Ilocos Diaries: Where to Eat in Laoag

We asked locals for recommendations on where to eat in Laoag and they either pointed us to La Preciosa or Saramsam.

We followed their advice and tried the two restaurants on separate nights. Do note that both restaurants are located on the same street.

La Preciosa is probably the finest restaurant in Laoag offering traditional Ilocano dishes. 

 

Wall of Fame

We dined at La Preciosa during our first night in Laoag so we ordered the most popular Ilocano dishes.

Ilocano Longganisa (155php)

Longganisa in Ilocos is more salty than sweet. Best paired with vinegar.

Bagnet with KBL (175php)

Looks like lechon kawali because it is lechon kawali! It just has crispier skin.

Crispy Dinardaraan (175php)

My favorite dish at La Preciosa and I don't even eat dinuguan. It didn't have the funky smell and taste I usually associate this dish with.

Puqui-Puqui (150php)

The name of the dish is actually more intriguing than what it actually is. It's just eggplant, tomatoes, and eggs.

Pinakbet w/ Sitcharon (160php)

We tried to balance our meal with vegetables but there's bagnet thrown in the mix. FAIL.

Sansrival 

Soggy and sad.

Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant, on the other hand, is a more casual restaurant where friends and families  can hangout.

It has an adjoining KTV room where every day is an open mic night.

We had dinner at Saramsam during our last night in Ilocos and we veered from ordering traditional Ilocano dishes. 

Saramsam Pasta (150php)

Pasta with shrimps, cilantro, mangoes, and peppers. A welcome break from all the fried food we ate the entire trip.

Longganisa Pizza (200php)

Regretted that we didn't order their famous dinuguan or pinakbet pizza. This wasn't bad but I wished for a more interesting  flavor profile.

Malunggay Ice Cream

A must-order in Saramsam which didn't disappoint. It's served with fresh calamansi which I squeezed to my cup. The combination of malunggay and calamansi surprisingly worked!!! 

Bluebery Flan

Sure pretty to look at.

The locals are right! When in Laoag, one can't go wrong eating at either La Preciosa or Saramsam. Both are dependable restaurants that offer good local dishes at very affordable prices.

La Preciosa is located at Rizal St., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. For more information, call (77)7731162,(77)7732159 or click here. 
Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant is located at N. Corpuz Building, Rizal St. corner Hizon St.,Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. For more information call (077)7715825, 09175702110 or click here.