Sabor Ilonggo

The Mango Tree bistro

2010-08-09T01:55:00.001+08:00

Like an oasis amidst the desert, The Mango Tree Bar and Restaurant in Mandurriao provides a respite for Ilonggos who are tired and weary of the concrete jungle Iloilo City is fast becoming. Hidden in plain sight along Guzman Street, this restaurant was so named for the mango tree that provides the perfect centerpiece in the al fresco dining area. From the street outside, if not for the signage that bears the bistro’s name, one might easily get lost for it mimics the surrounding residential area. Until one enters, he is transformed into another world – a gastronomical secret garden perhaps. The concrete jungle suddenly becomes green complete with the sights and sounds of nature. The lush greeneries and vines dangling down from trees compliment the sounds of the birds chirping and rustling of tress.
Before one gets lost in translation, he is reminded that he entered a restaurant by the glass-walled and air conditioned dining area. Homey yet elegant, the indoor area is seems a combination of both a dining and living rooms. Dining tables and chairs in them idle while comfortable lounges on the sides.
But it’s what in the outside that beckons diner to venture out and complete “The Mango Tree” experience. A grassy lawn lined with different trees in the side with a mango tree dotting the center. Tables and chairs can be set up to one’s preference and tents provide extra protection from the sun’s rays that penetrate the foliage above.It’s like communing with nature first, then with what one actually came for – food. The Mango Tree bistro, more than the ambiance it offers, is also a gastronomic destination this side of the city. Whether one is hungry and yearns for a good meal or perhaps just for a quick fix, this restaurant has a lot to offer its guests.We were hungry that time so we ordered more than a quick fix. It a lot of time to order since most were first timers and some specialties were not available. Service was prompt yet some of our orders took long to be served but we didn’t complain - the surrounding was enough distraction for us to notice. And when it came, it was indeed a visual feast and as we all brought our cameras and started the usual clicks and flashes before we dig in.The seafood paella served as our “rice” but already was a complete meal in itself. Everybody was surprised it wasn’t the usual yellow rice with toppings. Shrimps and squid sautéed with bell peppers in tomato sauce then mixed with cooked rice and garnished with hardboiled egg was their own version of paella. That’s quite literal as one can really see everything. It didn’t really stand out and just like I’ve said, “it served as our rice”.
Another surprised was their chop suey – we thought we had the wrong order. Instead of expecting mélange of vegetables with meat or seafoods, a plate of crispy noodles topped with vegetables and assorted meats came. “Did anyone order crispy pancit canton?” we asked but it turned out that’s their version of chop suey. It was good “pancit” in the end but hoping for the usual chop suey next time.
The chicken bulgogi came with mixed vegetables and that served as my chop suey-lol. It was stir fried chicken pieces with oyster sauce and sesame seeds. It was salty for my taste, not that I’m sensitive but I tasted it even before the chicken touched my lips. Though Im not cook but it would have tasted better if they used sesame oil – I’m a fanatic. But if indeed they did, I didn’t catch its flavour and aroma.
These fried calamares were perfect - crisp, flavourful and the dip it came with was just as well ….. perfect. It was among the first to be finished off and nothing was left except memories. The problem is, it’s just as good as any calamares I’ve tasted so it can’t really be a stand out for the restaurant. But it will still be part of order next time.
The last to arrive (and ordered too) was the Buffalo wings and it came as if it was screaming”take a picture of me, I’m photogenic” and indeed it was. I haven’t got to taste the dip it came with for the chicken was already good on its own. Full of flavour but I wished those chili peppers weren’t just as garnishing but “blended” for an extra kick - I’ll request for it next time. Of the two specialty I eyed that time only the mango tree iced tea was available. It was a concoction of tea, green and ripe mangoes blended with ice so it literally was a frozen iced tea. The sweetness of the ripe mango played well with the green mango (maybe it was just almost ripe mango). The other specialty was the sizzling bulalo steak -it was a now show. My craving for it heightened after reading this feature.

All in all it was still a great dining experience at The Mango Tree Restaurant and Bar and it‘s now a part of my recommended list mainly because of the ambiance and the food. Hmm, well, taste is subjective and maybe in my next visit, I get to taste their other dishes and who knows it will be indeed very yummy – The Mango Tree.

Ubad

2010-07-28T01:28:00.003+08:00

It's with an "A" so this is different from ubod but "technically" the same. Confused? Well ubod is the pith or the center of a coconut tree while ubad is the pith of a banana tree. To have an ubad means a whole banana tree has been cut down and stripped to bare its center. So goodbye to banana fruit, leaves and heart.
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.Ubad is mostly used as extender to the usual meat and vegetable dishes, the most famous of which is the ubad-kadyos-chicken combination. Another dish that goes well with ubad is the usual ginisang monggo. With pieces of pork or chicken and malunggay as "greens", it'll surely be an appetizing and healthy eat.

Panaderia de Molo

2010-07-27T00:24:00.012+08:00

Panaderia de Molo is more than just a bakeshop. Its name is embedded in the history of Iloilo, making it a witness to some of the most important events in the Molo district. Dr. Kristine Sanson-Treñas, the fourth generation owner of Panaderia de Molo, tells the colorful story of this antediluvian bakeshop.

In the later part of the 19th century, five spinsters put up Panaderia de Molo whose sole heir was Dr. Treñas’ grandmother. “My great grandmothers might have started formulating things during their idle times in the afternoon,” Dr. Kristine reveals the conception of the bakeshop.

