Have you tried Pansit Cabagan? If you travel up to north, this delicious noodle dish that you must try! Travelers would often drop by our town to savor the unique taste of our very own pancit! So what are you waiting for? Make sure to include Pansit Cabagan in your bucket list.

According to Socio-cultural and Higher Education Research Department of Isabela State University in the year 1987, a group of Chinese traders who originally came from Amoy (now Xiamen), China landed in Aparri, Cagayan. One of the traders was said to be responsible for introducing pansit in Cabagan. His name is Sia Liang also known as Dianga. Dianga married a Filipina named Augustina Deray Laddaran, who established a panciteria in Cabagan during the pre-war period. Dianga made his own “miki” (uncooked noodles). He used first class wheat flour. The dough was mixed with lime (lejia), derived from guava fuel, kneading it with a long and strong rolling pin that is attached to the wall. After the dough is flattened, it is thinly sliced using “campy” or the Chinese butcher’s knife to form the noodles. The original Pancit Cabagan cooked by Dianga was said to have the following ingredients: “hibi” (small dried shrimps) or pork, bagoong, soy sauce, cooking oil and pork broth.When one of his workers in the restaurant learned and mastered the “miki” production, he put up his own “miki” outlet and “pansiteria”, which was later on followed by other people in the municipality.

Zein’s Pansiteria and Coffee Shop is one of the best and famous pansiteria in Cabagan. They are serving different dishes but if there’s one thing that you shouldn’t missed out! It’s their Pansit Cabagan. They are doing their own fresh “miki” (noodles) that’s why the taste is so good. It is served warm and the food was deliciously surprising!

The quality of their Pansit Cabagan and the being kind and the accommodation of their servers are one of the reasons why that pansiteria is very successful. We love their presentation because you can see how the food was deliciously organized. To be honest we are so sad when we can’t see any vegetables on it. But then we’re so surprised when we stirred it. There’s a carrots, cabbage and many more veggies inside of it! And indeed we loved that surprise.

Zein’s Pansiteria and Coffee Shop is one of a kind. The place is a little bit small but the ambiance is so refreshing. Every year, they are upgrading it’s look to have something new to show. The place looks perfectly great and the aura of it is always famous and most shared on social media. The concept of this pansiteria and coffee shop is good as the food.

In overall, Pansit Cabagan is “muttutto singngo na” (an ybanag term for very delicious). Pansit Cabagan in Zein’s Pansiteria and Coffee Shop will only cost 80 Pesos. It is very worth it, not just the food itself, but on how the food will make you feel like you are special.

So we’re giving ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (five stars) to the Pansit Cabagan in Zein’s Pansiteria and Coffee Shop because the food, the presentation, the price, the place and the server will leave you speechless. It is located at Hospital Site Ugad, Cabagan, Isabela. You must try it!

*James Culam, Rosette De Asis, Shyne Tao-wag

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