ILOILO FOOD TRIP

Every region in the Philippines has it's own version of a spiced vinegar and a name for it. In most parts of Western Visayas especially in Iloilo, it is known as sinamak .  One can find it almost anywhere for it is a staple dip in almost every household and native restaurants. Be it chicken inasal or grilled pork chop to seafoods especially talaba, sinamak is the perfect dip to further one's appetite.

One of my favorites and could be yours too, is Monggo Soup with a galore of vegetables and meat. And if it is pata or pig knuckles, wow, food heaven just descended on us. I love it even more with greens like malunggay, kamote and my favorite - alugbati. Then add some "bulky" veggies like jackfruit, unripe papaya or kalabasa to complement the pork pata. So here's another recipe for Pata with Monggo - this time with Papaya and Kamote Tops.

Ramboys. Liempo. That's probably it. Ofcourse, you'll have to have some extra rice to go with that deliciously crispy liempo that would surely make you rave and crave for more. You'd never look at any other liempo when you tried Ramboy's version. In fact, that would become your standard for a great-tasting liempo. SM City Iloilo invited members of the Iloilo Bloggers for a gastronomic adventure showcasing SM Southpoint.  The newest hang-out of the Ilonggos is an al fresco wing of the biggest mall in the region consisting of local and home grown restaurants and cafes as well new local and "imported" players in the food service industry. It's time to discover what SM Southpoint has to offer ...

POCHERO. The most familiar recipes are the ones stewed with tomatoes (or tomato sauce) or the Cebu variant which is like bulalo or nilaga, but the pochero I grew up with is just very simple. It's just pork cooked with potatoes and/or saba (cooking banana) with kamote tops or pechay. I just love the mild sweetness of the broth brought about by the bananas to the savory broth. Or sometimes, it tends lean more of the tomato based recipe, just without the tomato itself or sauce. The recipe is just very simple - just boil the pork first until tender. Add the "hard" veggies like potatoes, saba, carrots, etc then finally when the leafy veggies when its almost done. Just season it with salt or broth cubes for a savory broth. Here's a recipe guide for a simple Pochero Ilonggo

  The now-iconic restaurant called Casa  Ilongga  used to be just a small eatery -- and was even established far from its Iloilo roots.  But it owes its success story to serendipity, when they discovered that one of the  Sy  siblings of the Shoe Mart fame was a regular customer, affirming the goodness of their food and that they deserve to be on a bigger stage. Based on Spanish  words  Casa (home) and  Ilongga  (a female resident in Iloilo), the original establishment consisted of just a one long  table serving  Batchoy  before  exploded into popularity and became firmly entrenched as one of the longest-running restaurants with over 40 years in operation.   Humble Origins   Challenged by the closure of their oil business in Bacolod due to the sugar crisis in the late 1970’s, Emilio and  Julieta Uytiepo  decided to move to Manila together with their children t...

With it's signature French bread quality - crisp outside and soft inside, Panaderia ni Pa-a (formerly Jaro Bakery) has influenced the gastronomy of the Ilonggos especially those residing in Jaro. Established in 1896,  is very popular then and now with a singular item - pan de sal .  Founded by Jose Uy's great grandfather, Chiquito Uy, the bakery has withstood the test and taste of time and lived up to more than a century of baking and maintaining the quality and taste of it products especially the famed pan de sal.    Panaderia ni Pa-a was named in honor of Jose Uy's father, Uy Pa-a who was a native of the Southern China province of Fujian. 

Ilonggos have their own favorite sio pao. Be it one with a savoury filling or maybe that which has a nicely textured bun. It can also come from one’s favorite Chinese restaurant, a snack shop along the highway or a hole in the wall food shop. Let me take you in a “sio pao in the city” gastronomic tour and begin with the restaurant that sio pao built.