History would tell us that in the 1800’s, the masons would use egg whites to cement the bricks of the walls of the churches they were building. So as not to waste the rest of the egg, women would make cookies out of them. When women gave birth to that idea, Panaderia de Molo was also born. Although we cannot deny the fact that most of what we see in the panaderia has a lot of Spanish flavor to them (with the recipes having been handed down by Spaniards to the women during the Spanish colonization) we can still consider these creations as somehow Ilonggo originals since it was the Ilonggas who molded, baked and made them popular. For something whose popularity retains for more than a century, it must really be very special, for even songs sometimes fade away with time.

Panaderia de Molo has three branches in Iloilo City. The original bakeshop used to be in the Sanson’s ancestral house in Molo, Years ago, the family decided to move it to a street side area where it is more convenient for clients. The other two branches can be found in Jaro and Rizal St. fronting the University of Iloilo. Galletas is considered one of Panaderia de Molo’s best sellers. It has the kind of taste that makes you want more and more of it. Read more

Article and photos courtesy of

Panaderia de Molo… a significant part of Iloilo’s history

Text and photos by Jinki Beldia
The News Today

Clockwise, from topmost right: kinihad, bañadas, barquillos, galletas, kinamonsil, biscocho prinsipe

Panaderia de Molo's assorted biscuits are packaged in either the tin round cans or in small boxes, with the various biscuits packed in individual plastic packs.

Kinihad are thin slices of toasted bread, great for dipping into coffee or hot chocolate, and would benefit greatly from a spread of sweet jam and butter. They are like biscochos without the baked in butter and sugar on top.

Bañadas are soft round cookies glazed with sugar icing, which reminds me of something similar in Pangasinan, and which made the late food doyen Doreen Fernandez wax sentimental over the local bakery treats in her hometown of Silay City.

Of course who doesn't know barquillos, called apas elsewhere (but is different from the thin apas of the Tagalog region), the long tubes of rolled wafer-thin biscuits of our childhood that have evolved into the present chocolate-marbled and -filled Stikkos? This barquillo was coconut-flavored, and it was delicious without cloyingly sweet. It ranks among my other barquillo favorites - the ube and pandan flavored ones from Biscocho Hauz, also in Iloilo City.

Panaderia de Molo's galletas are one of a kind - not like the dry, chalky Luzon galletas that are choking hazards - they are crispy, thin as an unrolled barquillo, and more like a crunchy communion host. Very close to the apas of the Southern Tagalog region, but with the characteristic chalky taste.

Kinamonsil ape the shape of a kamonsil or camachile (Pithecellobium dulce, known among international tropical plant enthusiasts as Manila Tamarind) with its decorative form. I rather like my province's own camachile biscuit, though, as i t is not as hard and sweeter.

The one I like best among the lot, besides the hojaldres and are akin to otap but are not as flaky and softer, are easily the biscocho prinsipe. I like Ilonggo biscocho (and not the Ilocano biscocho), but I love biscocho prinsipe. The qualification prinsipe (prince) is a deserving adjective - it is indeed a royal biscuit. It isn't even a biscocho, it is more like a slice of dried butter pound cake - crumbly, buttery sweet, finger-licking good. It needs nothing else. Read more ...

Photo and article courtesy of

Bucaio | Tinapay: Iloilo Delicacies By Way of Bacolod

Chicken binakol

2010-07-27T00:22:00.000+08:00

Chicken soups are among the most well loved recipes anywhere in the world. And here in Western Visayas, among the most popular chicken soups is chicken binakol. Basically, it's chicken and vegetables stewed in coconut juice. The juice (and also meat) from the coconut makes this soup distinct from other chicken soups for it has a tinge of sweetness fcoming rom those ingredients.Usually, native chicken is used when cooking chicken binakol because of it's distinct flavour. It is cut into pieces then placed in bamboo tubes together with coconut juice and meat, tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell peppers and salt. The recipe varies for some add ginger (can't get over the tinola recipe?), lemon grass, potatoes and more.

Then the bamboo tube is sealed and placed over fire and wait for it to boil. This is where it got it's name - for binakol is a Kiniray-a term for cooking inside a bamboo tube. Others say it roots from the Hiligaynon word bakol, meaning "to spank", believing that the chicken is literally spanked before it is cooked to get more flavour.Though it is a hassle cooking inside bamboo tubes, to get the same essence one can just cook it in pots with bamboo tubes to get the same aroma and flavour as cooking it binakol, literally. Ofcourse, bamboo tubes reuiqred would those fresh ones and not those from the chairs, sala set and even house posts or you'll end up chicken binakol with the essence of varnish - lol.

Takway

2010-07-26T00:58:00.000+08:00

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing. It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk.
Then there is takway. The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways. Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and with gabi in coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon. It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos, the local bago-ong.
It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare.

Pancit Molo

2010-07-26T00:02:00.007+08:00

Named after one of Iloilo City’s districts, Pancit Molo is one of the more identifiable pancit dishes in the country. It stands out uniquely among the noodle dishes mainly because of its non-traditional pancit look. It is a derivative of the Chinese wonton (filled dumplings) made into a soup.
Pancit Molo’s origins must also have been the same time that the concept of Cantonese Chinese dim sum, linked to the Chinese tradition of drinking tea or yum cha, started in the country. The Chinese traders journeying through their trade routes would probably makes stops at tea house to rest and snack on light dim sum items – noodles, dumplings, soups and little cakes.
Thus it came to be that the favored stop at the time was probably Iloilo, particularly the quiet little town of Molo (know as Parian then), where enterprising Chinese businessmen probably decided to settle and set up little tea houses to cater to Chinese customers. Over time, intermarriages between Chinese and Filipinos eventually fused the two cultures, which resulted in a fusion of traditions and lifestyles now deeply embedded in our culture, and particularly evident in our local cooking.

