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Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels in collaboration with guest chefs Fadi and Farid of Saj Hut powered by Pepsi Philippines and Omoda | Jaecoo Iloilo

Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo, a premier hotel located in the heart of Iloilo Business Park, successfully held an exciting culinary collaboration under the Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels on August 1, 2025, from 6PM to 10PM at its signature restaurant, Runway Kitchen. The collaboration featured guest chefs Fadi and Farid of Saj Hut, who brought their distinctive Mediterranean cuisine to Iloilo's hotel dining scene. Known for its bold, fresh, and traditional flavors, their culinary contribution added a global flair to the award-winning dinner buffet at Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo. As one of the top choices for hotel dining in Iloilo, Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo continued its mission of delivering unique and world-class culinary experiences. This partnership brought vibrant food concepts to both locals and visiting guests. Pepsi Philippines enhanced the collaboration with curated beverage pairings and creative drink activations that complemented the Mediterranean offerings. Omoda I Jaecoo...
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Panso from Buho Bakery

Buho Bakery is one of the more iconic neighborhood bakeshops in Iloilo City. Just the mere mention of it brings back memories of yesteryears and of course it's claim to fame bread - panso . While its a take off from pancho , which is a desiccated coconut filled bread, panso from Buho is more of the commercialized version of it. But nevertheless, it's so delicious especially when its hot off the oven. "Buho" means hole in Hiligay-non and it's this hole on its wall that gave it it's monicker. At certain times of the day they are closed, but everytime you'd crave for their breads, you just knock at thins window and it'll be opened to take your orders.   The filling of these bread is like coloured and chewey dough with some slight flavor.  And the bread, which is very good on its own, is their basic bread recipe used for their other products like teren-teren, pan del eche and more. These panso costs PhP2 each and you...
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Baye-baye with a crunchy sweet twist

Mention baye-baye and those familiar with this native Ilonggo delicacy would imagine rolls of pounded pinipig (roasted newly harvested rice) mixed with freshly grated coconut with hints of subtle sweetness. One of the most popular native snacks, baye-baye is a staple in local markets as well as pasalubong shops and native delicacies stalls in the malls. While most baye-baye are just plain, there's an innovation to this local delicacy that Ilonggos are starting to embrace. It's baye-baye roll filled with a mix yema and peanuts. It was in 2011 that I made a gastronomic contact with this baye-baye innovation when I judged in a competition featuring baye-baye innovation in the town of Pavia, Iloilo during a sidelight event of their annual Tigkaralag Festival . Entries came with sesame seeds, cheese, pandan and yema-peanuts which became the eventual winner. It  came with an innovation that captured our taste aside from the originality and the cre...
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Bingka, Kutsinta, Ibos kag Alupi

Brown is IN - as in kakanin ! Who can resist these mouth-watering native delicacies? I would first pick a piece of kutsinta then dip it in grated niyog (mature coconut) savoring its sticky texture while having bits of the coconut. Then I would bite into the bingka  with its taste memories flooding my mind. A forkful of alupi would be a delicious balance in the sweetness and texture. Finally, it ends on a very sweet note - a very big piece of ibos dipped into muscovado sugar! Again, again, again... Now which is your most favorite or the one you really missed? Here are the basic recipes for the native delicacies Bingka Recipe Kutsinta Recipe Ibos (Suman) Recipe Alupi (Cassava Suman) Recipe
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Rustica: Where Every Bite Tells a Story

What started out as a catering service specializing in customized and personalized food provider for weddings, private parties and corporate events way back in 2017, has just opened its doors to a brand-new restaurant, bringing its unique flavors to the Ilonggo community. Located along Commission Civil Street, Rustica Restaurant is the newest culinary gem in the heart of Jaro, offering an upscale dining experience with innovative dishes, personalized service, and comforting classics.  With its signature catering flavors that have delighted Ilonggos at countless celebrations, Rustica now brings its signature taste to the table, fresh daily. Under the culinary expertise of Chef Miguel Cordova, a pioneer in Ilonggo dining (think of Afrique's, Esca's, and Dova), Rustica's journey began in 2012 as the catering arm of Afrique's, focusing on bespoke events.  As its passion for creating unforgettable culinary experiences flourished, Rustica soon evolved into a standalone cat...
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Muscovado sugar memories

One of my fondest memories of having to tag along during a Sunday "marketing" chore is seeing piles of kalamay nga pula  sold in the town's market. It really excites me to see this brown mound, most especially  if it has much bitog-bitog .  As the transaction goes on, I'd sneak around and pocket as many as I could. So even if we didn't buy any sugar at all or how long the whole panindahan takes place, at least there's something to keep me busy along the way. On the downside, most of the time I'd forget about this when we come home and I just remember it when the ants feast on the remains of the days - LOL
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A Singaporean Pork Rib Dish called Bak Kuh Teh

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 fr...
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