Lucban Restaurants

4 more images

My husband and daughter have talked about Buddy's Makati Branch which delivered Pancit Habhab to their offices during meetings. They liked Buddy's Pancit Habhab very much, so when we first went to Lucban, I bought Lucban's dried pancit miki and cooked my version of Pancit Habhab at home. (We were not able to eat at Buddy's then because it was raining so hard and it was difficult to find a parking space for our car.) They liked my version, but I told myself I should personally taste the original pancit habhab so I could make adjustments in my next cooking. Buddy's seemed like the benchmark for delicious pancit habhab. At their restaurant, you can eat it using a fork instead of eating it habhab-style or holding the pancit/noodles served on banana leaves to your lips and "siphoning" it inside your mouth.

When we finally got a chance to go Lucban again, we didn't have second thoughts where to have our lunch. Buddy's of course! It's a small self-serve restaurant with nice ambience- cool aircon, cozy lay-out and furniture, a festive mood with "kipings" (decorative leaf-shaped sheets made of rice flour) beautifully hang as "pahiyas" (decor) on the ceiling.

Favorite Dish: On our first visit to Buddy's, I wasn't fully satisfied with the food. The only thing we didn't have a problem with was Lucban longanisa with garlic rice. Pancit habhab was realy delicious, though the pork slices weren't tender enough. The hardinera was so-so and a bit soggy. Lechon kawali (deep-fried pork belly slices) wasn't tender & crispy, and the sauce wasn't that good. Fresh lumpiang ubod used nice, tender ubod, but tasted quite bland, served with sauce that wasn't satisfactory.

Our 2nd visit during the 2009 Pahiyas Eve was more than satisfactory. The pork slices in pancit habhab were tender enough; their pork sisig was great; their embutido was good enough. In fact, the food smelled so good that we've already eaten half of it when my grandson reminded me that I should have taken pictures of the food. For dessert, their halo-halo (crushed ice mixed with sweetened beans, kaong, pinipig, leche flan, ube jam, macapuno, sweet potatoes, sweetened bananas, langka, milk, etc) was superb! Regular halohalo was served in a big bowl for only P55!

We went back for snacks and tried their cassava pudding. It was delicious and cheap, only P40, which is good enough for 4 servings.

4 more images

it was my first time to eat at buddy's in lucban, although i have tasted their version of the pancit habhab bought from their branch at market market, surely nothing beats the original. the experience of eating the habhab in buddy's lucban was pure bliss (we asked the locals which resto cooks the best pancit habhab and this is where they pointed us) . this diner located very near the church of lucban fronting the plaza and the patio rizal hotel is definitely the place to sample what lucban culinary has to offer. pancit habhab accompanied with lucban longganisa and budin (cassava cake) was already a terrific treat, however we felt it would be nice if we had bread as well. which of course usually goes well with any noodle or pasta. so we rushed to a nearby bread house and bought a pack of bonete. now the meal is truly perfect. i suggest buddy's include the bonete in their menu.

Favorite Dish: pancit habhab

1 more image

Ambiance is cool. This canteen or small restaurant is situated at the foot of the hill at the Hands of Jesus or Kamay ni Hesus pilgrimage.

Although I did not eat in this restaurant, I was able to check on their menu and dishes available for lunch. It is all native or local Filipino dishes. It looks fine and delicious but lack variety.

If you don't crave for a lot of dishes, this restaurant will be fine. They have a couple of cottages wherein about 6 customers can sit, eat, and enjoy the native feel and privacy.

2 more images

This is a small restaurant (resto) in Lucban. Small as it is but the selection of dishes have a wide variety. Expect native dishes like Laing, Longganisa (Pork Sausage), Barbeque, and many other recipe with beef and chicken prepared Pinoy (Filipino) style with coconut milk. There is a selection of mouth-watering desserts for you to choose from.

The only dish I did not remember to order is the famous Pancit Habhab. This noodle is mixed with meat, seafood, and vegetable. The only difference with other pancit (noodle) is the way the local people eat it. Pancit is wrapped and rolled loosely in banana leaf, locked at one end and push to the other end and eat directly. No spoon and fork are used - not even a knife.

If you want to experience this unusual way of eating Pancit Habhab, then come visit Lucban.

Favorite Dish: The Longganisa is so tasty. The local people knows how to mix my favourite. It is best combined with Laing and Plain Rice.

The place's interior is filled with wood furniture. You can eat in their floating cottages. Though the place is technically not in lucban, it's in tayabas. but it's close to lucban, in 15 minutes or so you can reach the place.

Favorite Dish: Their pork sinigang is good. Their grilled liempo dipped in native vinegar and soy sauce... that is heaven.

Made from rice flour, these local noodles acquired its name and developed its unique attraction by the way it is eaten. Otherwise known as Pancit Lucban, these noodles are hawked in the streets and served on a piece of banana leaf, sans fork or any other utensils. Thus, it is eaten straight from the leaf, licking permitted :) "habhab"-style. Though not the most glamorous way to eat, especially on the streets, it is actually very environment-friendly as against the styrofoams, plastic forks of your typical fastfood (Author's personal opinion). It is eaten with lots of raw onions and a sprinkling of chili-laced vinegar. - taken from http://mozcom.com/~larlina/lucena.html

4 more images

Restaurant has old house ambiance, serving local Filipino dishes.

Foods are on the counter fastfood style which negates the place's ambiance.

You can feel you are in an old house.

1 more image

Local favorites are noodles, especially Pancit Lucban (Habhab).

They also serve other delicacies/viands like "sinantolan".

Favorite Dish: Pancit Habhab or Pancit Lucban