Dova Brunch Cafe in Lapaz

Are you too late for breakfast yet too early for lunch - then it's time for a brunch. But at Dova Brunch Cafe in Lapaz you'll get more than breakfast staples and lunch specialties. (And it is even open until late night!)

At the helm is one of Iloilo's most celebrated chefs, Miguel Cordova. And yes, the cafe's name takes the last two syllables of the family's last name that is synonymous with Afriques and Esca's, among others.

Simple interiors dotted with wooden furniture add to the cafe's "homeyness". But it can get crowded during lunch and dinner hours. Good thing we were there around 2pm and the lunch crowd was thinning and minutes after, we had the place almost to ourselves.

Compared with Afrique's and Esca's, Dova's menu is somewhat more sophisticated. With "brunch" in my mind, there are pancakes, waffles and french toasts that come with fruits and meat. Salads and appetizers as well as burgers and other sandwiches

Dova Brunch Cafe's Specialties.
See larger imager

But those looking for heavier and meatier selections, Dova has pasta and some pork, chicken and beef specialties. And just recently, it launched additional items for its sandwiches and "main dishes" menu.

But having eaten at a previous event - Samsung Digital Appliance Fair, I just opted for what I though suppose to be light "dessert" - French Toasts.

But came two large slices of sweet smelling and eventually delectable French Toasts with Strawberry, Bananas , Cream and Whipped Butter,

The toasts were thick and big and it satisfied my weeks long craving for French Toasts. And no matter how full I was, slowly but surely, they just disappeared in front of me.

Other orders that found themselves on our table were the Pulled Pork Sandwich which would have been my order if I had not felt full. It has tasty pork shreds and cabbage slaw on a brioche bun and served with potato wedges.

Another specialty of the house are Waffles with the same "sides" as my toasts. It may also come simple just with butter and maple syrup or with bacon and sausage.

Among their appetizers is a "collection" of nachos, breads and vegetable sticks that comes with a Cheese and Truffle dip - perfect to start any gastronomic adventure.

And as if my French Toasts weren't that heavy, I had Strawberry Smoothie to wash away all of these easily.

Opened just a few months ago, Dova Brunch Cafe emerged as among the biggest happenings in the Iloilo gastronomic scene. It seems everyone was talking about their experience - good food, SRO crowd during peak hours and good food, once again. And this time, its me that's talking!

Dova Brunch Cafe

122 Javellana Street, Lapaz, Iloilo City

(Lapaz Plaz near the Lapaz Church and across the tennis courts)

Tel. No. (033) 503-3242

Opens daily from 9am to 9pm

Check them online through Instagram and Facebook.

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 pork broth cube (

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

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

Takway

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 the gabi tuber with 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.

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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