FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Bot-ong nga may Latik

2026-02-12T22:12:00.000+08:00

If this picture is worth a thousand words, there would be thousands of the word namit (delicious) written all over the page.

Bot-ong is made with glutinous rice mixed with gata wrapped in banana leaves in a pointed shape then boiled until cooked.

It is like ibos, only difference is this one's wrapped in coconut leaves and shaped like tubes. Latik is made with gata and sugar boiled until it is syrupy and caramelized.

Not really surprised to have found this in the kitchen but the fact I have some native delicacies to blog really excited me ...

So I got one, opened it and poured some home-made coconut syrup known as latik. You get a more mouth-watering look at it in the topmost photo.

Still not satisfied, here are two bot-ong's swimming in latik with a spoonful of coco jam.

Now have bite...

Binuro nga Paho

2026-02-10T23:12:00.000+08:00

When there's more than enough green mangoes at home, they often end up as binuro nga paho so we can enjoy their green-ness for a longer period of time.

Making "pickles" out of these fruits differ from household to household, so it depends on the recipe you grew up with or if you have none, the one that you find online.

Here's a simple Binuro nga Paho recipe

Ingredients

12 pieces Green mangoes (carabao/Philippine variant)

1/2 cup salt, adjust

1 head garlic

Water

How to make Burong Mangga

Chop off the "head" part mangoes where the stem is and wash thoroughly.

Slice the mangoes (skin on) into wedges away from the seed.

Squash each clove of the garlic with the side of the knife. You can also leave the skin on.

In a big container (large mayonnaise plastic containers with cover works best), layer mango wedges then sprinkle with salt and place garlic. Adjust the amount of salt and garlic when needed

When layering is finished place a generous amount of salt on top and add 1/4 cup of water.

Cover your container and give it 1-2 hard shakes.

Store for about 4-5 days. It will eventually be filled with liquid from the mangoes,salt and garlic. Serve as appetizer.

You can also add sugar to create a sweet and salty flavour. Aside from being appetizers, it sometimes find its way into some pinamalhan recipes. Enjoy this appetizing binuro nga paho!

An Ilonggo Classic : Kadyos, Manok Bisaya kag Ubad

2026-02-08T23:43:00.000+08:00

Overshadowed by the more popular KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, Langka), another classic dish that makes Ilonggos crave and yearn for that simple but delicious eats is the combination of kadyos, native chicken and ubad.

The ever popular-to-the-Ilonggos-but-alien-to-others is kadyos – pigeon pea. Soft beans with hues playing from dark purple to black and gives a distinct violet shade to the broth it makes. READ MORE

Chicken also provides protein for this dish and to make it more Ilonggo, most of the time native chickens referred to as “Bisaya” or "darag" are used. NATIVE CHICKEN LITSON

And then there's ubad – it’s no typo error; yes it’s ubad with an “A”. Not to be confused with ubod, both are different yet share a similarity. Ubod is the pith of the coconut tree while ubad is the center of the banana trunk.

To get the fresh ubad, one has to peel the banana trunk to obtain that fleshy and white core that looks like a fluorescent lamp.

The prepare the ubad, the banana pith washed then is chopped then crushed and using a stick – one removes the weblike remains of the “hardened” sap.

Cooking this dish is quite easy as it mainly involves boiling of the ingredients and seasoning.

Here's the simple recipe for Kadyos Manok Ubad.

Ingredients

1 whole native chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 cups fresh kadyos, adjust
5 cups chopped ubad, adjust
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 pc medium-sized onion, quartered
1 thumb-sized ginger, peeled and pressed
1 bundle tanglad (lemongrass)
2 pieces siling pansigang
2 pcs chicken bouillon cubes, optional
Oil for sauteeing
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 cups water, adjust accordingly

How to Cook Kadyos, Manok kag Ubad

In a pan, boil kadyos beans in 3 cups water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
Over medium heat, saute ginger, onion and garlic one after another then add chicken. Stir fry for about 5 minutes.
Add ubad and saute/stir fry for another 3 to 5 minutes. This is optional as you can proceed to boil the ubad.
Place water in the pan enough to cover the chicken then add the kadyos beans. Bring to a boil then simmer.
Season with salt and pepper. Adjust taste with chicken bouillon cubes, if desired.
When chicken is cooked (tender and soft) add tanglad and sili pansigang. Make final taste adjustments.
Simmer for another 5 minutes or everything is cooked.
Serve as soup or as viand with rice.

The measurements for this recipe are just guides on cooking kadyos, manok and ubad. Just follow your cooking instincts in making this dish as if your own creation.

This dish doesn't have to be very strong in taste, so go easy on the seasonings. As the ubad becomes a delicious sort of extender in a good way, it tends to tame the over-all taste of the dish thus making it having a lightly pleasant tasting dish.

Another option is adding batwan, the quintessential Ilonggo souring fruit. It gives the broth a mild sourness.

At times, malunggay leaves are added as greens creates contrast on how it looks not to mention more nutritional benefits.

Teren-Teren from Buho Bakery

2026-02-06T21:44:00.000+08:00

Named after its resemblance to trains, teren-teren is a popular bakery staple in most Iloilo bakeshops. And this one from the iconic Buho Bakery is no exception when it comes to popularity.

It is how the individual breads (with sweet stuffing) are connected to look like train "cabooses" that gave its name.