What makes the pancit Molo different from fro mall the other pancit dishes is that the Molo wrapper used to wrap the filling is not cut into thin noodle strips but is a rolled square sheet of pasta dough used to encase the ground meat filling. Just like the Italian ravioli or tortellini which hare classified as pasta, pancit Molo, by virtue of its wonton wrapper is classified as a noodle.

The filled dumplings used for this soup often use ingredients such a ground pork, chicken and/or shrimps that are mixed together with vegetables like garlic, onions, carrots, leeks (or chives or even that aromatic and flavourful kutsay), parsley or coriander. Other recipes mention the addition of other ingredients such as tajure (fermented soy bean mash), minced Chinese ham, chopped Spanish chorizos (sausages) and water chestnuts or singkamas (jicama). The mixture is then bound with eggs and seasoned (usually with salt and pepper) before being wrapped individually in wheat of rice flour won ton wrappers.

Kutsay and tajure

The filling mixture is also similar to, if not the same as, the stuffing for fried lumpiang shanghai (another localized Filipino version of the Chinese spring roll). There are several ways to shape the dumplings depending on the recipe specification. One often encounters the following shapes – folded triangles, sio mai pouches known as wontons, or ravioli or tortellini shapes. These are then dropped in a boiling chicken broth where they are simmered until cooked (that is when these pouches float) and then ladled into bowls or soup tureens before being served.The broth on the other hand, often uses chicken as its base for preparing the stock in which dumplings, and sometimes cut up wonton wrappers, are cooked, It is then served with a garnish of fried garlic chips and minced chives, kutsay or coriander leaves.

Pancit Molo can be a wonderful meryenda accompanied by biscocho (toasted bread) or galletas (thin round cookies) from another Molo icon – Panaderia de Molo. This soup dish easily complements plated meals, buffet menus or just even a simple homey meal. Pancit Molo though, unlike Lapaz batchoy, is more of a home made specialty even in Iloilo that there is no single restaurant that could claim it or even pride itself in having the best. Its recipe is not even standardized varies depending upon family traditions. Nonetheless it is one of the country’s better dishes, one that can certainly stand among the other soups, not only the Philippines but the world.

Article courtesy of
Food Magazine May 2006 issue

Bingka from Mohon

2010-07-25T15:38:00.000+08:00

Bingkahan sa Mohon makes one of the most popular bingkas in Iloilo City. It has been one of my blog frustrations before not having a feature on them.I've tried many times before but I ended up with more frustrations - having no more bingkas left or my reserved order was given to others. It's not easy to get them since I live far from where they are located.But finally I ended this streak of bad luck; I got "tons" of bingka from Mohon and I loved it! What makes it delicious aside from the concoction is the amount of coconut strips in each of these small round bingkas. While others have microscopic amount, Mohon bingkas have more than enough that sometimes it feels like eating bucayo rather than bingka.
Sold for PhP 10 per pack of four, this quick fix will surely makes one crave for more and oftentimes come back and buy some more. Good thing I bought 5 packs that time, more than enough for me to savour every bite. With the heat coming from above one can expect these bingkas slight more brown on top and that makes it more appetizing.The inside reveals a gooey concoction of coconut strips with rice flour, milk, sugar and others. Some may have better concoction but these coconut strips makes Mohon bingkas stand out among the rest in Iloilo and perhaps almost an iconic status.

Tatoy's Manokan & Seafoods

2010-07-25T02:19:00.005+08:00

Built in the 70’s by Honorato Tiburan Espinosa, Tatoy’s started only as a nipa shack with three tables tucked in a corner across from the beach. Because he was a fisherman, Honorato (Tatoy) harness his knowledge if the sea to source only the best and freshest seafood for his customers – and prepared these with the honesty and simplicity of an instinctive cook. When the word of mouth spread, the place become deluged with customers, and Tatoy’s was on its way to becoming the venerable institution it now is, with a beach front property that includes an indoor dining room, an outdoor pavilion and a convention hall. Although eight of his nine children help in the restaurant (the other one runs a separate restaurant named Nes and Tats), Tatoy and his wife are still active in the day-to-day operations. Often he can be found wiping a table clean or even serving the customers himself.

Tatoy's specialty - native litsong manok, commands a high price for an open fire roasted chicken. For PhP300, one gets to enjoy a plate of this native Visayansstrain of chicken known as darag or just "Bisaya nga manok". And it's really worth it since you might never get to taste a litson manok anywhere else. offering is it's native litsong manok that tastes like no other.A personal favorite of mine are these grilled scallops. That time they were much bigger than those served at Breakthrough Restaurant, its main competitor but Tatoy's timpla is way better. It's "dabbed" calamansi-butter-garlic concoction that every scallop makes you even want to have more. A plate costs PhP170 - that's around 20 pesos for each succulent scallop but it's totally worth it.

