By Kristia Niña G. Daymiel | February 16, 2024
When all three hands of the clock meet at twelve, the clinking sound of dining utensils and the chatter of people surrounding a table’s corners begin to play, singing the music of a student’s short break from the four corners of a classroom wall. As mundane as it seems, these all together paint the in-betweens of a Sillimanian. But, as students, these are also the moments where budget gets brought into the picture.
Silliman University (SU) may have a wide array of food spots on campus: the SU Cafeteria, Silliman University Nutrition Dietetics (SUND) Snackshop, and Silliman University College of Nursing (SUCN) canteen. But a few steps from there, one can find other food places to stop by during lunch breaks and snack times.
Here are some affordable food spots in SU!
Minimik
Nestled along the road of Hibbard Hall where tessellations of acacia trees canopy the sky is a small food place offering signature Filipino dishes: Bicol express, sisig, and lumpia. The tables, however, are placed closely next to each other, leaving only a small space for customers to pass by. Regardless, the food is enough to fuel them at a low cost!
Most of the food they sell ranges from ₱35 for vegetable dishes to ₱50 for meat. They also have pork barbecue for ₱25 per stick, sunny-side up eggs for ₱15, fried bangus for ₱40, and guso for ₱20.
Mommy Ying
A few steps from Minimik is a smaller food stall standing behind Oriental Hall that, despite its size, makes it a convenient stop for students looking to squeeze in some munches on the run. From meals, and snacks to drinks, Mommy Ying has it all covered in its more-or-less two-square meter kiosk. And that’s not to mention the fact that it sits under the shade of acacia trees where a kiss of fresh breeze joins you in every bite.
Rice meal sets have been one of their staples, with prices ranging from ₱75 to ₱80. Among them are: chicken mushroom, corned beef, hotdog, crispy chicken, and longganisa. For refreshers, they have iced tea for ₱30, milo for ₱35, cappuccino for ₱39, choco flakes for ₱50, and mais con yelo for ₱55. More from their menu are their burgers ranging from ₱45 to ₱95, hotdogs from ₱25 to ₱50, and grilled sandwiches from ₱30 to ₱35.
Ka Daniels
On the other end of SU, by the pavement along Langheim road lies a few-seater food place that offers diversely flavored entrees and sweet treats. The stall invites students to its little diner where food, chit-chat, and a tree trunk meet under one roof. The space is quite small and hot, but with the tree’s shade nearby, Ka Daniel’s feels somehow bigger and more breezy.
Foremost, it is Ka Daniel’s menu choices that make them an often full-house food stop. They have silog meals ranging from ₱60 php to ₱75 and yangchao (Chinese-style fried rice) from ₱40 to ₱50.
Snacks and beverages are also available, such as their iced latte ranging from ₱50 to ₱60; sandwiches, burgers, and hotdogs in a bun from ₱30 to ₱60; hashbrowns for ₱30; their unique potato cheese lumpia for ₱15; empanada for ₱20; ube hopia for ₱15; and donuts for ₱40.
Klebby’s Snack Corner
Just a step away from Ka Daniel’s is another dining spot that serves meals conveniently in a paper bowl, fit for those who prefer eating on the go. By the afternoon, when the sun begins to set, a cup filled with a layer of ice, milk, and corn kernels brings a delightful treat to those looking for a merienda (snack).
Other options on the menu are chicken rice meals from ₱60 to ₱75, shawarma rice for ₱70, pork chop with rice for ₱80, siomai for ₱30, siomai rice for ₱50, mais con yelo for ₱50, and shawarma wraps for ₱60.
Tita Grace
Along the sidewalks of Langheim road, while the streets are filled with passersby, a trace of smoke climbs up the air as the sun goes down, wafting from the cooking of a warm afternoon delight—their ginanggang (grilled banana). This is the typical picture of the food stop’s afternoon rush. But during morning and noontime, Tita Grace isn’t just a stop for merienda, but a rendezvous spot for students and homey meals.
Most of their dishes’ prices run from ₱50 to ₱60, which among them are: fried chicken, chicken, pork menudo, and beef steak. But aside from these, they also have lumpia for ₱10, fried rice for ₱15, meatballs for ₱35, pork chop for ₱60, and spaghetti for ₱50.
Amid the daily academic fuss—minimal or not—food fuels a burnt-out mind, hence the need for this food guide. Not everyone has bulky wallets to pay for pricey meals. It is in these food spots where the sound of great conversations over the clinking cutleries becomes music to the ears, without losing much penny from the pocket.
