In 2006, Rica Penalosa was preparing to work abroad when an unexpected decision changed her path—she started selling food on the streets outside De La Salle University in Manila.
“Sabi ng daddy ko, wala na akong work noon eh. Dapat naga-apply ako for abroad as OFW,” she recalls. “E di, habang nag-aantay ako, sige magtinda muna ako.”
With a small red food cart, handwritten menus, and a simple selection of rice meals, she set up shop along Agno Street—now known as Fidel Reyes Street.
At first, it was just a temporary gig. But then something interesting happened—her customers, mostly La Salle students, helped shape her menu.
“Meron isang estudyante na bumili sa akin. Freshmen sila, mga teenagers pa, naging close ko sila yung isang block na iyon,” she says. “Tapos meron sila menu na ginawa para sa akin. May bacon ako, may tapa ako, may tocino ako.”
She introduced Tato (tapa + tocino), Bacto (bacon + tocino), and even Baclong (bacon + footlong + tocino). The students loved it so much that they started calling her “Ate Bacsi,” a nickname that eventually inspired her official brand name: Ate Rica’s Bacsilog.
What started as a single food cart quickly became a hit. Two years later, her stall moved into a commercial space, and demand exploded.
“Tapos, after two years, yung sa likod namin may ginawang commercial (establishment), lumipat yung store namin. Dun na ‘ko nagkaroon ng maraming tindahan, umabot hanggang apat dun sa La Salle,” she says.
From a small street cart to a fast-growing food brand with multiple branches, Ate Rica’s Bacsilog has gained a cult following—all thanks to a simple idea, customer feedback, and a unique take on street food.
“Hindi ko naman maiwasan yun eh kung maganda naman yung quality ng pagkain na sini-serve ko,” Penalosa says.
This article includes quotes from an interview originally published by Esquire Philippines, authored by Henry Ong.
