Long gone: Iloilo restaurants of my childhood

Its reminiscing time once again and this time its the restaurants and food shops that I grew up with and sad to say all of them are long gone. This blogpost was originally created in 2009 and I just keep on updating whenever more of these long gone restaurants keep popping up.

HAN'S

Located at the entrance of the ICCHS this was my ultimate childhood snackhouse. Spaghetti, hamburger and jelly roll made up my orders almost everytime I was there. I can still vividly remember how it looked like and how my fave orders tasted. And that aquarium!

OAK BARREL

Located in the old La Salette building, this batchoyan got its name from the "oak barrels" that were used as stools. It was also a convenient place to stay when waiting for our jeepneys to fill up.

NATS

Also located in the Old La Salette building, I considered this before as runner up when it comes to batchoy (after Ted's). Maybe because I was overwhelmed by the very generous toppings (esp chicharon and liver).

THE MANSION HOUSE

Located along JM Basa street, this used to be the ultimate restaurant in the city. Serving chinese food, this was a special occasion restaurant for the family. Their pancit guisado and morisquita rice never missed our table. Check this link for the "new" Mansion House.

FATIMA

It was their spaghetti that always brought me here and the probably the only memory I got since I cant even pinpoint where it was originally located along Calle Real.

SMOKEY'S

Its hype didn't last long but I was one of its regular customers in their branch beside Amigo Plaza. It was always wrap around dog for me after realizing that their hot and spicy hot dog had tons of chopped onions.

BURGERBELL

A favorite weekend hangout during my highschool years since it was located in the newly opened Marymart mall. Burgers were ok but it was the ambiance that made its mark among the crowd.

TRY ME

Surely it was built as an ice cream house but it was their pancit lomi that made me a regular customer. Of course how can I forget those make your own and eat all you can halo halo during summer.

Try Me Ice Cream House and Restaurant along JM Basa Street
Photo as posted in UrbanScape Philippines Forum

FELY'S

Catered to CPU students and during its heydays it was where my after school treats always happen. From having a spaghetti and/or hamburger to buying some pasalubong to bring home, it was an all around shop.

New on this list (as of March 2014)

MALT STOP
It's the snack shop that greeted you upon entering "Building B" of the old SM Delgado. I can still remember how it is always full. I may not remember my actual favorite order here but I can still really recall how long those orders come to our table - lol.

LUGAWAN SA ILOILO
Located right across SM Delgado, this alfresco shop served mostly quick eats items. It was a big rectangular stall with permanent stools around and the servers just stay in the middle taking and preparing your order. I'd think batchoyans inside the Iloilo Central market have mini versions of this style.

ANG KAMALIG RESTAURANT
Never been here actually, just heard and remember their radio ads then. I think it was located somewhere Andok's across SM Delgado now. Ilongg and Filipino specialties were there specialties. (NOTE: Kamalig is back atThe Shops at Atria and soon at Robinsons Place Jaro)

SUGBAHAN PLAZA
It was literally a barbecue place that you yourself would smell like barbecue after eating. It was more of a drinking place than a restaurant with a family friendly ambiance. It was right across Amigo Plaza through Delgado street.

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?"

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.

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.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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