The "stuff" is just like sweetened dough, almost like the ones in hopia but just colored but when its fresh hot off the oven, it is heaven in every bite! Just be careful since the filling is hot!

And what can be more iconic than having your teren-teren order, handed down to you via the most popular hole-in-the-wall in Iloilo!

Sinugba nga Baboy kag Apan-apan

2026-02-04T02:30:00.000+08:00

A mouth-watering combo that it makes me salivate even by just looking at this picture anytime of the day - and it's past 2AM now.

Grilled or fried meat or seafood plus a tasty vegetable side dish is always a gastronomic winner. And this early, I scream for extra rice, please!

Apan-apan is the local Ilonggo term for a simple dish made with kangkong basically cooked adobo-style but with additional guinamos (the local bago-ong).

It is a side dish but with it being so flavourful, it could easily outdo any dish it is paired with.

I just love squeezing some calamansi over my apan-apan to add some tanginess and making it more appetizing. CLICK FOR RECIPE

There are a hundred and one ways of making sinugba or inihaw na baboy - or even thousand. It may differ in the marinade, cooking process and others.

But for the simplest and still my all time favorite is just rubbing salt to fresh pork (and maybe some calamansi) and then grill.

The salt brings out the tasty juices of the pork and sinfully as it may seem, who can resist those pork fat and skin oozing with its natural oil!

So that's why, i just love dipping it in vinegar or, you guess it right, calamansi. And if there are some sili or hot peppers, bring it on! Extra rice, please!

Feb. 2 is Jaro Fiesta

2026-02-02T11:29:00.000+08:00

All roads lead to Jaro, Iloilo City every February 2, as Ilonggos celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Candles in different aspects - religious, gastronomic, enterprising, and more. As early as December the Jaro Plaza is teeming with the Jaro Grand Carnival with activities like carnival games, food stalls, fruit stands and ukay-ukay, among others. It culminates on fiesta day with the coronation of the Fiesta Queen, chosen among the lasses of Jaro families.

The district Jaro, Iloilo celebrates biggest fiesta in the region characterized by the pageantry and the grandeur of the occasion paying homage to Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, the patron saint of Western Visayas.

Check out my Jaro Fiesta blogposts for 2013, 2014 and 2015!

A Singaporean Pork Rib Dish called Bak Kuh Teh

2026-01-31T00:03:00.000+08:00

Across our hostel in Singapore (thank you Cebu Pacific), there was a restaurant whose specialty was something unfamiliar - bak kut teh. Asking our host from Kinn Hostel, she said it is a pork ribs dish with a savory and peppery broth and suggested that I visit the more well-known restaurant serving this iconic dish.

Curiosity led me to the restaurant which was a block away and found an 8-time Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee, the latest being this 2025!

The branch where I first queued - 11 New Bridge Road

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh is a renowned culinary institution in Singapore, celebrated for its authentic rendition of traditional Teochew-style Bak Kut Teh.

Founded in 1969 by Yeo Eng Song as a pushcart stall in Johor Road, Singapore, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh is now a chain of restaurants with multiple branches in Singapore and abroad (yes, I saw one in Bangkok)

The branch I visited was at the New Bridge Road (the only branch awarded by Michelin Guide), just a few minutes walk from Kinn Capsule.

The branch where I was led to - 17 New Bridge Road. Just less than a minute away

While I was queueing, with already long lines before 11AM, I was directed to another branch/extension (less than a minute walk) which was less crowded and air-conditioned - I wondered if there was a price difference.

The have a digital menu, you scan the QR code provided, choose your order through your phone and pay at the counter upon leaving. My order came fast since it was their specialty (and just a small number of customers in the aircon area) and a cup of rice.

Bak Kut Teh is a Pork Ribs Soup made with soft and tender pork ribs in a clear, peppery broth made with garlic and Sarawak peppers roasted in-house.

It basically is a plain pork ribs stewed until tender and served with a savory and distinctly peppery and garlicky broth. Comparing to Filipino soups like sinigang or even La Paz batchoy, one may find it less flavorful and very plain.

I wasn’t event sure if it came with condiments or side dish, but I finished my order in no time, even asking for extra soup which even though complimentary but is still prepared according to standard operating procedures to ensure consistency.

A selection of traditional teas, including the Bu Zhi Xiang blend and King's Garden Tea, designed to complement Bak Kut Teh for that perfect over-all experience, is also served.

Aside from bak kut teh, other best-sellers include Braised Pig's Trotter and Homemade Ngoh Hiang, among others.

The restaurant's commitment to quality and authenticity has earned it a loyal following among locals and tourists alike making Song Fa Bak Kut Teh a must-visit destination for an authentic taste of Singaporean cuisine.

And if ever I find myself in Singapore again, I will surely have another bowl of bak kut teh from Song Fa!

Cebu Pacific Air flies DIRECT 3X WEEKLY between Iloilo and Singapore with the following schedule:

ILOILO TO SINGAPORE (MON-WED-FRI)

ETD 1045PM ETA 220AM

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ETD 325AM ETA 700AM

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Kadyos, Manok kag Ubad

2026-01-06T12:00:00.000+08:00

Inubaran basically means the dish is cooked with ubad. No, it's not a typo error, it is really ubad not ubod - different from but practically the same. Confusing?

Well ubod is the pith or the center of a coconut tree while ubad is the pith of a banana tree.

