Danggit: Cebu’s Best Dried Fish Pasalubong

Tourists in Cebu should not forget to buy dried Danggit as pasalubong for their relatives and barkada back at home during their visit here in the Queen City of the South.

Danggit or Rabbit fish is a well known “Buwad” or dried fish in the province and is usually served for breakfast. Deep fried danggit is best paired with sunny side up eggs and fried rice. It is also makes a good side dish for your lunch and dinner.

Cebu Danggit

There are usually 2 types of dried danggit: the marinated one and the salted variety. The salted variety is the cheaper variety and taste more like the typical “daing na isda”.

The marinated Danggit variety is the most popular Cebu danggit. This form of dried fish is marinated first in brine with garlic and then left under the sun to dry. This is  the more expensive type of danggit but is a sought after pasalubong items by Cebu tourists thanks to its unique taste, scent and crispiness when cooked.

Local tourists places danggit as one of the must buy pasalubng item in Cebu, but foreign tourist such as Koreans and Japanese also enjoy buying danggit and other Cebu dried fishes. Marinated Danggit is also the type that is used in restaurants and various “tapsilog” outlets.

Newly Delivered Dried Danggit from Bantayan Island, Cebu 

Before there were 3 sizes for the dried danggit: the small, medium and large danggit size. But in order to protect the dwindling danggit population, there was an agreement between fishermen to catch the mature danggit only and leave the small ones alone or bring them back to sea once caught.

The medium sided fish are usually used for the marinated version of danggit while the large sized fish are usually used in the making of the salted variety. The medium sized danggit is around 2 to 3 inches in length and is very crunchy when deep fried. You can eat almost everything in a medium sized danggit even the head and bones, these parts are not usually eaten in large sized dried danggit.

Where to buy the most affordable Danggit Cebu?

The best place to buy affordable Cebu danggit is in Taboan Market. This market place serves as the drop of point of the produce coming from Bantayan Island. Taboan Market also sells other dried fish products coming from nearby provinces.

Aside from danggit, Taboan Market also sells other dried fish items like pusit (squid), bisugo, fish tocino, fish tapa, tarorot ( a different variety of squid), tuyo, dilis and others. This is also the best place to buy guinamos (Cebuano version of the Bagoong) and other Cebu food items like Cebu Chorizo, Dried Mango and Otap. Taboan market is a one stop shop for all you Cebu food pasalubong and is classified by many as one of the must visit Cebu tourist spots.

Taboan Market in Cebu City: Best Place to Buy Dried Dangit and Pusit

Most stores in Taboan Market uses airtight plastic bags for your danggit, so that the scent of the buyad won’t escape and cause you some problems especially when checking in your baggage at the Mactan International Airport. Taboan shops can also pack your dried fish per weight based on your request. They can pack danggit, pusit and others at 100 grams, 250, grams, 500 grams and 1 kilo packs.

A pack of Danggit Cebu placed in an airtight plastic bag

How much is Danggit per kilo in Taboan Market

Prices of danggit in Taboan Market differ from one season to another. Prices are affected by supply and demand.

The best time to buy danggit is during the dry months of January to May. This is where the supply is high due to the favorable weather of drying fishes such as danggit and pusit. You can buy a kilo of Danggit during this time at around 380 to 400 pesos per kilo. Just avoid buying near the Lenten Season or during Holy Week where demand for dried fishes is high, thus high prices as well.

Danggit prices soars up come the rainy months of August to December. It is very hard to catch fish during the rainy season and rains make it hard for the fish to dry properly. Expect to buy danggit at 500 to 600 pesos per kilo during these times.

If you are running out of time and going to Taboan Market can be a bit of a hassle, or if you don’t want the “fishy Taboan smell” sticking to your clothes, you can still buy dried Cebu danggit at different supermarkets and grocery stores such as in SM City Cebu, Gaisano and Robinson’s.

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Please SHARE your danggit experience at the Comment box below….Daghang Salamat!!!!