In this #KFTI (that's my made up hashtag for krishafromtheisland lol) exclusive, I'll take you someplace near and dear to my heart: Lumpia ni Senyang.

There are obviously two reasons why most non-island people come to Opon Merkado, Mactan's downtown area. One is to go to the famed Virgen dela Regla Church to pray and ask for miracles, and the other is to satisfy their craving for good old Senyang.

Nang Senyang and her lumpia is some kind of an urban legend to islanders but they’re a huge mystery to most cityfolk. Now don’t think of anything fancy here: Nang Senyang is basically your everyday middle aged woman but her store, which has grown from a little hole-in-the-wall to a legit eatery right along the Virgen dela Regla church, has been here for almost 30 years!

Their specialty? Lumpia nga taoge. Tawge? Taogi? Ah, whatever! Basta! Spring rolls. Hundreds of them stacked on her display table, all fried to perfection.

Omnomnom! So what's so special, you may ask. Well, you can ask thousands of SACS kids and other islanders what's so special with this little babe and you'd get laughed at in the face. The secret, my friend, is their awesome trademark super hot hot hot sauce. Makes me cry for my mama or run to the fan every time. I spent half of my freshman year in high school trying not to howl. 

Legend has it that Senyang and her staff crush more than a hundred red peppers everyday to come up with the crazy sauce, which is really crazy. And no, I don't have photos of it. Might scare you.  It looks like your innocent ketchup tho, up until you taste it.

But don't stop there. The lumpia itself is crunchy and filled with all that taoge-tawgi-taogi goodness. 

Pair it up with some giant puso:

Then some yema and buko juice to help your poor burnt mouth

Wait, is that sip-on running down your nose? I know, it's THAT spicy. :)

Everything is of course, affordable. Haven't been there in a while so this must have been updated, but here's an idea of just how wallet-friendly this famed lumpia is:

Oh, wait. Lookie who decided to drop by?

Say hello to my mother guys! I think she heard me calling for her when I had too much sauce. She's real good friends with Nang Senyang.

Well, Nang Senyang is good friends with everybody! Including Pedro Calungsod. She is sweet and very religious and has a good memory.

Nang Senyang will most likely know your name or face even if you've emigrated to British Columbia and been gone for like 23 years. In the off chance she's forgotten or she's only seen you for the first time, Nang Senyang is just as accomodating and friendly.

And yeah, my cousins and I used to deliver ice to her old store, which was somewhat smaller and somewhat farther and somewhat more haunted than her current location.

Looking for a sign? There you have it. :D 

Lumpia ni Senyang is every Opon kid's pride and joy. It's the local comfort food, even if you do end up with really swollen lips at the end of the meal. Here's where kids would meet after school or during lunch time or after those crazy dance practices. Many memories are actually made in this place with this food.

For me, Senyang is literally some kind of home.

Because hercurrent spot now used to be my family's very own canteen! :D 

I swear, Nang Senyang had her eyes on it for years until we decided to closed it down.

Lumpia ni Senyang is located at R dela Serna Street, Poblacion Lapu-Lapu City. It's behind the Virgen dela Regla Shrine, the small eskina after the convents. It's adjacent (atbang sa back gate) to SACS. Parking spaces available.

PS here's us:

Come drop by soon!!