Ubad sold in local markets. You will only use the white center/core portion.

To make this dish, one has to prepare an ubad for cooking - first thinly slice, around half a centimeter, the cleaned pith (must be very white and sized like a fluorescent lamp to be sure of the quality.) .

Then using a barbecue stick, remove web like fibers "interconnecting" these slices (these are actually hardened banana sap). When finished you can crush is into smaller pieces and add to your cooking.

Here's a recipe for Inubaran na Manok

Ingredients

1 whole (native) Chicken

3-4 cups chopped Ubad, prepared as described above

1 stalk Tanglad (Lemongrass)

1 thumb size Ginger, sliced

5 clove Garlic, finely chopped

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste or chicken broth cubes (optional)

Water

How to make Inubaran na Manok

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

In a pan, saute the chicken in garlic, ginger and onion.

Add water enough to cover the chicken. Boil until chicken meat is tender.

After 20-25 minutes,add the ubad and tanglad

Once chicken is tender, sdd salt and pepper to taste. You can also season with chicken broth cubes.

Other versions of Inubaran na Manok have monggo and malunggay, that's following the Guisadong Monggo recipe.

The Flavors of Modern Iloilo at PUNOT

2026-01-04T12:36:00.000+08:00

On the banks of the Iloilo River, along the side of the Esplanade stands PUNOT - a restaurant named after the fishpens that used to dot the river.

The restaurant is s venture of siblings Andrea and Tope Arañador paying tribute to their parents Lea and Rogelio who built the family's two restaurants in Estancia - Friends (1987) and Punot (2000).

Andrea, who is now based in Germany, was in town a few days ago and invited the Iloilo Bloggers to check out the latest creations of Punot concocted by her brother who is Center for Culinary Arts graduate.

Iloilo Bloggers Inc. with Ms. Andrea (righmost) enjoying the flavors of modern Iloilo at Punot.

It was also an opportunity to bring back the food memories of their best-sellers, which for years have stood the test of time despite the heated gastronomic competition in Iloilo City.

Here are some of " The Best of Punot"

1/16 TRES MANGGAS SALAD

Will you say no to the burst of flavor of green and ripe mangoes with guinamos vingairette with mixed greens, hard boiled egg and liempo chips? I tried to resist the gastronomic temptation but failed...

2/16 POMELO-BALINGON SALAD

The taste explosion of sweet pomelo and salty dried seafood (balingong) is a perfect combo to whet one's appetite.

3/16 SAY CHEEZ IT

Yummy Mozzarella sticks and cheese pimiento dynamite with special tomato dip

4/16 CRISPY SRIRACHA ADOBO WINGS

These chicken adobo wings are bathed in sriracha sauce and comes with a tartar sauce. Spicy and savory in every bite!

5/16 BUTTERED ALIGUE SCALLOPS

Estancia scallops baked with Punot's special aligue sauce.

6/16 KADYOS BABOY LANGKA (KBL)

A taste home, this Ilonggo specialty is made with grilled and boiled pork hocks, unripe jackfruit and kadyos beans in a broth soured by batwan. The grilling of the pata gives the broth a rather smoky taste giving this sort of sinigang variant a whole new taste dimension.

7/16 LINATIK with LECHON KAWALI

This dish made with mashed kalabasa and coconut milk is leveled up with the addition of the criapy fried pork bellt and toasted "baby shrimps" called kalkag.

8/16 SIZZLING BULALO

This is bulalo made 5x more sinful - sizzling in gravy but still melts in your mouth soft!

9/16 CRISPY KARE-KARE

Another Filipino fusion dish combining the savory goodness of kare-kare with the crunchilicious crispy pata.

10/16 GUINAMOS RICE

You will really "rice" up to this gastronomic occasion with Punot's take on bago-ong rice with lechon kawali bites.

11/16 KALKAG FRIED RICE

Toasted baby shrimps and egg makes this fried rice feel like an all day Ilonggo breakfast!

12/16 TURON STICKS

Or Turonettes, these are banana and riped jackfruit wrapped on lumpia wrapper the fried then served dunked in Punot yema sauce.

13/16 BAYE-BAYE CROQUETAS a la Mode

An Ilonggo delicacy given the Spanish twist. Bayi Bayi is rolled in breadcrumbs then deep fried to give it a crisp skin then served with ice cream.

14/16 ICE SCRAMBLE

Summer' calling! This cool dessert brings back childhood memories!

15/16 BUKO HALO HALO

The ultimate Filipino dessert served in coconut shell with fresh buko meat to be scraped off after finishing the "mix-mix" dessert.

16/16 KADYOS SHAKE

But what got my attention is something I never thought it would become one, other than its original usage in cooking. Drum rolls, please for Kadyos Shake!

So how was it? First sip had the kadyos "beany" taste in mind like monggo (think of hopia) but it was just subtle (good thing) as it was fused wih the taste of tsokolate tablea and milk.

Then it dawned to me that dried kadyos beans are used by as "extenders" for tablea chocolate. So I guess that's how this drink came to be.

And I want more of it next time I visit - to discover more of what it has to offer at the same time indulge on the familiar flavors of Iloilo.

Only at Punot.

PUNOT Restaurant

Iloilo Riverside Boardwalk Complex

Dr. Rizalina Bernardo Pison Ave. cor Paciencia T. Pison Ave.

