ILOILO FOOD TRIP

Sinigang is one of the most popular soup dishes in the Philippines and the list goes on on the different variations it has across the country. If there's a Sinigang na Bangus with Puso ng Saging , which is already different from the usual fish sinigang, then how about the pork version of it - using pata or pork hocks. Here's a simple recipe for  Sinigang na Pata with Puso ng Saging .

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for sweet indulgences to savor and to share with loved ones!  At the Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, expect a treasure trove of mouthwatering baked goodies you can include in your holiday celebrations and Christmas lists for family and friends.

Just the mere mention of crispy pata , makes one imagine a deep fried pork knuckle with very crisp skin and meat dangling after being dipped in a very spicy sawsawan . Next to lechon, crispy pata is probably the most indulgent pork delicacy there is. Though, laden with cholesterol, sometimes we need to satisfy our cravings and indulge on foods we miss a lot - with caution, that is. Making crispy pata is quite simple though preparation time is quite long. But it is as always, worth the wait. Here's a basic recipe for Crispy Pata.

Deco's La Paz Batchoy Valeria is the second Deco's branch that features a Ramen house-style design with a touch of Ilonggo culture and heritage. The first one is located at Robinsons Place Jaro.  * Ramen-house style  * Open kitchen * Instagrammable wall  * No short-cut soup preparation * Batchoy sizes: Special, Super and Extra  * Also serves Diniguan, Siopao, Siomai, Pandesal and Puto  * Free WI-FI With Iloilo City's thrust as a premiere MICE venue (for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), Deco's La Paz Batchoy is keen on revolutionizing the batchoyan in Iloilo to make it more trendy and exciting. Ilonggos as well as tourists can now enjoy a bowl of hot and steamy delicious Deco's La Paz Batchoy in a clean, convenient and vibrant environment in its Valeria Branch, Iloilo City. Located at La Salette Building, Deco's Valeria features an eat-and-watch design wherein customers can see their ba...

Pancit Palabok is one of my personal favorite noodles dishes. I just love the combination of the ingredients creating various taste contrasts as well as texture. Fastfood chains, snackshops and most restaurants offer Palabok for a quick and delicious fix and less hassle in preparation. But if time permits making Palabok at home is also a treat! Its makes an interactive dish if its self service since you can choose the ingredients you want. Here's a basic Pancit Palabok recipe

Tired of the usual adobo and grilled stuffed squid? Try this easy to cook and delightfully good Baby Squid in Olive Oil recipe. It could be your next specialty in the making! Here's a very simple recipe for Baby Squid in Olive Oil

How do you love your Adobong Pusit? For me, I like it when the ink is is blackest and sort  saucy. Among the most popular ways of cooking squid, makign squid adobo ombines the Pinoys favorite way of cooking -  adobo , with one of the most delicious bounty of the sea.  For some, the blackness of the dish is a sort of turn-off but to those who have discovered the gastronomic delights of this cooking; it's a taste of heaven - on a plate with hot rice! Here's a simple recipe for Adobong Pusit

A perfect appetizer, this combo can make you salivate the moment you see it. For most Pinoys,  mangga't bago-ong  (green/unripe mango and sauteed shrimp paste) is among the ultimate appetizers. Even just the smell of tanginess of the mango and the pungent-ness of the sauteed guinamos already makes a gastronomic impact.  But there's more to this combo than what it is. You can also make it into a salad....  Just dice green mangoes (the ones that are halfway between green and ripe are the best), then add slices of onions and tomatoes and mix sauteed bago-ong .  On it's own, it is already a treat but as side dish to fried or grilled meat or fish, it's the bomb! Happy eating... Here's a recipe for this Mango and Bago-ong Salad

Fried, grilled, stuffed, cooked in broth or whichever way you prefer it-  there's always a delicious recipe for BANGUS. For Pinoys, bangus or milkfish is an all time favorite.  It's versatility to be made into 101 recipes (or even more) is just what makes it a hit in every Filipino kitchen - whether in restaurants or at home.  Here are the links to some Bangus Recipes.

Just like it's namesake (well, almost) lechon , this crunchy pork belly dish needs no introduction. The mere mention of lechon kawali  brings to the senses the crunch, the crispness, the aroma and the taste of this well-loved Pinoy favorite. Now, it's time to make one and enjoy all the goodness!  Here's the basic recipe for Lechon Kawali

Craving for batchoy ? Time to give this hole-in-the-wall batchoyan in Santa Barbara, Iloilo a visit.  It maybe a bit far from the usual batchoy stops but doesn't deter foodies from all over Iloilo. But real foodies know no boundaries when looking for something new and especially when it has become an online viral sensation Located along Libertad Street, just ask any tricycle driver - they'll take you there. Or you may ask the locals for the "Batchoyan sa Ilawod" as it is popularly called.

