VERSUS: Deco's Original and Ted's Oldtimer

The batchoy war continues as I found myself in the flagship branches of these two "batchoyans". Though weeks apart they are within the same range and scope, so to speak. This is limited to their branches at La Salette building for it would be different in other branches as experienced before.

Ambiance and service

It’s a green and white motif for Ted's interiors while yellow and brown for Deco's. Both exude a more modern and trendy take which are unlike the original batchoyan stalls.

With a crew to serve you from taking your orders at the counter to giving you additional bowls of “caldo”, both are equally attentive and alert. But I would choose Deco’s over Ted’s in this aspect. No, it's not that Deco's has auto doors by the way.

Presentation

Deco's looks more photogenic and visually appealing because of the contrast of colours but it's not nicely "arranged" as Ted's. The latter has this "mound” consisting of big slices of liver, innards, chicharon (most of which are finely crushed), onion and garlic.

The former on the other hand bigger chunks of chicharon yet smaller slices of pork and innards that seemed to have been tsunamied with the "caldo" (or soup). Obviously Ted's wins on presentation.

Sides

Located beside them are a pasalubong shop for Deco’s and a dessert shop for Ted’s. But this aint the sides I’m talking though it would a tie if considered being a suki in both pasalubong shop and Dulgies.Anyway, it’s the side orders that go well with batchoy I’m talking about.

Ted's make their own pan de sal and (orders) creamy puto while Deco's has pre-war pan de sal, pan de sal ni Pa-a and puto manapla. All of these are good side orders but I love the variety and novelty of Deco's for I am partial to it's miniscule and hard pre-war pan de sal.

Taste

Of course, it you can make your own that suits your taste by adding soy sauce and/or pepper. But “naturally” Ted's is more body and flavour while Deco's is subtle and subdued.

The former serves it with very hot caldo while the latter temperately hot. Deco’s tends to become saltier in the long run because of its chicharon, I believe. Both have the same sahog but Ted’s innard-laden bowl gives it an edge for it’s my preferred bowl of batchoy.

So which batchoyan?

A tie based on the above points of view but let me finish this by saying Ted’s had always been the best batchoy for me but I’d bring my guests to Deco’s first as I did many times.

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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