Balgoa's Manapla Puto: Authentic & the best
I just sank my teeth into the marshmallowy softness of Balgoa’s ube-flavored Manapla puto and followed it up with a sip from Venice coffee straight from a vendo.
Not all puto are created alike, not even if they all call themselves Manapla. (Manapla is actually a town in the neighboring isle of Negros that became famous for its puto on a banana leaf base.)
Actually, i’m very careful about passing judgement on food items lest I commit a sin. (he,he). But this one, I’m really convinced about. I just love Balgoa’s Manapla puto. It’s the ultimate. Most puto–which also pass themselves off as Manapla–(I guess, as long as there’s the banana leaf cup, it’s called Manapla) are not as soft and tasty as Balgoa’s. Those sold in the public markets in Iloilo are generally coarse in texture and can sometimes be gummy.
Come to think of it, the ingredients of puto is an open secret. Its the right combination of quality ingredients and the technique of cooking that set Balgoa’s puto above the rest.
There are two varieties at Balgoa’s: 1) The traditional Manapla puto sitting on a banana leaf square and 2) the puto without the leaf. Molded in muffin cups, this puto has two flavors: natural and ube-flavored (that’s what i’m having this morning).
Striking a conversation with the owner one time, Mrs. Dolly Balgoa, I learned that:
her father-in-law, who started this home-industry in Jaro back in 1960 was originally from Manapla, from a family of puto makers (talk about having the rightful claim to the name).
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December 9th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
My wife and I had papaya, vegetable omelet, toasted English muffin, and Dunkin Donuts coffee for breakfast this morning – followed by Symmetry’s antiaging vitamins and filtered water. But that Puto look soo..o.o…. manamit guid. I can have that any time of the day.
February 19th, 2008 at 3:40 am
Hi and congrats to this site!
May we know where we can directly buy balgoa’s manapla puto? thanks!
February 20th, 2008 at 5:41 am
thanks for appreciating our site.
Balgoa’s is at Commission Civil street, Jaro, Iloilo. It’s near VN Grande construction supply. Balgoa’s manapla puto is also sold in this inconspicuous corner sari-sari store. Look for this billboard:
D’ Original Manapla Puto.
The packs of puto are available every morning. by mid-day , ubos na.
If you’re far from here, you can still have a taste of that at Deco’s batchoy, Sabor Ilonggo stalls at the malls or at Balbie’s where they sell the puto per piece.
March 31st, 2008 at 12:47 am
Would you share the recipe? I live in Los Angeles, CA now, formerly from Santa Barbara, iloilo and can’t find a good puto. Thank you
May 24th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Hello!
Thank you for this wonderful article. For sure my late Lolo Pedro Balgoa appreciates this wonderful review on our old family recipe. I miss Iloilo.
Chris Balgoa
cbalgoa@gmail.com
May 24th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Chris,
thanks gid kay Lolo Pedro mo. Gina-enjoy gid namun ang manapla puto niya.
“Missable” Iloilo it is.
Lani,
How I wish, secret recipe galing nila ina. I can perhaps share something close. I just can’t say when. Medyo busy pa.
May 27th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I am so happy to find your website,very interesting at nakakatakam lahat ng mga recipes.I have been searching for puto manapla recipe for a long time.It is the best puto i have ever tasted when i was in the Philippines.Kindly send me a “puto manapla recipe”.Thank you and may you have more blssings.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:23 am
thanks for your comment Lina. A student of mine did further research on this manapla puto. I’ll kitchen-test first the recipe she gathered before i’ll post it.
Maayong hapon.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:11 am
haaay, miss ko gid ang manapla. every time i go home to iloilo ginapabakal ko gid mother ko . lapit lang amon balay sa del carmen street. so may access gid ko sa puto manapla. how i wish they’d give me access to their recipe. im here in thailand. mga 3 years ako wla na nakatilaw manapla.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
i miss manapla puto with baychoy
September 17th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Hi,
pwede ka pangayo recipe sang manapla puto?
daw gina laway na gid ako!!!
daydel
October 21st, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Hmmm puto manapla is the best. I do cook
puto but its not better than Manapla. abi
mangayo man ta sang recipe. we grow up selling dinuguan,pata and tuba but my tatay
only buy puto to sell.
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Hi!
This is a great site for sure Lola Dyoning would be very happy to know that the Manapla Puto business lives on under the Balgoa name!
I hope you know us. We’re the kids of Teem Balgoa!
BTW musta Chris!
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Hi,
Goodday,kadugay na hindi ako nakakaon sang puto manapla, since nagpamana ako,then have 4kids,karon lola na ng 3cute grandchildren and nagtrabaho diri sa
tahiti,ti kadukay nakaayo,While searching puto recipe which in my mind is the puto manapla matching with dinuguan, oh kanamit gid!
Hope you can shares us this recipe.
More power!!!!!!!!
August 14th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Thanks for the main article. I am Jaro born and bred, and I used to walk 10 mins to the house in Commission Civil to buy their (I believe it’s one-of-a-kind) Manapla puto. But I never found out the name of the business or anything else about it. I still eat them whenever I am home, nothing feels more authentic than eating puto bought the way one used to 30 years ago. No wonder I love Balbi’s puto! Now I’m feeling nostalgic. Ahay.