Food Finds at Coco Jen’s

Coco Jen’s Siopao and more…

Satisfying Snack for Hungry Tummies

Our day is never complete without the usual afternoon snack or merienda. Negrenses are fond of local native delicacies like puto, kutsinta, panara, suman and other snack favorites like batchoy or pancit molo.  Another popular snack item is the steamed siopao filled with pork asado, chicken or bola-bola (pork meat balls). The Cantonese and other Asians call it cha siu bao or steamed pork buns but in the Philippines, it is popularly known as siopao. This is also one of the best selling snacks in most Chinese restaurants and food stalls.

Why I love Siopao

Since my younger days siopao has been one of my favorite merienda fare paired with an iced cold drink. I love munching siopao because it is tasty, filling and not messy when you eat it. The blandness of the bun balances the savory asado filling. Another consideration is of course the price which is so affordable.

Through the years I have noticed that restaurant owners and siopao vendors have evolved in creating a variety of siopao fillings. Aside from the original pork asado, there’s also chicken, bola-bola and the fried siopao which I’ve have tasted when I visited Chinatown in Binondo (Manila).

Coco Jen’s Siopao

During a food fare in SM City Bacolod, I came across a stall named  Coco Jen which is owned by Ms. Jenny Coo.  She operates a food stall in Licuala Grandis (a food park along CL Montelibano Avenue).  I have already heard good reviews about her lumpia and other goodies and since then I became a suki (frequent buyer) of her lumpia each time Coco Jen sets up a stall at the SM City Bacolod food fare.

Actually it was when I was there beside her stall, munching and savoring the lumpia I bought when I saw a tray filled with chicken and pork siopao. I bought one chicken siopao and honestly I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular, but when I tasted it, Coco Jen’s siopao did not disappoint me!

The steamed bun was firm, not soggy. It had shredded chicken filling with a chunk of hard -boiled egg.  It was not too sweet or soggy. I just hope next time they’d steam or re-heat it a little bit longer as it tastes better when steamed longer. Because it tasted good, I came back and ordered again. This time I also tried the pork siopao (cooked pork asado in a sweetish saucy filling).  This one’s also good but my personal preference would be the chicken siopao.

So, what are you waiting for?

Coco Jen’s snacks are available at the SM Food fair located at the Ground Floor, North Wing of SM City Bacolod. Hurry! They’ll be there only until January 7, 2018.  For orders, you may text or call, (0917) 3000-270.