The story
Batchoy, usually called La Paz batchoy, comes from the La Paz district of Iloilo City on the island of Panay. The soup of noodles, pork offal, crushed crackling and rich broth reflects the influence of the city's Chinese community, and its name probably comes from Hokkien words for meat. Who invented it is disputed. Federico Guillergan is said to have created it in 1938, jokingly calling it 'bats' before adding 'choy', while Teodorico Lepura learned the craft from a Chinese merchant in the 1930s and opened his well-known stall in the La Paz Public Market in 1945. Another local shop claims to date from 1922.
Rival claims
Who invented it is disputed (Federico 'Deco' Guillergan in 1938, or Teodorico 'Ted' Lepura), but both stories place it in the La Paz district of Iloilo City.
Also known as La Paz batchoy, batsoy, Iloilo batchoy.
On the Meridish menu
Batchoy was the soup course on menu No. 29 on October 29, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Noodle soup with pork offal, crushed crackling and a rich broth. First sold in the 1930s at a public market in a district of this island city, from Chinese roots.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