Tatoy's grilled bangus is among the best I've tasted since it sort is prepared inasal style. Check out the color of the fish and you'll know instantly. Served boneless and most of the time in large size, the bangus can be eaten on it's own because of it's already tasty timpla. No need to dip it in sinamak or that toyo-calamansi-sili concoction. No wonder it costs aroudn PhP240up depending on the weight.

And lastly a bowl of fish soup (either tail or head) provides a perfect sabaw during any meal at Tatoy's. And these meals always turns up into special meals for one is served with the best and freshest produce this famous Iloilo restaurant has done for some many years that Tatoy's has become such an icon to the locals and tourists alike.

Italicized text coustesy of the article entitled
TRUE TALES OF FOOD NIRVANA
by Norma Chikiamco
for FOOD Magazine August 2007 issue

Meke, bihon or miswa?

2010-07-24T00:18:00.002+08:00

The famous La Paz batchoy is a concoction of noodles, pork, liver and innards in broth topped with chicharon, garlic and chives. Among the popular batchoyans in town is Ted's Oldtimer who is credited to be the innovator of La Paz batchoy as it is known today throughout the country. Among the innovations they introduced are batchoys using different kinds of noodles which one can decide upon ordering in their stores. The original and default order is made with these yellow egg noodles known as meke. With a hint of saltiness, these noodles have been chosen as the original maybe it is among the least expensive during those days. Also the noodles compliment the taste and the color of the other ingredients making it pleasing to the eyes. And usually this noodles makes the perfect presentation of the batchoy as it holds firmly the other ingredients that makes the signature mound on a batchoy bowl. Sad to say that the new deep bowls being used now in some branches makes it impossible to have a good visual presentation of La paz batchoy.
The next one I've tried is the miswa version. When my order came, I though I was served with a bowl of caldo (broth) for I can only see the broth. Later when I dipped my spoon and scooped what was hidden underneath, then I saw everything. Same amount of ingredients and toppings just lost in the broth because the miswa cannot hold it and it becomes soggy after sometime. It sort of like eating a soup with meat as one barely gets to "bite" the miswa.
And my latest is their bihon batchoy, which is a cross between the previous two. Mild in taste that it enhances the flavour more but like miswa the batchoy is "lost in presentation". It came in a deep bowl plus the noodles sink to the bottom bringing the others so it was a deja vu of the caldo mixed up before. But still the same as they serve with the same amount of ingredients and no chance of short changing any order.

I have yet to try is the one made with sotanghon and now I expect it to be slippery both literally and figuratively as this noodle is the last one I will be able to try. So what's your La Paz batchoy made with?

Mang Inasal

2010-07-23T04:54:00.004+08:00

About six years ago, two gentlemen from the South dared to take their chances in the metropolis called Manila.

Before the launch of their first branch in Metro Manila, Edgar “Injap” Sia , the man behind Iloilo’s famous Mang Inasal, was understandably cautious. Sure, their existing branches were a big hit in the Visayas, as fellow Ilonggos could not seem to get enough of their scrumptiously moist and juicy, tender and tasty barbecued chicken, meats and seafood. But would the ever-evolving palates of Manila folks accept Mang Inasal as well?
To Sia’s pleasant surprise, Mang Inasal was eagerly embraced by Manila foodies. And today, Mang Inasal has become a culinary force to reckon with. Both by word of mouth and aggressive marketing communications efforts, the Visayan favorite is now a Metro Manila hotspot too.
Sia says, “We have 160 branches to date. The first in Manila at the Mall of Asia was actually the 18th branch of Mang Inasal. We’re going six years this coming December 12. For this year, we hope to have a total of 200 branches and another 100 next year. In the next five years, we are aiming for 100 branches a year nationwide.”Sia believes that this success can be attributed to many factors which come together to make a totality—affordability, a distinct Filipino flavor, the unlimited rice offerings, the strategic location of branches and the dynamic brand build up that creates favorable awareness for Mang Inasal.

At just about the same time that Sia was preparing for Mang Inasal’s Manila debut, one young man was gearing up for his own conquest of the nation’s capital. Mark Bautista grew up in Cagayan de Oro with his father Darni, mother Susan, three other brothers and a sister. Bautista recalls how even at an early age, he and his siblings were taught the value of hard work. Their parents never spoiled them and made sure that they understood responsibility by dutifully performing household chores. It was also from his father that he learned humility and grace. The older Bautista always had a ready smile, even for strangers.When his father was unable to continue working as a seaman due to health reasons, Bautista decided to join a singing contest to help with the family’s financial obligations. His second prize win at the show Star for a Night catapulted him to greater heights in the entertainment industry. Today, he is a popular show biz personality, a mainstay of the star studded Sunday noontime program ASAP, with a string of musical hits to his name, and a blooming film career

Never in his entire life did Bautista dream of such a success. All he wanted was to help his family. He remarks, “Today, I am overflowing with blessings. I recognize how valuable these opportunities are and I am making the most of them. I also acknowledge that the fruits of my work are gifts from God and I am thankful and glad to enjoy them.”
Fortune smiled at these two unassuming gentlemen who, by sheer hard work and a humble attitude, attained their goals and dreams. And as if serendipity sought out two like-minded individuals to complement each other, Mang Inasal has partnered with Mark Bautista to take the message of good food and family celebrations to more and more Filipinos nationwide.

