Sooo Pinoy in Davao City at Patok sa Manok

Even though I know we will be visiting 6-7 restaurants in a day, I can't help to have a heavy breakfast especially in one which serves this mouth-watering lechon manok. These were so juicy inside-out, with the skin, cholesteroliffic as it may seem was a big hit, as everyone went scrambling to have a piece Our third day in Davao City commenced in an almost 30-year old restaurant that started with only a singular item - roasted chicken. "We are are the first lechon manok in Davao." says owner Lena Benedicto."During the peak time then we can sell as much 50 lechon manok an hour". The locals were so gastronomically engrossed that we really lived up to our name - Patok sa Manok!

I was part of Sooo Pinoy, Food Trip na Pilipinas! which is set to visit 300 restaurants in 10 key regions/areas in 10 months all over the Philippines. Davao is the 4th food stop after Iloilo, Bora cay and Cebu that started last March. The goal of the Food Trip is to show that Filipino dishes per region have different identities based on the culture, lifestyle and history of the area. The Food Trip also aims to show that there are many Filipino recipes from different regions of the Philippines, each having its own specialty that has to be recognized for the unique flavor it adds to the Filipino Cuisine.

I was expecting to be in an al fresco, grill restaurant but was really surprised to be in an air-conditioned tur-turo that can seat hundreds of patrons and more in their functions rooms for private gatherings just like ours. That's where the Sooo Pinoy Foodie Team gathered and did our thing - taking photos, interviews, taste test and had breakfast. Patok sa Manok served us a breakfast consisting of Dabawenyo cuisine and of course their specialties.

One of the first to catch my attention was this Adobong Buntot ng Bariles (tuna) with that distinct tuna aroma and taste. It was so big it almost occupied the whole pan.

Then there's Kalderetang Kambing - saucy, soft and flavourful they say. I passed on this despite my hunger,

Again there's tuna but in Kinilaw form which is a staple in almost all Davao restaurants and food joints.

The Fried Liempo looked very appetizing because of its almost chicharon like skin and indeed it was delicious.

I also liked the saucy Pancit Canton which had very generous amount of sahog - almost a complete meal it self.

Even the Pork Barbecue sport the trademark Patok sa Manok timpla for the marinade making it as delicious as well.

A surprising item on the menu which at first I thought to be just any fried meat like chicken cordon bleu turned out to be a Seafood Roll. It was a light fried item with every bite, you'll have vegetables (they're still fresh), crabrolls and others. A very "refreshing" fried dish - ironically.

Despite being Goat Kinilaw, I still tried this dish because it was appetizing to look at and the aroma was just too enticing.

And now the Spare Ribs swimming in savoury sauce - need I say more? Yes, and it's very delicious!

And here are Squid in Sambal Sauce. Sambal is a condiment that is chili-based. Typically made from a variety of chili peppers, it is sometimes a substitute for fresh chilis and can be extremely spicy for the uninitiated. Some ready-made sambals are available at exotic food markets or gourmet departments in supermarkets in many countries.(Wikipedia)

And finally desserts! I thought we would never get to this point as Patok sa Manok simply gave us a breakfast fiesta. And we also feasted on their leche flan and turon which were so indulgent that i had more than one serving of these two (and I won't tell how many). Indeed it was a delectable ending to our gastronomic stint and I just remembered this was just breakfast and we have 5-6 restaurants to go after. it was a breakfast Sooo Patok, Sooo Pinoy!

Filipinos are encouraged to join and support the Sooo Pinoy movement, a partnership between Unilever Food Solutions and the Department of Tourism, and go on a gastronomic adventure that both fills the stomach and enriches our awareness of our own identity. To know more about the campaign, food lovers are invited to like the Sooo Pinoy page on Facebook and follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter

Sooo Pinoy Epic DAVAO Food Trip: June 25-29, 2012

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece por...

Easy Century Tuna Recipes

If you're looking for simple, easy and delicious Century Tuna recipes online, congratulations, you've found it right here! How about spicy tuna sisig or tuna sinigang ? Maybe stir fried tuna with pickles or just yang chow fried rice . I love Century Tuna from its flakes in oil variety, the spicier the better, but when I discovered the versatility of its solid variant, it became an obsession. At first I was just into the usual tested recipes; pasta and sandwich filling, but then it got simpler – I just eat it straight from the can! Usually with a piece of bread or an apple. I just add a few drops of vinegar to spice it up a bit. Then came the experiments. Yup I got tired of that habit that one day, I decided to test my skills in the kitchen. Serendipity, you might call it yet most of them turned into good recipes that I have shared now and then. Satisfying my Palabok cravings had me experiment on this recipe on the spot. With Century Tuna in lieu of the us...

Flavours of Iloilo 2012 Highlights: Lovin' February gastronomy

So how to start a month the month of Love in terms of gastronomy? I didn't have to try hard as they come on their own terms.After the revelry of Dinagyang, the next big celebrations in Iloilo are the Chinese new Year, Jaro Candelaria Feast and Paraw Regatta. And it was on the mid celebrations (Jaro Fiesta) that February gastronomy marked its start. I went to two fiestas during Candelaria - the rainforest inspired set up at the Jamerlan residence and one at Afrique's Jaro, where the restaurant business all began. But in between I just got a call informing me of a photoshoot happening at Days Hotel Iloilo and when I got there it was cakes, cakes and cakes all over. Tinapayan was readying for Valentine and the Heart Cakes were at the center of it all. The next day I was out to lunch at the Central Market and got to discover the old way of having Coffee on the Go at De Leonian Cafe . The month also brought in more discovery as for the first time I got to taste a hambu...

Oyster Cake and more new items at Tarzan Magic La Mien Noodle House

Now there's more reason to go back at my favorite noodle house in town! Tarzan Magic La Mien Noodle noodle along JM Basa street may just look like your ordinary Calle Real eatery serving turo-turo and Chinese specialties but once you've tried what's on their menu, you'd surely be back, again and again. A few days ago, I found myself enjoying their latest dish, Oyster Cake. Our order took long that we thought it was forgotten but when the plate of the oyster cake came to the table, we knew then why. It was cooked with a labour of love, the oyster meat was seasoned with delectable spices (the kusay being the most evident) then sauteed and made omelet style then smothered with, at first I thought just plain catsup, but it was a Chinese dressing/sauce which really complemented the oyster specialty. It was one good and savoury find that day. And they also have new noodle varieties and I think I hit the jackpot with my order - Spare Ribs La Mien. The taste of the s...

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Search This Blog