Brgy. San Rafael, Mandurriao, Iloilo City

5000 Iloilo City, Philippines

Tel. No 033 320-9893 / 0907 151 6296 Email punotrestaurant@yahoo.com.ph

Facebook PUNOT RESTAURANT

Bites of Serafina

2026-01-02T23:34:00.000+08:00

One of the favored treats when I was a kid was this deep-fried dough clustered balls rolled in sugar crystals called serafina.

You probably know thay serafina look exactly like goat's poo - just with a different color!

Actually, it's nothing spectacular but for kids, food that appeals to the eyes is already considered delicious. And of course, sugar works well with kids, I must add.

I remember one particular incident during my kiddie years when were we enjoying a pack of this treat while strolling around backyard of a neighbor. We suddenly came to the goat's pen and suddenly stopped eating them.

Ilonggo fresh lumpia

2025-12-31T04:30:00.000+08:00

What makes the Ilonggo fresh lumpia different from most lumpiang sariwa is the absence of the sauce for the flavours is already "built-in".

It is conveniently eaten on the go and sold in some stalls and bakeshops in the malls.

I got to discover this delicious fresh lumpia courtesy of Mr Eugene Jamerlan who helped the maker, Ms. Charito del Rosario, in marketing her delectable products (she also makes empanada). Each costs PhP15 and Ms Chari takes a minimum order of 50 pieces.

That's too many and too expensive I thought. Well, it's just her a sideline job for her and she doesn't make it on a daily basis, just upon order. But if you're lucky enough to order at the same time she has a big order, she can lower the minimum to maybe around 20 pieces.

Her recipe is very simple based on the actual product and it has a delectable clean taste where in you can savour the melange of the ingredients at the same time retaining some of the individual taste and texture.

The lumpia wrapper is divine - thin and brings out the flavour of the lumpia.

Liempo and more at Ramboy's

2025-12-29T23:24:00.000+08:00

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.

And I am not yet finished with my Ramboy's liempo addiction. First, its the cripy-licious skin that would make you salivate. The slow charcoal roasting of the liempo makes the skin chicharon like especially if it's hot of the grill.

So you'd be better be there early when the lunch or dinner crowd thickens as you'd probably wait long for an order or worse - it will be out of stock.

The meat is well flavored that I usually don't use any sawsawan it comes with. It has the citrussy flavor from the calamansi in the marinade plus other spices and seasoning that you can also smell when served.

But there's more to liempo at Ramboy's as they complement their popular meat roast with Filipino favorites that would make a complete and delicious meal for the family.

Overshadowed by the liempo, their chicken had to play a far second but on it's own a delicious treat compared to other roasted chickens. And it comes with a one of a kind and appetizing gravy/sauce that is again more on the citrussy side. It's a mix of mild citrus and savory flavors that has the Ramboy's signature.

They also have seafood on the menu for the non-red meat eaters. We had Halabos na Hipon and Fish Sinigang which balanced our diets that evening. Shrimp lovers cannot simply overlook the halabos though as simple as it may look, it gives a gastronomic satisfaction.

With just the right sourness and lots of veggies - eggplant, radish, string beans, etc., the sinigang was also good. it gave our tastebuds a different flavour from the meaty-goodness we just had and making it ready for some more dishes and second servings.

Pancit is another specialty of Ramboy's - be it bihon, canton, guisado and others. And when asked what is best pancit, they served us Sotanghon. It was another good offering and most of all "Instagrammable" delicious as it not only satisfies the tummy but also a visual treat.

As we went out, we dropped by the "charcoal pit" located in a corner of the resto to see how our well-loved liempo was made. I would say even with just the simple marinade its the tried and tested (tasted) cooking technique that makes Ramboy's Liempo stand out among the other liempos.

Now, where' my liempo?

Ramboy's started out in Numancia, Aklan with three restaurant branches in Iloilo City - SM Southpoint (above), The Riverside Baordwalk and Molo Plaza. They also have various take-out stalls in some parts of the city. In Manila, they have branches in Las Piñas and in BF Homes in Parañaque.

"White" Adobo nga Baboy

2025-11-07T21:45:00.000+08:00

While the most popular Ilonggo recipe for Adobo has istiwitis or achuete / annatto, sometime experimenting on other region's adobo recipes an open up our taste. So what is "white" adobo?

It is basically the usual adobo recipe minus one major ingredient - soy sauce or toyo. I like it especially when the garlic mixes with the oil and vinegar concoction - a burst of flavorful aroma that you could almost taste.

Here's a simple recipe for Pork Liempo White Adobo

Ingredients

1 kilo Pork liempo with fat

1 cup vinegar (adjust)

3 pcs dried Bay leaves

1 large head garlic, crushed

Black peppercorns, crushed (adjust)

1/2 Tbsp Salt (adjust)

1 Tbsp Sugar (adjust)

Water, optional (adjust)

How to make Pork Liempo Pork Adobo

Wash then cut pork liempo into 2x2 inches cube or smaller like 1.5 x 1.5 inches.

Mix all the ingredients then "massage" the mixture to the pork cubes.

Arrange pork cubes - fatty part down, in a pan then pour the mixture.

Bring to a boil then lower heat then simmer for 30 minutes or until pork is tender to your preference.

Make taste adjustments (from time to time) by adding more of the seasonings.