Sia observes, “I think we have some similarities. Mark also started in 2004, the same with Mang Inasal. Like Mang Inasal, Mark is very unassuming but he has stayed in the entertainment world for quite some time already and he’s doing well. And we feel that Mark, like Mang Inasal, has a very big potential, coming into the next few years as they slowly unfold.”
For his part, Bautista says, “Mang Inasal is very hard working, they give it their all, they are persistent and aggressive. They want to succeed in the industry. And that is also what I see in myself. “

Today after six years, the two gentlemen from the South are more inspired than ever. All their efforts are paying off, giving credence to the principle that hard work, patience, honesty and faith in God make the best formula for success. And when at times the road may seem so rough and long, just keep walking and working and who knows, the dream may be closer to fulfillment than you think.

Article courtesy of The Manila Times
Photos courtesy of MangInasal (2nd) and Skyscrapercity forum (last)

Nang Palang's buko pies

2010-07-22T16:54:00.001+08:00

Looks goods, tastes even better. A cliche indeed, but Nang Palang's buko pie now really looks good. Thanks to it's new packaging that give's it a much better and more recognizable identity. It is just fitting that one of the best buko pies in the country should embark on this thrust before it can be swallowed up by "hyped" competitors.Nang Palang's also creates other favorites like cassava cakes, bibingka, chicken pie, egg pie and other fruit pies like mango pie, ube pie and pineapple pie among others. But it is their buko pie that made them famous.So they also made other variants like buko-pandan and buko pinya pies which are equally as good, to capitalize on the fame.

But despite this, Nang Palang's still puts quality above as you don't see strips of buko in the pie but slices for they say one buko pie contains coconut meat from four fresh coconuts. And to see is to believe. But don't just be contented looking at it, do get your own Nang Palang's Buko Pie.

Nang Palang's Buko Pie is located in Brgy. Trapiche in Oton. Just around a kilometer past the main gate of Anhawan Beach Club going all the way to Tigbauan. They can be contacted through telephone number 033-336-0954.

Afrique's

2010-07-21T03:10:00.004+08:00

The name Afrique’s is well-known to epicureans in Iloilo. If you’re a guest and would want to leave this city with great memories of pizza and pasta, Afrique’s can give you all that.

Miguel Cordova, Iloilo’s most popular young chef, takes us back to history. “Hughes Street used to be a strip where big business establishments were built. There are still many beautiful structures you can see around but only a few of them have been maintained.

Somewhere at the end of this long street was where the casino used to be.” The once lonely old house now known as Afrique’s is a fresh face among old structures in the district. The Cordovas did all they could to maintain the original façade of the house.

It was built sometime in the 1930s and was owned by VirgilioFerraris. Salustiano Mirasol and Mrs. Consuelo Segovia later bought the house and became the ancestral house of the Mirasols. The Mirasols are only one of the many illustrious families in Iloilo. In the very house where Afrique’s is now was where Mrs. Esperanza Mirasol Macavinta and her siblings grew up. The is likened to a huge precious chest full of wonderful memories.

The Cordova’s eye for beauty enabled them to transform the almost dilapidated house into a Mediterrenean style bistro. Jaws of visitors would often drop at the first sight of Afrique’s. Aside from the luscious food, Afrique’s is also known for its unique ambiance that is homey yet elegant. Rafael Cordova, one of the siblings, says, “In Afriques, you don’t need to dress up. It has a very relaxed ambiance and a homey feel to it.” Just like what they say about history repeating itself (and in a very good way), the Cordova siblings are now taking care of the beautiful place and has given it prestige by making it the home of Afrique’s. Read More

Article courtesy of The News Today
Afrique’s… Remaking history and adding up a modern twist to the palate
Text & photos by Jinki Beldia

Butterscotch

2010-07-21T01:09:00.000+08:00

Pasalubong from Iloilo City nowadays isn't just limited to those "old world" biscuits and baked goodies the city is famous for. Biscocho, barquillos, galletas, barquiron, piaya and a whole lot more used to be a staple in pasalubong boxes coming from Iloilo. Now a relatively modern baked goodie has overtaken the title as the most sought after pasalubong from Iloilo. And it's not an entirely native product nor had it “roots” from Iloilo. It’s actually an imported product given a distinct, local feel and is now among the best selling Iloilo pasalubong items.

Butterscotch - a type of confectionery made by boiling sugar, butter, cream, and vanilla. In many ways the ingredients for butterscotch are similar to toffee; the major difference is that the sugar is boiled to the soft crack stage for butterscotch and the hard crack stage for toffee, (from Wikipedia) is now synonymous with Iloilo pasalubong. Boxes of goodies from Iloilo surely would contain packs of these moist and chewy confection commonly wrapped colored cellophane. The most popular and best selling brand is Biscocho Haus. To quote from MyFoodieNotebook "Notably, nothing in that ingredients list mentions anything about flour or eggs. Biscocho Haus' butterscotch, however, does. As per the package, Biscocho Haus' butterscotch is made of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and milk. Strictly speaking therefore, I think Biscocho Haus' butterscotch is more like a butterscotch brownie."Because of it's popularity, other pasalubong shops and bakeries have joined in the butterscotch bandwagon and came up with their own butterscotch recipe to compete and hopefully make a niche of it's own. So the next time you're in Iloilo, don't forget to bring home some of these goodies and mind you, you will soon feel you didn't buy enough butterscotch from Iloilo.

Note: I have reviewed more than a dozen brands and made my Iloilo butterscotch guide in my other blog - Flavours of Iloilo.

