(Food) Trip down memory lane

Razon's at SM Mall of Asia

It was my first time going around the newly opened SM Mall of Asia when I thought of satisfying my curiousity for the much talked about Razon's halo halo. Not having eaten lunch that time, I also ordered the other thing in the menu, Pancit Luglug. Hmmm ..... 130 bucks was fair enough to satisfy my curiousity but certainly not for everyday snack.

Kamay Kainan at Market Market.

Love their buffet! I was addicted with their longganisa the last time I was there. Good thing this one and only shot that time came out almost perfect. KK at MM has one of the best less expensive Pinoy buffet there is for me.

Now move on to another KK. This office "snack" took place a few hours after we had the buffet above. I just had to buy Krispy Kreme doughnuts since I was already in that area so we took a walk. A long walk from Market Market to KK store. But it was worth it. Plus fresh strawberries from Baguio City, that was a truly rewarding afternoon. Damn! Almost a thousand bucks for this snack, I only realized now.

Wah Yuen Restaurant, Escolta

A trip to our lawyer's office in Escolta wouldn't be complete without visiting this restaurant. Its proximity that led us to this old school chinese restaurant, but after that, it almost became a habit. If there's one dish I always order (and recommend) , its salt and pepper squid, I swear its the best among Ive tasted. Its literally fried squid without the batter plus you can see and taste the chilli peppers that found itself "stuffed" inside the squid. Of course, their pata tim also is worth ordering.

Jolli jeep, Makati City

This adobong puso ng saging with sitaw is one of my favorite orders in one of the food stalls along HV Dele Costa street in Makati. If they have this one, then I turn blind to the other viands they are selling, except maybe if they have their pork sinigang. If available I have them for breakfast and lunch, and at times for both. Im craving now, where the hell Im going to get this one at this time?

My Despidida at Work

After almost 7 years, I decided to quit my job. Of course I have to make a final statement. So one afternoon (after days of planning, making phone calls,etc), I laid it all for everyone to dig in. I had big bilao of pancit from Amber's , 3 large Brooklyn combi pizzas, 2 gallons of ice cream (including half gallon of office-made pineapple-cheese), assorted goodies from Biscocho Haus and almost 10 liters of soda.

Of course how can I forget "Manang" who always shouts "Palitaw...." almost everyday around 3pm near my place in Mandaluyong. With a bilao on her head plus two baskets, she walks around the area and by 6pm, it all disappears except for her bilao and baskets of course. My favorites included sio pao, japanese corn, baked mac, some kakanin, pancit palabok and malabon, and at times, embutido. How I miss those times. Im sure "Manang" also misses me.

Breadtalk

Completing my pasalubong galore when I returned home were spicy tuna sisig, creamfilled football buns dipped in chocolate and floss all of which were gone in a flash especially that latter.

I forgot how many times I've been here before especially during this snack time. My plate shows my weird combination of sio pao and sio mai with chocolate cake and cream puffs and this was actually my last (and 5th) plate. Their sio mai, introduced more recently became an instant hit that I wouldn't mind paying a little more than 100 pesos for this eat all you can sio mai.

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

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.

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?"

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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