When done, transfer to a serving or storing container (meat adobo dishes tastes more delicious after a few days - agree? )

Enjoy with hot rice.

Yes, it's done without soy sauce. The pork and vinegar (with pork fat) naturally brown themselves self but not as dark when using soy sauce.

The measurements here are just guides since I cooked this white adobo without measuring. I used more than 1 cup of vinegar since I love the resulting (unhealthy, yes) sauce vinegar mixed with the natural pork fat with garlic. Water listed on the ingredients can be used to tone down the sourness of the vinegar but in this particular recipe I didn't use it, instead I added more vinegar. My piece of advice is to taste what you are cooking and adjust the flavor to suit your own. Extra rice, please!

Apan-apan

2025-11-05T11:58:00.000+08:00

I never actually dared to try apan-apan before knowing it was a local delicacy made with grasshoppers. I could just hear the crunch of it's legs and other body parts. But now, apan-apan is more popular as an apptizer made with kangkong sauteed in guinamos (the local term for bago-ong). And I get to enjoy it more and crave for it at times.Cooking apan-apan is like making adobong kangkong only with guinamos. But at times, it doesn't really matter since I almost interchange the method being an experimental cook.

So it usually starts with the sauteeing of garlic and onions then adding guinamos - I often add chillis for a kick. Then I add vinegar, soy sauce and kangkong leaves and the upper portion of the stalk. Then it's just simmering it until the stalks are soft enough to be eaten. (Click for Recipe-style post)I like tweaking the recipe by adding (ingredients I love like) calamansi and sesame oil. The former brings more tang and the latter the different aroma and taste I love. Then would then make this (side) dish into an actual viand as this is often partnered with lots of rice.

Laswa with puso ng saging

2025-11-03T00:44:00.000+08:00

Laswa is among the most popular Ilonggo vegetable dish and among my most "blogged" about. It has so many variations despite it's simplicity and mostly dependent on the the availability of vegetables.

Usually it has kalabasa, talong, okra, hantak (sitaw), tagabang (saluyot), patola and a host of other vegetables. For this recipe puso ng saging (banana heart) was added not only as "extender" but to add some texture.

Cooking laswa is simple - just stew the vegetables and subak (usually fresh seafoods like shrimps, crabs, or even snails locals call bango-ngon) then season with salt or use broth cubes.

Others prefer to use dried and salted seafoods like pinakas for it adds more flavour to the dish at the same time makes this vegetable dish more appetizing. Or at times this is solely a vegetable dish (no subak whatsoever) and is perfect partnered with fried or grilled meat and fish.

No matter how you cook it or what you partner it with, laswa can stand out on its own as it has become an Ilonggo favorite vegetable dish.

Check out >>> LASWA RECIPE.

The Filipinos undying Love ❤ for Kakanin and other native delicacies

2025-11-01T00:05:00.000+08:00

It's still an "unexplained tradition" for me why native delicacies are the staples when Pista Minatay comes.

Some say it's "Filipinizing Halloween" that instead of candies and other sweets, we have these native delicacies to share as treats and not as tricks.

And it started in the rural areas where the abundance of rice and coconuts, among others has made these traditional eats as the "undying" staple this annual celebration of remembering the departed.

So, let's start our native delicacies gastronomic journey with IBOS or more commonly known as "SUMAN" in other areas.

Click for IBOS Recipe

This is probably what comes to mind when one says "kakanin" as this is made with sticky rice and often partnered with ripe mango, native chocolate or just plain sugar, whether refined, brown or muscovado.

There's the SUMAN which others refer to as BIKO. A delicious treat of glutinous rice oiled in coconut milk and muscovado sugar with calamansi and vanilla.

Click for SUMAN ILONGGO Recipe

It can be plain or topped with "latik" which form from the curds of coconut milk and/or cream when simmered for some time.

A favorite of mine is SUMAN LATIK where its glutinous rice and coconut milk is cooked wrapped in banana leaves.

Click for SUMAN LATIK Recipe

While "latik" could have been the original toppings, nowadays, its the bukayo (sweetened coco strips) that often serves as "cherry on top", literal and figurative, as it creates a sweet note on the native treat.

BUKAYO or BOCARILLO are made from coconut meat strips that cooked in sugar. It can be moist, which is best for toppings and fillings, or one that hardens when the sugar (re)crystallizes giving it a definite shape.

Click for BUKAYO Recipe

The latter form is fancier as it can be made with different colors and artificial flavors based on its color.

But Ilonggos would always recommend their ultimate native delicacy which is BAYE-BAYE. Made from ground toasted glutinous rice with coconut and sugar, its among the must taste local delicacy when in the region of the Ilonggos which is Western Visayas.

Have you tried BAYE-BAYE by the KILO?

A delicacy centered in the Cabugao Sur areas of Sta. Barbara and Pavia, Iloilo. But there's another variety made with corn, above from the southern towns like Miag ao and San Joaquin.

MUASI or PALITAW is made from glutinous rice flour shaped like a thin patty and cooked in boiling water.

Click for MUASI / PALITAW Recipe

When cooked, it floats (litaw in Tagalog thus the name) and served with muscovado sugar with sesame seed or grated coconut.

ALUPI is may not be considered as kakain since it uses cassava but its one of the most popular native delicacies.

Click for ALUPI Recipe

It may contain coconut strips and often referred to as CASSAVA SUMAN and is mostly eaten plain.