Balbi's Snack House

2010-07-17T00:11:00.003+08:00

Food memories during our childhood certainly have a special place in our hearts (and tastebuds too.) Given the chance revisiting these places would mean reliving these taste memories that form a good part of our childhood. And Balbi's Snackshop along Valeria Street is certainly among these food places that our hearts would certainly long for. But in my case Balbi's, was just a recent discovery. If not for my blog, I wouldn't have discovered it , even if it was just along one of the streets I frequent passing by. There' s a so called "trinity" of the great eats at Balbi's and I've tried them all since then.First and foremost if their Pancit Palabok. A tasty concoction of shrimp sauce over pancit bihon and topped with chicharon and tinapa. Many swear it's the best in town and with la ittle reservation, I agree. A plate costs around PhP70, quite pricey for Iloilo standards for a pancit but you certainly won't regret it.
Then there's their dinugu-an. Balbi's makes use of lean pork and no innards plus the blood s filtered and cured before cooking to ensure utmost quality. Thus explains the price of a single small serving is also around PhP70. But it's more than worth it especially if paired with puto manapla.

And lastly, their two best selling breads, ensaymada and cheeseroll. These treats are both very much affordable and certainly worth more than it's price. Very soft bread with butter and sugar toppings with the cheese roll having a slice of cheese at the certain. You'll certainly want more after finishing these two. Good thing both cost less than 15 pesos each.
Balbi's also served other dishes like binagoongan and bistek tagalog - to namae a few of their best sellers. And they also have other breads and baked goodies cheese pimiento sandwich, biscocho, siopao, chicken pie and burgers. What interest me more is their toasted ensaymada and cheeseroll.

Anyway here' a good feature about Balbi's that narrates how it began and how it's coping up with the future.

Revisiting Balbis
By Marie Katherine Villalon
Friday, November 24, 2006

According to its manager, Ador Apuan, Balbis officially opened its store in 1960 but as early as 1958, they were already cooking for people. "It was not palabok at first. They were serving dishes like Arroz Valenciana, Chicken Galantina, ensaymada and cheese roll. That's when they decided to open the store," Apuan said.

Its first location was in the St. Elizabeth Bowling Alley, behind the residence of Monsignore Cuenco, in front of St. Paul's Hospital in Gen. Luna Street. After the bishop's palace was bought by the Rosaleses, the bowling alley was moved to St. Elizabeth Center in Valeria Street, where Balbis is now located.

It is owned by Balbina Zaldarriaga, whose photo with Apuan is presently hung at the restaurant. Apuan is married to Marisa Montelibano, grand daughter of Zaldarriaga. Apuan has vast experience in the food business, making him the likely candidate in managing Balbis when he went home from the United States two years ago. "I was the manager of Almon Marina, a specialty shop in Manila that was converted into a sandwich bar. When I went to the United States and worked as a paralegal there, I wanted to go back to the food business. So I enrolled in a culinary school, the Orange County School of Culinary Arts. It took me almost two years to finish there. I was going to school in the evenings," he said.

A year after he went home to the Philippines, Apuan decided to manage Balbis. "Earlier than that, I planned to open a restaurant. I studied the market here and realized that many restaurants opened but closed after several years. So, I said, 'why start with something that has no name?' Balbis has a name already," he said.

Under Apuan's management, Balbis has expanded its food offerings. The palabok, dinuguan, ensaymada and cheese rolls are still the best-sellers. "Our dinuguan makes use of lean pork and we don't use organ meat. We also use quality blood, which we filter and cure before cooking."Balbis's cheese roll and ensaymada make use of butter and sugar. "They have the same consistency though the cheese roll is softer and smaller. We also have butter toast, garlic toast, which is a good match to palabok, cheese pimiento sandwich, biscocho, siopao, chicken pie and puto.

Balbis is now air-conditioned and the dining area is wider after it underwent renovation in August this year. Its peak hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at 4 p.m. until closing time, 6 p.m.

Apuan revealed that Balbis will soon have another branch in an area that is accessible to more people, especially to students. When asked if he plans to open more branches like any other food chain, he said, "I just want maybe another one. My idea is that the people that know Balbis, one by one, have gone abroad. The younger generation does not know about us because we are no visible from the street. It's about time that we should be seen. I don't have any intention to open many branches. One or two would be enough." Read more at SunsStar Iloilo

More Balbi's on Flavours of Iloilo.

Laswa

2010-07-16T00:34:00.000+08:00

Laswa is among the most popular Ilonggo vegetable dish and has so many variations despite it' simplicity. 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.