There are many ways of cooking this favorite Pinoy pork belly dish and just like it's namesake (well, almost) lechon , this crunchy pork belly dish needs no introduction. One can have it "very deep fried" that each bite sized portion is crunchy or just fry a big portion then enjoy some juicy bites in between. 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

“What I realized during and after the pandemic is that we should take care of the people that you work with. If you have a good relationship, they will stay with you.” Ted Valderrama Jr. came from a family of bakers whose breads are considered, not only as Ilonggo breakfast staple but revered locally as much as baguette is loved by the French.  Guess what happened when Ted decided to start a restaurant business instead. “It was nothing short of a baptism of fire,” Ted shared. “I know how to bake bread so we started with what I know.” Nicolette Bakery+Café’, which opened in SM City Iloilo in May 2016, was named after Ted’s wife, Nicolette. Together, they let their love for food lead them to realizing their dream of running a place where Ilonggos can enjoy special moments with family and friends. In the first month of operations, Nicolette only had about six food items. The menu expanded as they sought out and listened to the recommendations of their customers during their first thre...

I'm not not really fond of having goat meat as part of my gastronomy. But if it is kilawin made with goat skin, bring it on!  The taste and texture combination creates an exciting burst of flavour - grilled tender yet crunchy-chewy mixed with the spicy and tangy dressing makes it a perfect appetizer or a beer match! Here's a simple recipe for Goat Skin Kilawin

Eggs are often associated with breakfast. Aside from being an additional " sud-an " for " pamahaw " , it can also be topping on our favorite pancit, La Paz batchoy or Valenciana dish.  But eggs, when hard-boiled, fried or scrambled  are also delicious as sandwich palaman or filling. My all-time favorite is a simple combination of hardboiled egg, cheese and sandwich spread.  But here's a level up filling that will surely make breakfast or any meryenda a delicious treat as Victorias Foods Corporation is partnering with Chef Tope Arañador, a young and contemporary Ilonggo chef/owner of PUNOT Restaurant.  With this collab, VFC and Chef Tope has created 15 recipes using Victorias Foods signature products - Spanish Style Bangus and Sardines in Soya Oil.  And just in time for the Lenten celebrations, here's the an appetizing sandwich creation concocted by Chef Tope using hard-boiled eggs and Victorias Hot Sardines in Soya Oil.  Ingredients 6 pcs Victorias Hot Sar...

Buko Pandan is among the most popular Pinoy desserts and easiest to make. Its just a combination of young coconut strips called buko, gelatin cubes with the essence of pandan and a creamy concoction made with milk and cream. The preparation of a basic Buko-Pandan recipe is mainly on the making if the pandan-based gelatin.  Here's a simple recipe for Buko-Pandan: Ingredients * 1 pack Buko Pandan Gelatine powder Shredded buko meat from 2 to 3 pieces coconut 1 box cream 1 can condensed Milk 1 can evaporated milk Procedure Prepared gelatine according to package instructions. Set aside to cool then slice into cubes. In a bowl mix evaporated milk, condensed milk and cream. Adjust according to desired taste and consistency. Combine young shredded coconut and gulaman into the cream mixture. Chill 2-3 hours before serving. Do not freeze As always the measurements are just guides in this mouthwatering dessert recipe. *One can make adjustments on the quantity of the ingredients used whether o...

If there's one dish Iloilo is known for, it will all point to Lapaz Batchoy. Born in the market stalls in the district name it carries, this Ilonggo cuisine is a must try when in Iloilo. Netong's Batchoy at Tinda Lapaz And despite the number of batchoyans around the city (and even outside Iloilo), there's no more authentic experience than having it where it started - in the market. Don't worry Lapaz market is among the most organized and cleanest markets in Iloilo despite the chaos the market scene brings, you will still "fresh and clean" after your batchoy experience. Inggo's at The Atrium Mall foodcourt The big 3 when it comes to Lapaz batchoy are Ted's Oldtimer , Deco's and Netong's - Ted's is the largest chain with branches in most parts of the country, Deco's is reputed to be the original and Netong's which capitalized on the surge of social media at the start of the decade. The trending Batchoy ni ...