A Spicy Breakfast at Jimmy’s Satti

For me, travelling to different places meant having a bite of the local culinaria. Zamboanga City is already known for its curacha or coconut crab as some other people say, and Alavar sauce. However, there are lesser known dishes here that make Zamboanga worthy to be included in the Philippine culinaria tour. One of those local delicacies would be satti.

I was curious when I arrived in Zamboanga when I saw signs of satti everywhere. For a moment, I thought it was an Indian dish being served here in this side of the country. However, my classmate and friend of mine Abbey recommended me to eat at Jimmy’s Satti at Pilar Street in downtown Zamboanga City or Pueblo as the locals call it.

I woke up early one morning and head to Pilar Street in search of Jimmy’s Satti. At 6:30AM, the streets were still desolate but the front entrance of the restaurant was already bustling. The locals come here to have a greet of spiciness on that cool, rainy morning. For one, I was confused on how to buy one. No idea how it even looks like. I was assuming it was a Zamboangueño version of Malaysia’s satay, but I was wrong.

I ordered two satti…never realizing that one satti is already enough for two people!

Satti is a dish with rice cooked using pusô or the famed Cebuano wrapped rice, covered in spicy curry and chili sauce then topped with grilled beef or chicken. Pork is not served here since the owner is a Muslim (pork is forbidden in Islamic tradition) It is reddish in colour and has a strong spicy taste and smell. Talk about carbo loading that morning, no wonder why locals advised me that it should be eaten during breakfast! Satti was spicy, I was sweating and my nose started to water. It was spicy yet it was savory—I couldn’t stop and ordered more beef barbeque for my satti! The looks were not that appealing for first timers but hey, I don’t care! The food tasted so good that I went on for my second bowl!

One satti costs around P20 with three small beef barbeque on top of it which costs P5 per stick.

Satti has satisfied my local craving. I am not done yet!

Jimmy’s Satti Place is located at Downtown Zamboanga City, at Pilar Street.

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