Thanks to the digital world, we are now able to access something fast and easy, whenever, wherever. Like in the case of a crazy craving for authentic, traditional Ifugao etag (cured, smoked and aged pork), which brought us to Cafe Yagam, a homey cafe specializing in Cordilleran fare.
At Cafe Yagam, etag is used to boost an otherwise bland pinikpikan (smoked chicken soup), and best eaten with their tapuey-based dipping sauce. I’ve never really enjoyed the controversial pinikpikan this much. A diverse spread of flavors from the mountains of Cordillera went next.
We had Kalinga binungor, a spicy vegetable stew with agurong (or what we call birabid in Ilocos), and pinuneg, a Kankanaey blood sausage that went well with the default sweetish, spicy vinegar dip. Just to differentiate kini-ing from etag, we also ordered kini-ing pasta in yogurt sauce. Etag is more gamey as it undergoes fermentation.
Pressed ethically sourced mountain coffee is a specialty here, so we didn’t leave without a fill. I had it dark and it was really good with the sticky rice dessert that was served with the meals.
If we base good indigenous food on the decent-sized local crowd present enjoying tradition, then Cafe Yagam does it well.
Service was nice and prices were reasonable.
Never had mountain food this exotically tasteful.
Café Yagam
#25 J. Felipe Street, Gibraltar, Baguio City
09464550364 / 09212565677 / (074)423-0839
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