Roberto's House Restaurant

2010-07-16T00:21:00.004+08:00

If a list of iconic restaurants in Iloilo City is made, chances are Roberto’s Restaurant along JM Basa Street in the heritage district of Downtown Iloilo City would be among listed. This snack shop has retained the old world charm of Iloilo City as little has changed over the years in the way the restaurant looks and operates. It has managed to survive with little or no competition all these years, but when competitors decided to challenge Roberto’s, it didn’t even budge. Big league competitors in the likes of Jollibee and Mang Inasal have stores a few steps away yet Roberto’s always almost full no matter what time of the day.
So what made this restaurant strong enough to co exist with really big competitors despite its feeble appearance?
It’s neither the ambiance nor the service, for in this category Roberto’s, flops. Many shared their not so good experiences about buying over the counter, eating inside the restaurant and even suppliers have complaints or two. Most of the time people just order to go and enjoy good ol’ Roberto’s food in the comfort of the homes and offices. Roberto’s may have improved their fixtures but the ambiance of the whole restaurant stays the same, a chaotic blend of the old and the new.
It really is the food and the familiarity of the Ilonggos that made Roberto’s survived. Hamburgers made this snack shop famous and they still served them now. Then there’s their pancit line up – bihon, sotanghon and canton, revered by many. Their assorted meat menu is also among their best sellers – meatballs, camaron relleno, morcon and fried lumpia to name a few. They also have combo meals combining the above menu with some vegetables or snack items for one big plate of good eats.
And then there’s Roberto’s Queen sio pao. This sio pao has bacon and Chinese sausage on top of the chicken and pork adobo and hardboiled egg. The King has ham instead of bacon. What makes the Queen a gastronomic novelty is that it is available for only 3 days a month. (and for special orders.)So in the contest between ambiance and taste, convincingly the latter triumphed but it’s not yet too late for Roberto’s to change the feel of their restaurant and even expand with more branches. With these plus an improvement on the quality of service on top the good food they serve, Roberto's will surely survive and claim it's place in Iloilo gastronomic history.

Roberto’s House Inc.
61 JM Basa Street, Iloilo City
Tel No. 335-0484 / 337-1595

Kadyos baboy langka

2010-07-15T00:46:00.000+08:00

Kadyos, baboy & langka popularly known as KBL is no doubt among the top and well loved cuisine of the Ilonggos. As the name suggests, the three basic ingredients are kadyos (cow peas/black eyed beans), baboy (pork) and langka (jackfruit-the unripe one). The fourth one, batwan gives the dish a distinct soury soup base.Kadyos. A common sight in local markets when in season, kadyos gives this dish a unique subtle flavour. When boiled, it gives the broth a light purplish hue and enhances the taste of soup.
Baboy. The most commonly used cut is pata (hinds) especially the lean-fat-cartilage/tendon combo. However, even left over lechon or adobo-cut pork can also be used. Broiling the pork first gives the soup a distinct taste.
Langka. Usually cut into large cubes and boiled until cooked before adding the souring ingredient. Doing otherwise (i.e. adding batwan, etc before it is cooked) would affect
Bat-wan. This tiny green fruit grows abundantly and is endemic to the region and mainly used as souring ingredients in soups and fish dishes.

Sinamak

2010-07-13T16:47:00.001+08:00

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.

The recipe varies from each household and the percentage of the "ingredients" too but always present are siling labuyo (green and red for color variation and makes it more visually appetizing), ginger and garlic. Usually the vinegar used comes from coconuts but other varieites do as well. Just make one that suits your own taste and let dip set fire on your every meal.

Linidgid nga mais

2010-07-13T16:43:00.001+08:00

Followers of Flavours of Iloilo on Facebook shared this interesting delicacy from this north central town of Iloilo. Called linidgid na mais, this native treat from Lambunao is a mixture of corn, coconuts and sugar. Made using the pilit variety of corn "shredded" the old fashioned (tin cans with nail-punched holes) then combined with young coconuts and sugar to taste. The mixture is then wrapped in banana leaves then tied at the top like a pouch and steamed for around two hours. The effort made in making this delicacy s greatly rewarded with a delicious native treat.

Thank you to Marilyn Manzanida for the photos and the related info.

Biscocho Haus

2010-07-13T16:33:00.002+08:00

Pasalubong from Iloilo is almost synonymous with Biscocho Haus, the iconic bakeshop named after one of the city's most popular treats - biscocho. Despite it's numerous branches around the city, a trip to it's original branch near Jaro Plaza completes one's pasalubong experience.

There, one can choose pasalubong items displayed in old plateras ranging from their famous butterscotch and biscocho to even dried squid and danggit. Next door is their snackshop that serves short orders like dinuguan and pancit molo. Indeed this Biscocho Haus has come a long way from a small family run bakeshop to an Iloilo icon it is today. So when in Iloilo, don't go home without.

Topmost photo courtesy of ANGELKIRK89of SSC forum

Bac's Pata Haus

2010-07-13T16:30:00.000+08:00

If La Paz has the iconic batchoy and Molo has that wonton soup called Pancit Molo, then the district of Mandurriao might as well claim pata and kansi to be it's contribution to Iloilo City's gastronomic delights. The district boasts numerous hole in the wall restaurants that serves the best of these two dishes.Zeroing in with pata, one of the most popular patahan in Mandurriao is Bac's. Located along the highway that connects Manudurriao with Molo (near the entry to the old Iloilo airport), this native restaurant boasts of a clientele that ranges from the simple passersby to those coming with "security". Pata refers to both the pigs legs (hind and front including knuckles) and that soup dish it has become after slowly boiling them in spices and seasoning. Usually it's the latter that comes to mind. And why not, the sight of this soft and melts in your mouth pata plus the thick, sticky and sour broth makes it an instant sinful desire. You'd wish they'd also serve unlimited rice since sabaw pa lang ulam na.

