I've been a resident of Makati for a good 4 years already, but I still haven't explored that much! I love the idea of weekend markets, but my body seems to be unwilling and I always prefer to sleep in, who doesn't? I've been to Legazpi Sunday Market, but that was light years ago. So, armed with an alarm clock and 2 smart phones bombarded with alarms, I was sure as hell determined to wake up early on a weekend.
We arrived a little over 7:00AM. The weather was perfectly sunny, if not a little too hot for my liking. But, it proved perfect for capturing the bustling market in its rawest state. Thank God for fresh and cold fruit juices to help hydrate on days like this. For a first timer, one can get discombobulated with the overflowing options, so I took my sweet time and went around surveying the food purveyors and their products.
There is evident diversity of products, and seems like a one stop shop where everyone can find anything they come for. I no longer need to travel all the way to Dangwa flower market for fresh flowers!
Some products may tend to get a little bit on the pricey side, but I guess what you are paying for is partly for the convenience it serves of not going out of your way anymore. Home-made and freshly baked breads, native plate ware, artisan dips and spreads plus an abundance of orchids are just some of the remarkable items you can take home.
Most purveyors provide taste sampling. I'm still undecided if it's a good thing or bad thing, because I ended up more confused than ever, hahaha! What I love about going around is that they cater to almost every international cuisine that has made impact on the Filipino palette, on the top of my head there's Thai, Persian, Spanish, Italian and a whole lot of other exciting foreign dish offerings.
One can even spot peculiar fruits that are hard to come by in the fancy schmansy groceries nowadays. I can't even remember when was the last time I was able to eat star apple and kamachili as a kid. Imagine my delight!
I did not only see foodies, joggers, corporate employees out and about, but also moms and families doing their grocery shopping right inside the heart of Salcedo Market. Some even come armed with eco bags or mini carts for a breezy shopping experience.
Can you see how organic and plump all those vegetables are? I'm even amazed that the lemons sold there were so much heavier and bigger than the ones commercially sold in supermarkets. There was even an eggplant that's bigger than my hand!
If there was one thing that made this trip worth it, was realizing that my long search for alupihang dagat AKA mantis shrimp was over. You see, this water creature holds a dear place in my heart as it reminds me of fun summer vacations in my lola's home in Bulacan. The only caveat is the steep price, at 450.00PHP to 480.00PHP/per kilo. Nevertheless, I'm going back next weekend to buy some!
It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make so early on a Saturday, but I was happy with my take aways! My office-mates and I had a 9:00AM Presentation Skills workshop in our corporate headquarters, so we just walked back towards the office and ate our food finds in the pantry. There are tables and chairs provisioned though if you want to dine in the park area.
My nasi goreng was pretty tasty and addicting, although I was a wee bit disappointed that it didn't come with slices of green mango. I also had my first taste of falafel sandwich, or wrap as the case may be. I still can't make up my mind if I like it or hate it, maybe I should try the famous Beni's falafel sandwich to reconsider. One of my office-mates bought some cebu lechon and I was salivating on how crisp the skin was. It made crackling sounds that's sure to make anyone steal a piece, or two from her plate (which we did).
There are still a lot of food I was curious to try, but the shortage in tummy space hindered me from doing so, hahaha! I still have another weekend of workshop left, which is the perfect excuse for me to go back. What are your staple buys when visiting Salcedo Saturday Market? I'd love to know. See you on my next pig out session!
Salcedo Community Market
Location: Jaime C. Velasquez Park, Salcedo Village, Makati, Metro Manila
Contact Number: (02) 895-4011
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalcedoMarket
Estimated Budget: ~100.00PHP and above per meal
Payment Methods: Cash
Business Hours: Saturdays, 7:00AM to 2:00PM
Your pig out buddy,
Madz