Kinilaw is the Philippine version of ceviche , a popular dish in the American continent especially in the Spanish areas of Central and South America. It is called differently but basically it still is teh same style of cooking as the Philippines was a former colony. While fish, is the most popular  kinilaw , other seafood are made  kinilaw  as well like  oysters  and shrimps, among others Here's a simple recipe for Shrimps Kinilaw

Suman Latik is one of my favorite native delicacies - plain suman/ibos topped with sweetened coconut strips or bukayo . Most of the time those sold in the markets have this two (suman and bukayo) already in one wrap and all you have to to is devour it. But most of the time, the bukayo portion is bitin that I wish there's more. So why not make our own suman latik so you can have all the suman we want with all the bukayo toppings we desire! Here's a simple recipe for Suman Latik 

One of the easiest yet delectable is cooking it paksiw Ilonggo-style called  pinamalhan . It is rooted from the  Hiligaynon  word " mala"  meaning dry. But most of the time, we tend to leave a better portion of the sauce as  sabaw  thus making the recipe an adobo-like paksiw rather than a paksiw-made-dry, to which  pinamalhan  got it's name.  Namit gid! Here's a simple recipe for Pinamalhan nga Bangus.

I got these lomboy or duhat for PhP10/plastic cup from a fruit vendor. It's been a while since I had one so it was the right time to reconnect with the taste of our "childhood". My fondest memories (and I would say most of you) would be gathering these fruit, placing it jars with salt then shaking it vigorously to enjoy its fruity goodness. So when was the last time you had lomboy?

Kinilaw nga Isda is a staple dish for the Ilonggos whether it's at home, in carinderia's or in most restaurants across Iloilo. The bounty from the sea prepared ceviche-style comes in many variations from the plain  kinilaw  to one having coconut milk to make the taste more subtle. Here's a recipe for Kinilaw nga Isda

One of the easiest ways of cooking pork is just setting them over heat until the juices come out and the aroma fills the air - sinugba ! And there are many ways of preparing inihaw na baboy - that is before the actual setting above charcoal. The simplest of which is just rubbing rock salt to freshly butchered pork (it pays to have an honest suki who'd tell you the quality of meat). Just rub salt on all sides of the meat  and set it aside for around 15 minutes.

Tino-um is basically a cooking technique where in the ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves then cooked.  But y ou can also  to-um  other ingredients including fish, shrimps and vegetables, among others. How about some bangus belly?  If it's delicious fried, grilled or in a soupy dish, chances are it will be even more delicious,  tino-um ! Here's the recipe for  Tino-um na Bangus Belly

On most Filipino occasions, aside from lechon baboy, a pancit dish would always be present. Be it bihon, sotanghon, canton or combinations like bam-i (sotanghon and canton); it is always on the handa-an table. And like many Filipino dishes, the pancit recipe varies from household to household much more in different restaurants and food place. Here's a basic recipe for a Pancit Canton where you can tweak using more or less ingredients of your choice.

I love puso ng saging, be it kinilaw or adobo but my ultimate favorite is when it is made of part of sinigang na bangus . It's a really simple dish - just cook like the way you make  sinigang  and instead of radish, okra and other  sinigang  veggies, just use  puso ng saging . Here's the recipe for Sinigang na Bangus with Puso ng Saging .

Bangus (or milkfish) is among the most popular fishes that tend to make it on the Filipino dining table. With its versatility, it can be cook in so many ways - grilled,  paksiw , soup, fried, relyeno (stuffed) and a whole lot.  In a simple gourmet style of cooking, it is most often made in Spanish-style sardines taking cue from the popular assortment of smaller fishes made into this kind of delicacy. Here's a simple recipe for a Home-made Bangus Spanish-Style Sardines

Balingon or dilis is a mainstay of most Filipino breakfast, together with tabagak ( tuyo ) and pinakas (salted daing ). But among the three, I find dilis the most versatile as I have tried cooking and eating more  balingon  recipes. As there are many variations of  balingon , chances are there can be as many recipes.  The simplest is just frying it oil and complementing it fresh tomatoes and onions as Ilonggos would called " hanggop or hinanggop ". The flavours and texture contrast makes it a delight to the tastebuds! 

Create a visually appetizing and delicious fruit salad using fruits and sago . It will not only be a palate pleaser but also appealing to the eyes. The ingredients are conveniently available and the recipe can be tweaked to its availability at the same time to your personal taste. From canned fruits to fresh fruits you can buy or even from your own backyard. You can also add some nata, kaong and not just sago for this salad to have different taste and texture. Just let your imagination be part of the procedure in creating your very own Fruit and Sago Salad. Here's a simple Fruit and Sago Salad recipe

Ilonggos seemed to be cheering "Half-Half Hooray" all-day today brought about by the excitement for the Dunkin' Coffee Day . On this caffeine-overload day, all medium sized HOT or ICED coffee at Dunkin' are 50% OFF its regular price! That's PhP 25 only from 7am to 7pm at all Dunkin' Donuts stores nationwide!  Now on its third year, Dunkin' Coffee aims to spread a lot or good vibes to the people who get their usual coffee fix at Dunkin' Donuts - and that could probably be YOU! With a cup of ICED coffee already on hand to perk my Friday, I suddenly realized that being at Dunkin' Donuts without ordering any doughnuts seems like a gastronomical sin of epic proportions! With all the mouth-watering doughnuts on display, I just gotta have one.  And the Quezo Duo doughtnut got me! I already love it as a munchkin so how can I say no to a bigger one with cream cheese glaze and cheese trickles? But the...

There are many ways of cooking adobo - be it pork, chicken or vegetables. And the recipes varies from region to region and even household to household. The most common is pork adobo and this alone has many variations including my favorite -  garlicky fried pork adobo . And it's like cooking the usual pork adobo just with more garlic and frying the pork to a crisp! Here's a simple Garlicky Fried Adobo Recipe