It is usually flat and comes in pairs but a cylindrical (hotdog like) shape known as SULPOT is also popular.

ARIPAHOL is a local Ilonggo delicacy which has two variants - glutinous rice or cassava.

The former involved pounding of the rice to soften and the latter grating of the cassava.

Click for PUTO LANSON Recipe

Both have coconut strips and sugar then are steamed. The cassava variant is also known as Puto Lanson.

BINGKA is always present and has become a kakanin staple all the time. Almost anywhere in the country have their own version of bingka.

Bingka from Mohon

In Iloilo, there are the thin bibingkas with lots of coconut strips and there are the thick and almost puto like versions.

Click for BIBINGKA Recipe

Bakeries also cash in with a mamon-like bibingka. Others also put some salted egg on top for a gourmet take on this native delicacy

And then there's PUTO which has evovled the most among the lot. From just plain and wrapped in banana leaves, some come with cheese, salted egg and others with meat filling known as Puto Pao.

Click for RICE PUTO Recipe

A variant called Puto Maya uses the whole grains sticky rice unlike the rice flour for the standard puto and comes out almost looking like IBOS.

If there's puto then there should be KUTSINTA. Characterized by its by reddish brown hue (food coloring or achuete) , it is made from rice flour or cassava starch and lye water then steamed and served with shredded mature coconut.

Click for KUTSINTA Recipe

How about some BITSO-BITSO? This rice flour based snack often comes in twists and is boiled, deep-fried then glazed with caramelized muscovado sugar.

Click for more BITSO-BITSO

A bread version of this is called BICHOCOY which is often referred to as a local or native doughnut.

Click for BICHOCOY Recipe

KALAMAY-HATI native delicacy of the Visayas and basically made from a concoction of sticky rice flour , muscovado sugar and coconut milk. It is sold in halved coconut shells (bao) that are then sealed by "paper tapes".

Click for KALAMAY HATI

A Pista Minatay staple is LINUGAW o GINATA-AN. It is a concoction of coconut strips, kamote, ube, sab-a, sago and rice flour balls all simmered in a thick rice flour and coconut milk mix.

Click for LINUGAW Recipe

A simple yet tedious cooking process makes this one of the most satisfying home-cooked meryenda for all seasons. And I like it cold - yum yum.

How about going violet with UBE HALAYA. Made with purple yam mixed with a lot of dairy, this is usually served together with halo halo. Also called ube jam, thus it takes the "nativity" - being native that is.

Click for UBE HALAYA Recipe

The list of Filipino kakanins and traditional/native delicacies is an exhaustive one and I will my best to update this post everytime I come across one.

And so the tradition continues and whatever the occasion maybe, these native delicacies are always anticipated as it brings back the taste memories of the yesteryears.

Nothing comes close to these home made delicacies despite the tedious preparations and processes involved.

A labour of love in remembrance of the dead for the gastronomic satisfaction of those still living and remembering them.

Ilonggo Cuisine : Ginat-an nga Tambo kag Pasayan

2025-10-30T09:46:00.000+08:00

A favorite of many Ilonggos, ginat-an nga tambo is heaven to them and fans of Ilonggo cuisine.

With coconut milk and greens like saluyot, takway and okra plus subak like shrimps or crabs – this would automatically induce a lot of cravings.

Especially when you’re abroad where raw ingredients are often hard to find and if they are luckily available, it still doesn’t taste like the one you might have grown up with.

Even so, it is more than enough one's craving for this Ilonggo cuisine, no matter where you are in the world.

Here's a recipe for Ginat-an nga Tambo

Ingredients

1 kilo tambo or bamboo shoots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup pure coconut milk

Diluted coconut milk (1/2 cup pure cocomilk with 3/4 cup water )

1 onion (sibuyas), thinly sliced

Salt and other seasoning

"Subak" (meat or seafood add-ins)

- bago-ngon (local snails)
- pasayan (hipon or shrimps)
- kasag (alimasag or crabs)

1 bundle of tagabang (saluyot)

10 pieces okra

1 bundle of takway (if available and optional)

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (optional)

How to cook Ginat-an nga Tambo

Blanch tambo. Squeeze until dry. You can also squeeze it with salt.

Cook tambo with diluted coconut milk.

Add the “subak” of choice (bago-ngon or crabs only)

Season with salt and/or seasoning mixes plus add onion. Stew for 2-3 minutes

Add okra, takway and corn kernels. And if you're using shrimps, you can add it here.

Stew for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Mix-in the pure coconut milk and stew it for another two minutes.

Remove from heat and serve with rice.

The measurements are just guides for you can actually cook this dish just by throwing-in the vegetables and others without measuring.

Liempo Chips from Punot

2025-10-28T21:20:00.000+08:00

If these liempo chips, look good - they surely tasted even better! It was part of my lunch, today, at Punot Restaurant at the Riverside Boardwalk Complex beside the Iloilo River Esplanade in Mandurriao,

At first glance, it may look like deep fried bacon but they are really thinly sliced pork belly and almost as thin the chips would be. If not machine cut, I would say they are sliced when the liempo is (very) frozen, to achieve the perfect cut and thinness. It is then deep-fried with maybe just a salt rub and then the excess oil made to drip. Though I think the liempo strips are sun-dried (after being sliced) to get the awesome crunchiness.