Photos couresty of DRAFKN, DOBRAVA of SSC Forum

Dulgies Cafe

2010-07-13T16:25:00.000+08:00

Sitting down inside a cozy cafe and indulging in some of the best cakes and pastries in town is more than enough to distract us from the rain that poured heavily one Saturday afternoon. A meeting with the Iloilo Bloggers was set that time in one of the best places in Iloilo City to satisfy your sweet cravings - Dulgies Cafe.Choosing alone takes a great deal of effort as it is really difficult to make a decision which among their decadent cakes would satisfy one's sweet tooth. Will it be those blissful cheesecakes with a variety of toppings or those cakes which catch your attention with their eye catching design and colours.
What caught mine (and surely others too) was this blood red cake that can been miles away (lol). It's the first time I saw attention seeking cake and most probably one of their latest creations. Red in colour and velvety in texture, it's very obvious why it was named Red Velvet cake. With a generous topping of chopped almonds, this was the cake that I had my sight on.
It even has a cupcake version but pales in comparison. A yummy chocolate cupcake accompanies the red velvety cupcakes
Around the corner is a display of their other baked delights. Brownies, puddings, muffins and fruitty bars and breads - all equally appetizing as well. Missing on the display is their famous black rice bread which I was told was not sold by the packs. It is for the exclusive use for their (and my favorite) D'Club sandwich.

As the heavy rains continued, I enjoyed my D'Club Sandwich which I almost never finished and the Red Velvet cake which I had my sight on, just remained on the display. But there's always a next time. ;)

Alugbati

2010-07-13T12:25:00.002+08:00

Not as popular as kamote nor kangkong tops in other parts of the country but here in Iloilo, (and Western Visayas as a whole) it's one of the staple "green and leafy" vegetables. It maybe "foreign" elsewhere but here it is very common as one always see these trio (with kamote and kangkong) being sold from wet market stalls and even in big grocery stores like SM.Most often alugbati is partnered with kalabasa for a simple dish with either pork (cutlets or ground) or seafood (shrimps, crabs and dried seafood like pinakas, balingon, etc) as subak(sahog). Its also a simple dish to prepare as you throw in everything, season then cover and wait for it to cook. Or even just as “greens” in the all time Pinoy favorite - ginisang monggo.A green leafy vegetable with a violet stem that makes a good whole lot of simple yet good tasting dishes - that's alugbati.

Bavaria Restaurant and Bar

2010-07-13T00:33:00.007+08:00

Tucked in one of the side streets toward the plaza of Jaro district is a small “typical German restaurant and bar” aptly named Bavaria. Described as a taste of Germany in Iloilo City, this quaint little restaurant quietly is actually an open secret among foodies in the city.Owned by a German national who retired to Iloilo City, Bavaria lets the Ilonggos experience the Deutsch fashion of merry eating and drinking. Designed like an old fashioned German tavern, patrons feel a transformation of ambiance the moment they step in. After passing through a narrow hallway, a cozy dining area awaits customers who feel like to have entered a museum of sorts because of the ornate decorations and displays in true German fashion. Bavaria is mainly a bar that serves German drinks but it also dishes quite a number of German specialties. Somewhat the restaurant’s menu has expanded to include other cuisine like Spanish and the typical Filipino to attract more guests. But it is the German gastronomic specialties that are really authentic to the taste.Among their best sellers are their authentic German sausages (in combo meals) and pepper steaks complete with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut (a personal favorite). They also have paella and typical Filipino combo meals. Aside from the German brews and other international drinks, among it’s signature drink is Spezi. Sounds foreign but it’s just a combination of local sodas as I was told.
Bavaria indeed has gone a long way and to survive the Ilonggos discriminating taste, which other restaurants failed big time, it must have done something right. Could it be the ambiance and the feel of the restaurant, the service and style or the authentic taste of it’s food? Discover it for yourself.

Bavaria Restobar
113 Seminario St., Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines.
Contact Numbers. 320-2186, 329-0078, 320-2188

Note: The building is home to Nagarao Pension House and it also serves as a field office for Nagarao Island Resort off Guimaras island.

Peppy Thai Deli

2010-07-13T00:07:00.004+08:00

Thai cuisine is among the most renowned cooking in the world. And here in Iloilo City, among the more notable restaurants serving Thai specialties is a little hole in the wall food joint, aptly named Peppy Thai Deli.
Delighting Ilonggos for more than 10 years now, Peppy Thai is serves authentic Thai cuisine, Filipino style – that is turo-turo. Most of their food items are already cooked and displayed in front of the restaurant and patrons just turo (to point) dishes that they like and it will be served to them. Aside from these, they also have items on an order first then cooked basis.
Peppy Thai Deli used to be located in the outskirts of the city, in a place reflecting both rural Thailand and Philippines. It used to stand amidst the rice fields just beside a not so busy highway. It was a two-storey, al fresco restaurant that is just open only during lunch. There was no big landmark near the place, but usually people find it easily because of the number of vehicles clustered in the side of the road.
More than a year ago though, it has transferred to a more convenient and easily accessible location – in front of the Jaro Big market (Huwebesan). And just recently it started to serve dinner on Fridays.
It is always a feast eating at Peppy Thai, from the number of orders we have on the table to the actual taste of these cuisine. They have small orders though, almost good for one, but on a somewhat affordable price. This service is very attractive to “single” eaters who can actually enjoy Thai cuisine at a price good for one. Most Thai restos here are either found in hotels or posh places and serves food that are good for more than one.Among the best selling specialties they have are the fried papered squid (also known as squid flakes), nam tok (cold pork loin salad – a must order in my opinion), Thai fried rice, pandan chicken and Thai pork barbecue. They also have a variety of curries, soups and other Thai specialties.Next time you feel like deviating from the usual Ilonggo gastronomic fare, why not give this restaurant a try for its Thai cuisine, it must be Peppy Thai Deli – the one and only.

Peppy Thai Deli
El 98 Road, Desamparados, Jaro, Iloilo City.