Pancit Bihon vs Malabon vs Guisado: Which Filipino Noodle to Order in Halifax
Bihon, guisado, palabok or malabon? What actually separates the Filipino noodle dishes, which ones you can order tonight in Halifax, and which one only comes by the tray.
Barrios Restaurant & Bar
10/10/20265 min read
Pancit Bihon vs Malabon vs Guisado: Which Filipino Noodle to Order in Halifax
Pancit is not one dish. It is a whole family of Filipino noodle dishes, and the names come from all over the place: the noodle, the town, the sauce, or the way it is cooked. If you are looking at our menu trying to decide, here is what actually separates them.
The short version. Bihon is the thin rice noodle. Our guisado puts two noodles in one plate. Malabon is the thick-noodle seafood version, and you order that one by the tray. We have added palabok to the comparison, because it is the one most people are really after when they come in asking for malabon.
Where pancit comes from
Pancit arrived in the Philippines with Chinese traders, and the name traces back to a Hokkien phrase for food that is cooked quickly. Filipino cooks took it from there and made dozens of versions, named after the noodle, the place, the sauce or the method.
It turns up at birthdays, because long noodles are said to stand for a long life. That is why a lot of families will tell you not to cut them.
Pancit bihon, $17. The thin rice noodle
Bihon is thin rice vermicelli, stir-fried with fresh mixed vegetables in a light savoury sauce. You choose grilled chicken, crispy pork belly or shrimp with it.
Order it when there is a lot else on the table. It sits light and it goes with everything, which is why it is the one most people picture when somebody says pancit.
Pancit guisado, $17. Two noodles in one plate
Guisado is not a noodle. It means sauteed, and strictly speaking most stir-fried pancit is guisado. What ours is, specifically, is a mix of rice noodle and egg noodle, tossed together with fresh vegetables in a savoury sauce, with the same choice of chicken, crispy pork belly or shrimp. If you grew up calling that egg noodle canton, that is the one in there with the bihon.
That mix is the whole point. The bihon is rice noodle only. The guisado gives you rice noodle and egg noodle in the same plate, so the thin one takes up the sauce and the egg noodle keeps its bite. This is the one to order if bihon has ever felt a bit light to you.
Palabok, $20. The rich orange one
Palabok is the one that does not look like a stir-fry. The rice noodles come already coated in a thick savoury sauce, and the boiled egg, the shrimp and the crispy pork belly sit on top, so you fold them through yourself. The name comes from the Tagalog for the garnish, which tells you where the dish puts its effort.
It is the richest thing in our noodle section and the one that shows up at celebrations. It has shellfish in it.
Pancit malabon in Halifax, and why it comes by the tray
Pancit malabon is the one people come into Barrios asking for and cannot find on the menu. It is named after the city of Malabon in the north of Metro Manila, and it is built on thick rice noodles under a golden orange shrimp sauce, topped with crispy pork and shrimp, and traditionally served on a bilao, the round woven tray.
We do not serve it in the dining room. It is a special order party tray, $40 for the family size, with 24 to 48 hours of notice.
So if you walked into our place on Barrington Street wanting malabon tonight, order the palabok. Same family, same orange shrimp sauce, the same crispy pork and shrimp on top, and a boiled egg as well. The difference is the noodle. Malabon is the thick one, palabok is the thin one, and palabok is the one you can eat the same evening.
A short decision tree
You want something light beside several other dishes: bihon.
You want both noodle textures at once: guisado.
You want the richest plate on our noodle list tonight: palabok.
You want thick noodles and seafood for a party: the malabon tray, ordered ahead.
You are after pad thai: it is in the same section at $17, but it is not pancit.
Somebody at the table cannot eat shellfish: read the next line before you order.
If there is a shellfish allergy at the table
Palabok and pancit malabon are both topped with shrimp, so those two are out.
The bihon and the guisado are the ones to ask about. Their sauces do not contain fish sauce or shrimp paste, so the chicken or the crispy pork belly version is the place to start. The kitchen is still a shared one, so tell your server about the allergy before you order, or call 902-444-2515 ahead and we will tell you what we can do that night.
Ordering pancit for a group
One pancit will not feed a table on its own. Put it in the middle and build around it. Spring rolls at $9 to start, a sizzling plate of sisig at $20 or crispy pata at $27 in the middle, and steamed rice at $2.50 a bowl for anyone who wants it.
For a bigger group, the party tray list has pancit bihon at $35, palabok at $40 and pancit malabon at $40. Those prices are the family size, which serves about five people. Party size serves about ten and costs more, and you choose the size at checkout. Trays need 24 to 48 hours of notice, and your pickup date and time go in at checkout. Tray pickup is Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 AM to 8 PM and Sunday 11:30 AM to 4 PM.
One thing to know before you plan a Sunday. Sunday is our fixed-price Filipino brunch, 10:30 AM to 4 PM, so the plates on this page are not orderable that day. Any other day from Tuesday, book a table or call 902-444-2515.
Prices shown are from our current menu and party tray menu and may change.
Quick answers
What is the difference between pancit bihon, guisado and malabon?
Bihon is rice noodle only, thin vermicelli stir-fried with vegetables. Guisado means sauteed, and ours mixes rice noodle and egg noodle in the same plate. Malabon uses thick rice noodles under a golden orange shrimp sauce, topped with crispy pork and shrimp.
Is pancit malabon on the menu at Barrios in Halifax?
Not for dine-in. It is a special order party tray, $40 for the family size, with 24 to 48 hours of notice.
What is the difference between palabok and pancit malabon?
They are the same family, the same orange shrimp sauce and the same crispy pork and shrimp on top. Palabok uses a thin rice noodle, adds a boiled egg, and is on our dine-in menu at $20. Malabon uses the thick noodle and comes only as a party tray.
Which pancit should I order first?
Bihon at $17 if you want the plain one everybody knows. Palabok at $20 if you want the one that tastes the most of something.
Is any pancit vegetarian?
Our noodle dishes all come with a choice of chicken, pork belly or shrimp, and the menu does not list a meat-free version, so ask your server before you order. The plate our menu marks vegetarian and vegan-friendly is the pinakbet at $14.
Where is Barrios?
1571 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 1Z7. Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 AM, until 9 PM Tuesday to Thursday and 11 PM Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch 10:30 AM to 4 PM. Closed Mondays. Call 902-444-2515.