A perfect appetizer, it comes with an equally appetizing dip of spiced vinegar- perfect blend of hot, sweet and spicy flavors that would surely whet your appetite. Now, what are you waiting for? Enjoy the crunch of these liempo chips from Punot!

Kadyos, baboy kag langka with malunggay

2025-10-26T18:40:00.000+08:00

KBL or kadyos baboy langka is a ubiquitous Ilonggo dish found in most households and restaurants in Iloilo and beyond.

Like adobo as to the whole of the Philippines, it is also one of those dishes that comes in the basic recipe but little tweaks are still acceptable.

The basic recipe calls for the baboy (pork) usually the pata (hocks) to be broiled. Then together with the langka and kadyos beans, they are boiled until the last two ingredients are cooked - the langka is easy to bite, the kadyos is soft and the baboy.

I liked it if it almost melts in the mouth esp the fat and skin portion. This way of cooking adapts the vernacular method of having the meat subjected to direct heat as to preserve its flavor more and the same time gives the broth a rather smoky taste.

Finally, batwan fruit is added as souring ingredient.

The greens usually kamote tops or in this case malunggay leaves, adds color, texture and more nutrients to the "health conscious". But as what the dish is called, KBL, its just kadyos, baboy, langka - and you're food to go!

In my case, when KBL is served at home, this calls bigger than usual serving of rice. Of course, you go to burn these calories afterwards. So, what to do now but say "Extra rice, please!" .

So you want to give this a try? Click for the detailed KBL RECIPE.

Ilonggo-style Beef Tapa called "Kusahos"

2025-10-24T23:44:00.000+08:00

Kusahos is my favorite way of enjoying beef. it is basically sun-dried beef strips marinated adobo style - that is with vinegar, garlic and soy sauce, among others. After an overnight marination, it is then sun-dried for a few days - watch for flies as this is a fly-magnet!

The drier it becomes, the better tasting it will become. It is then deep fried or at time placed directly over charcoal, for a crunchy-lious local beef gastronomic experience.

Here's the recipe for Kusahos

Ingredients

1 kilo beef tenderloin (thinly sliced or long half or 3/4 inch "cubes")

1 cup vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 table spoon Black Peppercorns

1 head garlic, each clove crushed with teh flat side of a knife

Calamansi, optional

How to make Kusahos

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and marinate overnight.

Remove the marinade and sun dry the marinated beef. Be sure to keep away the flies and other insects. One day is enough but I usually make it 2-3 days until it is almost "cooked" under the sun.

Fry the sun-dried kusahos until cooked and crispy. You can also broil it directly over charcoal.

The measurements are just guide for this recipe as you can let your own taste and preference create your own.

One day old sundried kusahos. Not totally though since sunlight was limited

All-time favorite snack: KROPECK

2025-10-22T15:37:00.000+08:00

Probably this is among the only few surviving food items of my younger years that still is "unchanged".

From the packaging to how it looks and tastes like, this is still the kropeck I grew up with.

Come to think of it, there is nothing extra ordinary about this kropeck. Got these from Iloilo Supermart, it's one of those generic snacks in the shelves that don't even a second look.

Only those who grew up with it might find it interesting enough. And ceetainly can relive the childhood memories it comes with.

Up close, it looks like a miniature gulaman bar sold in the groceries. An orange and shrimp flavoured one, that is.

Aside from groceries, it cam be found in stalls at the malls and some bakeries and old-world restaurants too.

Ocean City: A Resto Patronized by the Ilonggos.... and Ilonggos by heart ❤

2025-10-20T20:07:00.001+08:00

Amidst the emergence of new modern ritzy restaurants and food places in Iloilo City, there are always original Ilonggo restaurants that continue to standout because of their specialty dishes that make their patrons come back for more.

Ilonggos and the city’s visitors come to its door for the signature dishes to satisfy cravings at any time of the day. There’s the Grilled Squid, buttered chicken, Lapu-Lapu with Soy Sauce, Seafood Roll, Pork Leg Patatim, Baked Scallops, Birthday Miswa, Mixed Veggies, Sizzling Bulalo, Bacon Wrapper Shrimp, Bulalo Pochero, Ocean City Fried Chicken, or Pork Steak Chinese Style.

These and many can be found at Ocean City Seafood Restaurant, which is only one of the more popular and long-lasting home-grown restaurants established in the heart of the Philippines.

Aside from its main branch along General Luna in City Proper, Ocean City brought its wide array of delicious cuisine, mainly local and Chinese specialties, closer to mall-goers at SM City Iloilo in Mandurriao District.

Through the years, aside from other homegrown local brands like Ted’s La Paz Batchoy and pancit Molo, Ocean City has become part of Ilonggo identity.

It is a nostalgic restaurant that, for the many Ilonggos, has become part of their childhood.

Aside from the variety of dishes, Ocean City always strive to provide the best service to its customers.

Nestled at the Ground Floor of SM Southpoint, the location is an ideal hangout place for families and food buddies to bond after enjoying their meal at Ocean City Iloilo. They also have a stall at the SM Foodcourt in the mall’s lower ground floor.

Ocean City has established a good name in terms of quality food and meticulous taste buds of the Ilonggos, and where they also bring their visitors when in Iloilo. The restaurant offers a wide selection of mouth-watering seafood treat and a lot more.

SM City Southpoint is a 2-storey extension of SM City Iloilo with both air-conditioned and al fresco ambiance. Several good quality restaurants and cafes are also located.

