Miki noodles in a rich pork-bone broth, topped with pork offal, crushed chicharon, and a raw egg that poaches right in the bowl. Named for La Paz, the district in Iloilo City where street vendors made it famous.
Batchoy sits alongside Pancit Molo as one of Iloilo's two most famous noodle soups, but it's built on an entirely different foundation — a long-simmered pork-bone broth instead of a wonton-and-chicken base. The crushed chicharon stirred in at the table is what gives it a texture no other pancit on this site quite has, turning soft and chewy as it soaks up the broth.
The broth itself is the star — pork bones simmered low and slow until genuinely rich, not just seasoned. The raw egg cracked over each bowl is the other signature move: it's not scrambled or hard-boiled beforehand, but poached gently by the heat of the broth once it's ladled over, meant to be broken and stirred in right at the table.
Ask your butcher for a mix of pork bones with some marrow and connective tissue — it makes a noticeably richer broth than bones alone.
The hot broth gently poaches the egg right in the bowl once it's ladled over, giving the soup a silky, custardy richness when stirred in at the table — similar to how a raw egg is used in some ramen preparations.
Miki are fresh, thick egg noodles, chewier and more substantial than dried rice noodles like bihon. They're the noodle base for several Filipino soups and pancit dishes beyond batchoy, including pancit habhab and pancit cabagan.
Yes — a version made with just pork loin or lean pork instead of liver is common for those who prefer to skip organ meat, though it will taste noticeably milder than a traditional bowl.
