Lola Augustinia is Lipa's resident kakanin maker. (Photo by ENRICO AFRICA JOSE)

The province of Batangas is known for many things – its scenic beaches, the balisong, historic churches, and also its food. One of the three main cities of Batangas is Lipa, and this city is a veritable treasure trove of gastronomic delights.

One would think that the food offerings of this city are nothing special – after all, what’s so different about its puto, cheesecake, goto, lomi, coffee and milk? Can’t these products be found in Metro Manila as well?

Say that it’s magic or just plain bias towards the charms of Lipa, but these dishes and pastries simply taste better when you’re there. Read on to find out what makes the food offerings of Lipa so special.

Aling Ninay’s Special Puto, Tamales, and Kutsinta

Bilaos (round native containers) of freshly-made puto and putong malagkit, not to mention bundles of tamales (or suman sa lihiya) are special delicacies of Lipa, and no one makes these quite as well as Aling Ninay. In fact, Aling Ninay is so good in making puto and the like that she is not only popular in her own city, but also in Metro Manila.

The woman who started it all is Isabel Medina, and her recipes have been passed on to her daughter and the generations thereafter. One thing that hasn’t changed through the years is the quality of their products, which the fanily thoughtfully maintained.

Now, it is Lola Augustinia de la Peña who is overseeing the business, and even if she is 81 years old, she is still quite meticulous about the preparation of their products. “Pasa-pasa lang ‘yung recipe sa amin. Nagsimula sa grandmother ko then my mother,” she says. “Pero noong 1974 ako nag-start mismo. Dito sa bahay, nakikialam pa din ako sa lahat ng pag-gawa.”

Their puto is soft and fluffy and is the perfect accompaniment to dinuguan and pancit; on the other hand, the puto with salted egg and cheese need not be paired with ulam for it has an interesting flavor all its own. The tamales is made more flavorful when paired with special salsa, which is made with asukal and niyog.

Dulcissima Bakeshop

This hole-in-the-wall bakeshop is quaint and sweet down to its very scent. Upon entering this tiny bakeshop, a heavy whiff of chocolates and sugar will probably enthrall the customer into buying more than their fair share of brownies, cream puffs, and cheesecakes (which happen to be the bakeshop’s bestsellers).

Dulcis Ma. Purisima, the purveyor of the bakeshop, became known for her cheesecakes, which are now sold per piece and wrapped in colorful cellophanes. Her cheesecakes hit the perfect note of tartly and sweet, but it is the dominant cheese flavor which tickles the taste buds.

Her brownies, on the other hand, of which the walnut and marshmallow varieties are the bestsellers, have a crunchy crust and a moist base.

Milk Joy

Got (fresh) milk? Milk Joy Corporation sure has – and it supplies milk to one of the leading coffee store chains in the Philippines – Starbucks. Yes, the milk (and non-fat milk, to boot) which Starbucks uses in its yummy lattes and frappucinos comes from a dairy farm in Bolbok, Lipa.

In January 1993, Batangas Agri-Business Center, Inc. (BAC Inc.) started creating fresh milk in plastic bottles, and marketed it under the name Milk Joy. The company even delivered the milk door-to-door in Lipa, and before long, Milk Joy became a household name. It soon expanded to Metro Manila and Milk Joy products are now being sold in supermarkets.

The year 1998 proved to be a stellar year for Milk Joy as it officially became the sole milk distributor of Starbucks. Currently, Milk Joy is being run by the Katigbaks, and brothers Quintos and Marcos make sure that their products are up to par with market standards.

Gotohan sa Barangay

What started as a bahay-kubo-slash-karinderia is now a full-fledged restaurant which has made a name for itself for serving one of Lipa’s most appetizing goto.

For most Manileños, goto is hot rice porridge. But the goto in Lipa is altogether different. It is a soup with a variety of laman-loob bits and is best eaten with rice. Gotohan sa Barangay even serves goto with “bats and balls,” and as this writer learned the humiliating way, that particular goto dish was not made with real bats or paniki, but rather of private parts of a male cow.

The ambiance of Raul and Luchie de la Peña's Gotohan sa Barangay is casual and relaxing. “Dati nga, balak nila maging talyer itong lugar na ito,” shares Severa Manalo, acting manager of the place. “Pero nakita nila ang necessity of food, kaya sinubukan nilang gawing karinderia ito. They found out that people liked their soup, palagi ‘yun ang order. Nag-click lang talaga ang goto kaya doon nagsimula ang lahat.”

Now, the menu has expanded, and one of the house specialties include the Severasky, a creation of beef and female bull parts made by none other than Severa herself. “Para lang adobo ang Severasky,” she explains. And you know the best part about eating here? Nothing is over Php 400.

Lomi King

While driving in Lipa, look left and right and you would notice that lomi signs are everywhere. There is no question that the natives of Lipa love their lomi, and that they eat this steamy dish all the time. But the lomi place which started it all, or the one which made lomi a veritable household favorite in Lipa is none other than Lomi King.

Lomi King was started by To Kem Keng and his wife Natalia Sih Go in 1968. Natalia relates that her husband used to prepare his special lomi recipe simply for friends, but before long, there was a clamor for him to make more, not only for friends, but for most of Lipa.

Being such a generous soul, Natalia’s husband shared his recipe to neighbors, friends, and even casual acquaintances. He often tells his wife to “share” their blessings. Because of this, many copied his special recipe and lomi became quite popular in the city.

But still, To Kem Keng’s selflessness paid off. Despite the proliferation of lomi establishments in Lipa, the natives still flock to Lomi King to get their fill of lomi, chami, and kikiam.

Lomi King’s version of the lomi is somewhat thick. Natalia comments, “We don’t use any artificial flavoring. As for our kikiam, we buy the meat fresh from the market daily, and we don’t mix it with vegetables.”

Café de Lipa

You don’t necessarily have to drive to Lipa just to taste its ever-popular Barako coffee, since there are already several branches of Café de Lipa in the metro. But when you’re already in Lipa and a good dose of caffeine fix is just what you’re craving for, then head on to their mother ship.

Merlo Agri started out as a distributor of coffee beans, but the company wanted to be known for its special coffee brews as well. They then thought of creating their own coffee shop, and in October of 2006, Café de Lipa was born.

“Our coffee is cheaper, but the taste can also compete with international brands,” says Café de Lipa’s Kathleen Camille Mendoza. “And if you would notice, our coffee also has a delightful aftertaste. The coffee flavor lingers delightfully in your mouth.”

Café de Lipa’s bestsellers include the Caramel Macchiato (for hot coffee) and the Dark Mocha (for the iced variety). It is also the first in the country to introduce mood-based drinks. Choose among its Happy, Perk-Up, Companion, Zen, and Mischievous cups.