The reinvention of Amigo Shopping center

This will be my first non-food blogpost, don't worry though this will just be one of the few posts ( I hope).

c/o rexdelsar aka IAMME of SSC

After months of repairs and renovation, not to mention excitement and suspense the bits of information we get from forums, finally Amigo Plaza mall has unveiled itself via a soft opening yesterday around 2pm. A simple program that started with blessing the mall area and ended with the crowd pleasing songs and antics of actor Gabby Concepcion.

I was very lucky last Saturday. Around 1pm I decided to have my hair cut but my barber was not at the barbershop where I went to. I then decided to check out Amigo Plaza mall to see if he was there. Reaching the mall I asked the security guard about the location of the barbershop, told me and let me enter. Luckily my barber was there and I was the 2nd person to have my haircut. (The shop wasn't officially opened and blessed yet lol!)

It was hitting two birds with a single stone as I got a haircut and was able to gain access/entry to the mall and get some pictures to blog and post in forums. So I went around the mall and checked almost every nook, took some pictures & videos and waited for the program to commence.

After a few minutes of picture taking I then realized that the security guard let me enter the mall thinking I was part of the team that is preparing for the barbershops blessing and opening (lol!) .... because I saw people crowding to get inside from all the entrance doors.

Here are the highlight (and sidelights) of today’s opening. Kindly refer to this directory/map for convenience.

If there's one thing that would be talked about regarding the new Amigo mall, would you believe it will be their COMFORT ROOM?

I have never seen or been to any comfort room looking like these even in Manila.

It also had a gigantic full length mirror that reflects all of the CR itself. Yup this photo is a reflection.

The centerpiece of the wash area is a vase and an aquarium in one. Those are live fishes swimming over there.

The Delgado street entrance teeming with people who wanted to be part of the opening ceremonies but more on wanting to see Gabby Concepcion.

Over at one of the Iznart street entrances; that one hidden from the street by the rumoured 24 hours convenience store, people also were queueing to enter.

And then they came in droves from all over.

Saying goodbye to this serene setting minutes before.

But the stage was all set for an afternoon of fun together with the special guest...

Actor Gabby Concepcion shown here having a duet

with the mall's general manager.

Up close yet still blurred ...

The glass encased escalator telling the public that the 2nd floor is off limits to anyone but to occupants reportedly a BPO company.

Kiddie specialty stores near the parking lot entrance
and across the travel agency.

This is rumoured to be the foodcourt but the area is too small
for that purpose. Let's just wait and see.

Adele, a boutique having one of the best views of the activty area.

2UP, a new boutique on the block near the Delgado street entrance

Tribeca will be the mall's al fresco food strip to be located at the parking area.
An appliance store and the travel agency side by side at the parking lot entrance.

And finally a lattice work giving dimension to a plain white wall.

Updates will be made from time to time especially when Tribeca opens since it is this blog's purpose, food!

Fruits from the grocery

These packs of cut up fruits were bought from SM Delgado's grocery. Got enticed by their color and luckily, they were as good as they looked, especially the papaya. Each was just less than Php 22, really a bargain!

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.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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