TatyStar Bakery's Toasted Siopao, Anyone?

While I was munching on a piece of Toasted Siopao, I began to reminisce my childhood days and since Bicolandia recently celebrated the Fiesta of Our Lady of Penafrancia, it is only fitting to write about this Bicol’s all-time- favourite snack. I believe that this kind of siopao originated in Bicol. 

Surprisingly, a number of small bakeries, having this as one of their best-selling products, started to sprout in Metro Manila.

And I found one that almost replicates the taste of our homeland Toasted Siopao. Now I don’t have to wait for some of our relatives to visit us bringing along this pastry or for us to go to Bicol to bite one. 

The Toasted Siopao is not the usual siopao in a steamer but rather, bread with filling of pre-cooked seasoned ground pork and half a slice of boiled egg.  A piece of it is enough for a good merienda or snack although the version of it in Metro Manila is much smaller than the original piece in Bicol. So go ahead and indulge as many as you can with your favourite drink. 

Tip: The product is best eaten while it is still hot and freshly-baked. Left-overs should be kept refrigerated. 

TatyStar Bakery is located along Anonas Extension corner Madasalin Sts. in Quezon City. It makes me smile and I feel proud that the word “Toasted Siopao” is much bigger that the name of the bakery itself. No billing problem from the owner J. 

It is just a small bakery but a lot of customers queue for a box or two or even six. The cost is  Php9.00/piece.

 

The bakery is manned by several personnel in red… busy staff but attentive to customers’ need. I asked one of them if the owner is a Bicolano but she said no and utter another region that escapes my mind.

Aside from the siopao, they also have the Spanish Bread,  Cinnamon Bread and Maligaya Bread to name a few. Maligaya Bread is a pastry with red sweet filling. Also called Panderegla and Kababayan in other regions in the Philippines. 

And Wow!, they also have the classic “Tinoktok” or our native “Pinangat”, a non-bread item and another Bicol delicacy. It is made of thinly chopped seasoned shrimp and grated coconut meat wrapped in Gabi Leaves and cooked in coconut milk, some like it chilly hot while others the regular flavor.

For people who are looking for a new kind of food to discover and for Bicolanos whose taste buds are longing for Bicol delicacies, ease your agony and have a box of TatyStar Bakery's Toasted Siopao or Maligaya or Tinoktok.

Happy Eating and God Bless Everyone !!!