Laag-Laag sa Cebu (Part 21): Yummy Cebu Pasalubong in the Pasalubong Center of Cebu City |Filipino Sojourner

It is my habit to take home something from the places that I visited. It could be food or it could be any souvenir that is unique in the area. In the case of Cebu, my take home, or what we Filipinos call as pasalubong, are food - plenty of food - and most of it are the favorites of my loved ones.

I previously posted about my visit to Taboan Market where I bought dried danggit and dried squid. This time, I went to another pasalubong center of Cebu where I bought some sweet pasalubong for the family.

This Cebu pasalubong center is Shamrock and it is famous for its otap. This crunchy bread is so yummy that it is always included in My Beloved Wife’s pasalubong list whenever I go to Cebu.

I also brought home some hojaldres.

The Shamrock pasalubong center that I usually visit is the one located near the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

It is conveniently located because I can easily drop by this place after I visited the Sto. Nino Basilica and the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

In my last visit to Cebu City, I dropped by another Shamrock pasalubong center and this one is located near the Fuente Osmeña Circle.

Yummy pasalubong from Shamrock in Cebu Citty

This Shamrock store is much better because it is not just a pasalubong center but it is also a restaurant.

The name of this pasalubong center is interesting because the word Shamrock is not Cebuano nor Spanish. It is actually Irish and it means three-leafed clover plant.

This pasalubong center was established before the Second World War as a joint business venture between the Pampangeña Honoria Paras and an Irish businessman, hence the name Shamrock. Their first shop is located at the old Compania Maritima building, which is near the Carbon Market and the Cebu City Hall. Unfortunately, the War brought destruction to Cebu and this is the possible reason why the Irish businessman left the country. Honoria continued the Shamrock Bakery after the War and it now grew as a popular to visitors of Cebu for its yummy otap.

Another pasalubong center in Cebu is Titay’s, which is famous for its melt-in-your-mouth rosquillos. I was able to drop by Titay’s during my first trip to Cebu after my visit to the Camotes Islands. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit Titay’s Bakery in the town of Lilo-an during my latest visit to Cebu. Good thing that a friend gave me this mamon from Titay’s.