomai rice (P35) pork sisig (P35), corned beef (P45), and tocino (P45).

For snacks or light breakfast, Munch & chillz has burgers, sandwiches, pares, and mami.

Student Jake Alasco, 19, bought sisigsilog and a buy 1 take 1 cheeseburger during republicasia’s visit.

Asked why he ordered these, Alasco said, “Kasi siya yung budget-friendly tapos pangtawid sa umaga ‘pag walang kain galing bahay.”

“[P]uno na yung tiyan ko agad tapos lagi na siyang nandito and malapit lang sa school,” he added.

Location: P. Paredes Street, Sampaloc, Manila

Intramuros

Prices of meals and snacks in Intramuros are almost the same in UBelt. Like UBelt, Intramuros is also surrounded by many educational institutions and a diverse selection of mouthwatering food, apart from historical locations.

Benjot’s canteen

Benjot’s canteen has been the go-to place for students from Lyceum of the Philippines University.

One of them is 19-year-old Yen Dabi, who always visits Benjot’s after his volleyball training. republicasia spotted him eating Lechon Kawali rice with his friends.

“Masarap siya kasi napakadaming ulam, tsaka ayun talaga ‘yung binabalikan namin,” he said.

The canteen has been serving quality yet budget-friendly food to students since August 2015, according to its owner 44-year-old Benjie Baloja.

Benjot’s is known for its rice meals such as lechon rice (P75), buttered chicken rice (P75), garlic chicken rice (P75), spicy chicken rice (P75), pork sisig rice (P80), chicksilog (P80), porksilog (P80), bangsilog (P80), and hotsilog (P80).

The canteen also serves short orders that are good for two to three persons: lechon kawali (P140), buttered chicken (P140), garlic chicken (P140), spicy chicken (P140), sisig (P140), pancit canton (P90), pancit bihon (P90), and pancit halo (P90).

Baloja said the lechon kawali rice, buttered chicken rice, pork sisig rice, and pancit are popular among their customers.

Location: Real Street, Intramuros, Manila

Aiza Cabalhin’s stall

Craving for sizzling dishes? 37-year-old Aiza Mae Cabalhin has those in her food stall.

Cabalhin started her business selling kakanin. However, it was not in demand among the students, so she decided to include home-cooked meals in the menu.

“‘Yung kakanin hindi masyadong [mabenta] kaya lutong bahay na lang kasi yung pinaka-market is yung students. Budget meal lang po,” she said.

Her sizzling dishes include tapa, sisig, tocino, longganisa, and ham, which are all priced at P65. Her home-cooked meals, meanwhile, range from P65 to P75.

Like any other carinderia, Cabalhin changes her home-cooked meals every day, but when republicasia went to her stall, she had adobo sa gata, fried chicken, breaded pork, tortang talong, and sinigang.

There were also vegetable dishes which include chopseuy.

Student meals include a dish of their choice, rice, and a free soup.

“Mostly kasi ano sila eh ma-sauce. Any dish na may sauce: chicken curry, adobo, ‘yung ganon, kasi humihingi na rin sila ng sabaw,” Cabalhin said.

“Tapos ‘yung sa sizzling ‘yung gusto nila is ‘yung with gravy kasi ‘yun ‘yung pinaka-sauce nila eh,” she added.

Location: San Francisco Street, Intramuros, Manila

JM Store

For students who don’t feel like eating rice meals, here is a street food stall for quick yet stomach-filling food.

JM store has a wide variety of street food for P20. The stall has kikiam (P15 per stick), kwek-kwek (P20 per stick), tokneneng (P15 per piece), fried isaw (P5 per piece), fried siomai (P20 per stick), fishball (P10 per stick), chicken balls (P15 per stick), cheese sticks (P20 per cup), dynamite (P15 per piece), calamares (P20 per piece), hotdog (P20 per stick), okoy vegetable (P20 per stick), and butchi (P20 per cup).

Student Jomar Lachica, 19, loved the store’s dynamite, which is chili peppers stuffed with meat and cheese.

“Masarap siya. Hindi siya tulad ng ibang dynamite na natikman ko na sobrang anghang or minsan nao-overpower siya ng cheese,” he said.

Seller Marilou Francisco, 36, said that her customers love all kinds of street food, particularly isaw and calamares.

Location: Victoria Street, Intramuros, Manila