Ginabot
The ginabot is Cebu’s answer to the chicharon bulaklak. It is a street food that should be taken in moderation. The ginabot can be eaten as pulutan or snack taken wile imbibing alcoholic drinks. It can also be eaten as a meal together with the puso or hanging rice. The ginabot is made of pork intestines that are dried and salted before being deep-fried until they are golden brown. It is one of the items offered by a pungko-pungko vendor. If the vendor does not have it inside the basket, customers will likely look for one offering it.
One of the places where you can find the ginabot is at Pungko-Pungko sa Fuente. Located close to Fuente Osmena, the place is a pungko-pungko version of Larsian’s. Similar to Larsian’s you can choose which pungko-pungko vendor you buy from. All you need to do is to sit on the bench placed in front of a table with the basket full of street food goodies. The main offering of each vendor is typically the ginabot, which occupies a good portion of the basket.
The High Blood Station or Pareng Vic’s Carenderia has been one of the go-to places of people on their way home after a night of fun in the city. The place has been serving the ginabot needs of Cebuanos for many years. Their customers come from nearly all walks of life. Aside from the ginabot, the place also offers other heart-stopping dishes your doctor advised you to avoid. High Blood Station or Pareng Vic’s Carenderia is located along P. Cabantan Street, Mabolo.
There are many vendors offering ginabot close to the Cebu IT Park. These vendors typically lug a basket around, which means the ginabot will not be available if they are not in their usual spot. But, there is actually a place offering ginabot close to the IT Park. It is actually the front porch of a house that was converted into a dining area. While the place offers the other food items you can find in the basket of a pungko-pungko vendor, their ginabot is their main offering. It is also the dish customers normally look for when they go to the place. The store is located in the inner portion of the community living across TESDA. You can simply ask the residents for the location of the place selling pungko-pungko.
You can find them nearly everywhere in the city. They normally stay in places with high foot traffic. It can be outside a school or a hospital. You can aslo see them outside large commercial establishments and malls. In addition to the ginabot, they also offer other food items you typically see inside the basket of a pungko-pungko vendor.
When was the last time you ate ginabot? Tell us about it on the comments section below.