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Salo-Salo: A culinary journey through Malabon’s timeless flavors

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ABS-CBN News Digital Intern

<p>MANILA — Salo-salo, a Filipino custom of gathering around a shared table, has long been a tradition that bears witness to bonds strengthened through stories filled with laughter and tears.</p><p>From grand fiestas to humble homemade meriendas, this tradition thrives not just because of the food, but because of the memories created through it.</p><p>In the Philippines, one city that vividly captures this tradition is Malabon City, which is known for its culinary heritage.</p><p>It prides itself on heirloom recipes and enduring food businesses that have stood the test of time, preserving Filipino identity through shared meals.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Hazel’s Special Puto: Over two decades of soft, cheesy comfort</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1749352809039viber_image_2025-06-08_11-17-58-078.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Department of Tourism photo</em></span></span></span></div><p>Ask any Malabon local about their childhood birthdays or barangay fiestas, and chances are Hazel’s puto will come up.</p><p>For over 20 years, Hazel’s Special Puto has been a part of local celebrations, offering its signature rice cakes topped with salted egg and cheese, along with the beloved puto pao filled with pork asado. </p><p>Its melt-in-the-mouth softness has made it a staple at birthdays, fiestas, and family gatherings.</p><p>What started as a home-based operation has grown into a trusted household name. Yet, Hazel’s continues to craft its puto the traditional way, with patience, consistency, and care.</p><p>These white rice cakes stacked high during special occasions carry more than just flavor; they carry tradition.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>D’ Original Okoy ni Jay-R: Crispy okoy and community flavor</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17493528473761749118873717947.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Chim Cantos for ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>If you&#x27;re wandering around Malabon and catch the scent of something delightfully crispy in the air, chances are you’ve found D’ Original Okoy ni Jay-R.</p><p>Since 1999, this humble eatery has made its mark with okoy—fritters packed with shrimp, squash, bean sprouts, and bound by galapong, all deep-fried to golden perfection.</p><p>This simple, communal way of eating captures the heart of the salo-salo.</p><p>As Jay-R shared in an exclusive interview, he’s now considering expanding to areas like Sampaloc in Manila, strategically near the university belt, a sign that this Malabon favorite might soon win over more hearts and appetites.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Original Dolor’s Kakanin: Sweet traditions since the 1930s</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17493529037361749118873983700.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Chim Cantos for ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Dolor’s Kakanin has been a staple since the 1930s, known for its vibrant selection of native rice cakes: sapin-sapin, kalamay ube, kutsinta, biko, and more, served in the iconic bilao.</p><p>With nearly a century in the industry, Dolor’s prides itself on one thing: consistency.</p><p>Using the same ingredients through generations, the brand remains a comforting presence at Filipino celebrations, especially during New Year feasts.</p><p>In Malabon and beyond, their assorted kakanin symbolizes happiness and familial unity, one shared tray at a time.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Ellet’s Sweets: Halo-Halo and the taste of home</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17493529649951749118874200409.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Chim Cantos for ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></strong></div><p>Some desserts cool you down. Others warm your heart. Ellet’s Sweets does both.</p><p>Since 1975, Ellet’s Sweets has brought joy to Malabon locals through its premium halo-halo and classic Filipino desserts like halaya ube and its newest creation, the bibingcute, a mini bibingka, with a special ubebingcute variation filled with ube jam.</p><p>Known for using homemade ingredients like creamy garbanzos and milky ice, Ellet’s serves its halo-halo year-round.</p><p>Surprisingly, their busiest season is not summer but in December, from media noche to noche buena, according to marketing officer Ian Masangkay.</p><p>More than a dessert, it’s a sweet reminder of Filipino hospitality and tradition—layered, generous, and always shared.</p><div><strong>Why salo-salo still matters</strong></div><p>The Filipino tradition of salo-salo remains deeply significant as it provides a cultural expression of togetherness despite the cultural differences of Filipinos living across different regions.</p><p>With each bite, a story is told while reinforcing the Filipino values of hospitality and community.</p><p>Salo-salo, when practiced, offers a disconnection from phones, allowing differences to be set aside, emotions to be shared and felt openly, and a genuine human connection to persist.</p><p>In places like Malabon, where food traditions are strong, the salo-salo continues to bring people together.</p><p>Whether it’s a lechon feast in Cebu or a boodle fight in Batangas, these shared meals carry the belief that food is best enjoyed together.</p><p>In a world that’s changing so quickly, these gatherings help preserve our stories, strengthen our identity, and connect generations. No matter how modern life gets, the salo-salo reminds us that human connection still matters, and often, it starts around the table.</p>

<p><i>Salo-salo, a Filipino custom of gathering around a shared table, has long been a tradition that bears witness to bonds strengthened through stories filled with laughter and tears.</i></p>

Salo-salo, a Filipino custom of gathering around a shared table, has long been a tradition that bears witness to bonds strengthened through stories filled with laughter and tears.

Salo-Salo: A culinary journey through Malabon’s timeless flavors

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Salo-Salo: A culinary journey through Malabon’s timeless flavors

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern,

Chim Cantos

Published Jun 09, 2025 02:27 PM PHT

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Malabon

Hazel's Special Puto

D’ Original Okoy ni Jay-R

Original Dolor’s Kakanin

Ellet's Sweets

Food

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