Good afternoon and welcome back to VibePinas! Today, we are keeping things simple and local at our place in One Oasis, Mabolo. After all the travels and the fancy mall trips, I wanted to dive into some of the most "authentic" street food experiences you can have in Cebu. Jessa decided it was time for my ultimate taste test, so she brought home a selection of delicacies that might make some people do a double-take: chicken feet, solidified blood, and chicken liver.
Now, I’ve always said that I’m game to try anything once. Jessa thinks it’s hilarious to watch my reactions, especially when it comes to the "adventurous" stuff. We started with the chicken feet. In the Philippines, they often call these "Adidas." It’s mostly about the texture—skin and cartilage—but once you get past that, the flavor from the marinade is actually quite good. Jessa was laughing because she knows I’m used to more "meaty" dishes, but I held my own!
Next up was the blood, or "Betamax" as it's known here because of its rectangular shape. I’ll admit, the idea of eating solidified blood is a bit of a mental hurdle, but once you take a bite, it’s surprisingly mild and picks up the smoky flavor of the grill perfectly. We paired everything with plenty of puso (hanging rice), which is my absolute favorite. There’s something about the way the rice is packed that makes it the perfect companion for grilled street food.
We also had some chicken liver, which is much more familiar to me, though Jessa’s way of preparing it with local spices gives it that extra Filipino kick. While we were eating, Liam was nearby, being his usual curious self. He’s starting to take an interest in everything we’re doing, and it won’t be long before he’s joining us for these "extreme" taste tests too.
The day wasn't just about the food, though. It was about enjoying the simple "happy life" we have here in the city while we wait for news on our bigger projects. It’s these quiet moments—sitting on our balcony, sharing a meal, and laughing at my reactions to "strange" food—that remind me why I love living in the Philippines. There’s no "kaarte arte" (pretense) here; it’s just us, some good food, and a lot of heart.
We’re still navigating the challenges of my health recovery and the paperwork for our future, but today was a reminder to find joy in the little things. Even if those little things happen to be chicken feet!
If you want to see the "unfiltered" footage of my first encounter with "Betamax" or watch Jessa’s reaction to my brave eating, come join us.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
