Comments on: Street Snacks, Athens & Istanbul

By: navyGOLF

navyGOLF — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:04:08 +0000

Very nice MM!!! I wonder if they had some more exotic street food like ours, betamax, adidas, IUD, helmet and the likes? Funny thing is, there’s a place behind St. Luke’s hospital they call ‘streetlife’ and you’ll be surprised to see some young doctors and medicine students eating there especially, the roasted exotic offerings mentioned above. How’s that for a doctor’s advice : )

By: B

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:11:12 +0000

It’s true. Street food still exists (and is evolving) in the many little thoroughfares of Metro Manila. It’s just the exodus into gated communities that makes us think they are dead :)

The best street food I’ve had was in India, where the large agricultural sector and many home gardens allows people to sell things really cheap, and always delicious.

This is not the case in larger cities in Europe, where being a street vendor requires outlay in terms of expensive input, permits (or even space rental!) In Asia and in smaller cities barriers to entrepreneurship and creativity (new ideas abound!) are low.

2 rupee samosas=heaven.
3 peso bananacue= heaven

By: dhayL

dhayL — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:21:41 +0000

You needed the snacks to keep you moving right? Specially when you’re doing a lot of walking :), so don’t feel so bad after all!Our family has a rule whenever we go on trips or vacations, dapat walang-diet-diet! heehe

By: garret sanchez

garret sanchez — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:33:56 +0000

Did you get a chance to try “kokorech”? It’s Turkey’s one of Turkey’s most beloved snack/ street food. It’s made from sheep intestines and was one of my favorite culinary adventures in Istanbul.

By: danney

danney — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:08:23 +0000

Yes sanitation is very important particulary in food handling but I still eat street food like fishballs, banana cue, turon, arroz caldo, goto, guinatan, pancit, maning adobo, sorbetes, taho, manggang hilaw in stick and more in the Philippines pero I never get sick. Just be very cautious of the the food, the food handler(s) and the sanitation where you are buying the food.

This is part of my culture and I love it. I just wish though the vendors will maintain proper sanitation, proper personal hygiene and presentable stores.

Walang street food like what I mentioned above sa abroad nor where I live in California unless you go to a Filipino restaurant.

By: Myra P.

Myra P. — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:47:54 +0000

drunkenlily, I think you zeroed in on the charm and honesty of street food.

Corrine, just yesterday, I was thinking about those gourmet carts all around NYC and wondering if the same could be applied to jolly jeeps in makati. Imagine, instead of the usual banana que and menudo in a plastic bag… pita wraps and paninis and hearty soups and pasta… or roast chicken, grilled veggies, salads…. Some of those cart vendors are chefs who’ve spurned the resto culture for more creative ( and financial) freedom.

By: corrine

corrine — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:49:46 +0000

I chanced upon nice looking peaches in Makati Supermart though not as big as the ones I saw in US. It cost me about P200.00 for two pieces but sadly, they were sour and I ended up making peaches flambe but I “killed” the sourness with golden raisins.

About streetfood…I read somewhere that in the US (is it NY?), there are street vendors who are selling gourmet food but not as pricey as the ones in restaurants. Wow, can you imagine the choices the streets offer?

By: Eileen Clement

Eileen Clement — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:42:06 +0000

MM, the weighing scale used for the chestnuts are pretty!

By: drunkenlily

drunkenlily — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:45:34 +0000

there’s something about street food, sans the fear of possible diseases..it is often cheap, close to taste of food at home and if we think of the honest vendors, all done for the sake of earning a decent living.

By: Mila

Mila — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:58:25 +0000

Cherries and peaches in season, how I love summer. Reading the price adjustment for the coconut reminded me of seeing rambutan in a high end supermarket in Munich a couple of years back. 2euro per fruit, not per kilo, but for each hairy red fruit!!!! Yoiks.