For a more enjoyable and picnic-mood atmosphere, the mini park area is placed with a fountain with dancing lights and shimmering water features.

You can also enjoy a chit-chat with a friend or partner over a take-out coffee or drinks at the tables set up in the turf area, which is also a perfect venue for significant events and concerts.

Just recently, when SM City Iloilo once again played host for the most anticipated launching of Dinagyang 2023, the event dubbed as 100-Day Countdown to Dinagyang 2023 was held at SM City Southpoint.

The event gathered excited Ilonggos who already missed the live drum beats while Dinagyang warriors dance to it.

Good food in a good place is the perfect mix to enjoy moments with love ones, and Ocean City has become Iloilo’s household name in good-tasting dishes and is perfectly nestled in the soothing ambience of SM Southpoint.

Baye-Baye Loaf from Santa Barbara, Iloilo

2025-10-18T22:26:00.000+08:00

My sudden craving for this Ilonggo native delicacy had me contact my "suki" baye-baye maker - D'Original Jaspe Baye-Baye based in Brgy. Cabugao Sur in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.

Baye-Baye is an Ilonggo favorite native snack usually made with ground toasted rice aka pinipig, coconut meat and white sugar.

But some makers also use corn and brown sugar giving it a distinctive taste from the original

The mixture is then pounded altogether then rolled into finger size bites and finally wrapped in plastic.

It is usually packed in 5s and sold for around PhP 20 to PhP25 per pack. Expect the price to be 2x when you buy it in stores in thecity.

But bigger cravings are not usually satisfied with a pack of 5s, so bigger orders are welcome too. You can have them by the kilo or per plate in some makers.

For baye-baye lovers like me, having them in almost unli serving like this loaf-style serving is a gastronomic dream come true. Just slice and enjoy every forkful of it.

D'Original Jaspe Baye-Baye sells their 1 kilo Baye-Baye for PhP 190 (as of March 2022) . You may contact them via 0910-227-2729. Please give at least one day for orders.

You can drop by their stall along the "Baye-Baye Lane" (an area with a number of stalls along the highway going to the airport) in Brgy. Cabugao Sur in Santa Barbara. Landmark is Uratex showroom around 200 meters

Native Ilonggo delicacies from Brgy. Ingore in Lapaz

2025-09-26T19:46:00.000+08:00

I missed my chance a few weeks ago to have a food trip somewhere in Brgy. Ingore, Lapaz.

It would have been filled with these mouth-watering native Ilonggo delicacies as that trip would be in a compound that makes these native goodies and sells them throughout Iloilo City.

Why in Lapaz did the native-delicacy maker set their compound at? It seems to have started a long time ago when the Panay Railways (connecting Iloilo City and Roxas City in Capiz) was operational. Along with Lapaz's most famous gastronomic contribution - batchoy, the train served a vital role in the thriving business.

The demand was there - imagine the throngs of people using the train, buying these for snacks or even something to bring home. Then there's also the supply - raw products coming from the towns can be easily transported to be made into these native delicacies. So the cottage industry has thrived even after the train stopped operations and is still making god business.

It was a quite an afternoon in Jaro when this manuglibod passed by and we treated ourselves to this wonderful snack selection. There's the native rice cake or bingka, muasi or palitaw, bitso-bitso, puto lanson, suman, suman latik and tinanok nga mais nga pilit.

They even had sio mai, lumpia and empanada among others. It seems they have also embraced some other snack items other than native delicacies.

With these lot, it was an afternoon well spent having these goodies to fill our tummies. Burp!

Check out these links

PUTO LANSON Recipe

BITSO-BITSO Feature/Recipe

SUMAN LATIK Recipe

SUMAN / BIKO Recipe

BINGKA Recipe

Ginata-ang Tambo kag Pasayan

2025-09-22T11:38:00.000+08:00

A favorite of many Ilonggos, ginat-an nga tambo is heaven to them and fans of Ilonggo cuisine.

With coconut milk and greens like saluyot, takway and okra plus subak like shrimps or crabs – this would automatically induce a lot of cravings.

Especially when you’re abroad where raw ingredients are often hard to find and if they are luckily available, it still doesn’t taste like the one you might have grown up with.

Even so, it is more than enough one's craving for this Ilonggo cuisine, no matter where you are in the world.

Ingredients

1 kilo tambo or bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
1 cup pure coconut milk
Diluted coconut milk (1/2 cup pure cocomilk with 3/4 cup water )
1 onion (sibuyas), thinly sliced
Salt and other seasoning
10 pcs Pasayan or shrimps (adjust)
1 bundle of tagabang (saluyot)
10 pieces okra, sliced if large
1 bundle of takway (if available and optional)
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (optional)

How to cook Ginat-an nga Tambo

Blanch tambo. Squeeze until dry. You can also squeeze it with salt.
Cook tambo with diluted coconut milk.
Add the “subak” of choice (bago-ngon or crabs only)
Season with salt and/or seasoning mixes plus add onion. Stew for 2-3 minutes
Add okra, takway and corn kernels. And if you're using shrimps, you can add it here.
Stew for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Mix-in the pure coconut milk and stew it for another two minutes.
Remove from heat and serve with rice.

The measurements are just guides for you can actually cook this dish just by throwing-in the vegetables and others without measuring.