FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Now on it's second year, chocolate clothing serves as the highlight of the monthlong chocolate festival at Tinapayan. Designed by an Indonesian chocolate fashion ambassador, this year's fashion line (only these three pieces) reflects ancient Rome as models were garbed in fashion and accessories reminiscent of Roman royalties and gladiators. These choco clothings will be on display at Tinapayan at the Atrium during the month long chocolate festival. Photos courtesy of ExploreIloilo

The chocolate overloaded delights served during the media launch of Tinapayan's "Sinful Desire: A Chocolate Festival" at Day's Hotel Iloilo were just a preview of sorts of what Ilonggos can expect to indulge in in the next five weeks.

Chocolate madness is back in Iloilo City as Tinapayan bakeshop brings back "SINFUL DESIRES: A Chocolate Festival". This annual chocoholics fest runs every October and features different chocolate cakes, bars, bread and other goodies every week. And for the second year, the festival combines gastronomy with fashion as it highlights, not one but three, fashion creations made entirely of chocolate! I was able to attend the media launch for SINFUL DESIRES yesterday at Days Hotel Iloilo (thanks to Marc of ExploreIloilo ). With guests coming not only from the media but personalities from the food and fashion industry. Reknowned foodie and Food Magazine editor, Mickey Fenix and culinary author-entrepreneur Claude Tayag (below) were ampmg the special guests. For this week Tinapayan has prepared the following gastronimic delights ( from TheNewsToday ) Cake of the Week: Chocolate Heaven , who would have thought that a slice of this cake will send you to the ultimate paradise? Share ...

This is my latest new-resto-raids after trying out Carlo's Bakery and Cafe two weeks ago. As the talks in the SSC forum kept on centering on this newest restaurant added along the "Gastronomic" Valeria street, I can't help but feel the excitement and pressure of trying it out as soon as it opened. And Green Mango now holds the distinction of being the soonest-to-be-tried-out newly-opened-resto on my list. Well it really wasn't that I stood in line when it opened its doors but tried it out on the second day and went back again the next day (it was dinner then brunch respectively). From the outside it looks intimidating since its glass walls reveal a classy interior that do not seem to convey the usual fastfood scene. Good thing they placed a streamer that proudly says Filipino Fastfood. These words seem to wave at the passers-by and say "Try us, we're NOT that expensive" (not to underestimate them of course). A new concept in fastfood restaurant inter...

The Philippines’ Best Restaurants, a Philippine Tatler publication compiles over 150 of the country’s top restaurants as chosen by the readers of the Philippine Tatler. Now in its fifth edition, this best-seller is a compilation of reviewed restaurants in Manila, Baguio, Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Tagaytay. Each restaurant was reviewed anonymously and rated in five key areas — setting, food, wine (or in some cases, juices and cocktails), service and price — to provide for quick and easy reference. It also features 18 maps to help diners locate the restaurant of their choice as well as a convenient index that lists the best restaurants in alphabetical order, by the type of cuisine and by location in separate indices at the back of the guide. Read More... Text and Photos courtesy of ThePhilippineStar Here are the three Iloilo restaurants that made the said list. Screencaps from www.TAASTY.com

ILOILO is one of the provinces of the Philippines that has always been respected and loved for its local flavors. Franchises of restaurants capitalizing on batchoy and chicken inasal, two of Iloilo’s famous dishes, have sprouted all over Metro Manila. But as many Filipino foodies would argue, nothing tastes like the original. Here are some of the originals as shown to me by my foodie tour guide on my last Iloilo trip, Chef Ram Villanueva, who has a culinary show on GMA Network in Iloilo. Baye-baye We are all accustomed to the biscocho, for which Iloilo is also known. But on the road leading to the city coming from the airport, there is a row of kiosks/stands that have another native delicacy called the baye-baye. It is dirt cheap: P20 for a pack of four! But the flavors are priceless. It tastes like espasol, sweet because its base is glutinous rice but in a very plain and natural way, with the flavors of coconut very much present. It is also shaped cylindrically but is thin and very co...

About six years ago, two gentlemen from the South dared to take their chances in the metropolis called Manila. Before the launch of their first branch in Metro Manila, Edgar "Injap" Sia II, the man behind Iloilo’s famous Mang Inasal , was understandably cautious. Sure, their existing branches were a big hit in the Visayas, as fellow Ilonggos could not seem to get enough of their scrumptiously moist and juicy, tender and tasty barbecued chicken, meats and seafood. But would the ever-evolving palates of Manila folks accept Mang Inasal as well?To Sia’s pleasant surprise, Mang Inasal was eagerly embraced by Manila foodies. Courtesy of www.MARKBAUTISTA.com And today, Mang Inasal has become a culinary force to reckon with. Both by word of mouth and aggressive marketing communications efforts, the Visayan favorite is now a Metro Manila hotspot too.Sia says: "We have 160 branches to date. The first in Manila at the Mall of Asia was actually the 18th branch of Mang Inasal. We’...

The K-pop (Korean Pop) song "Nobody" is the "craze" in the country right now. I found this funny video on Youtube featuring two of the most popular fastfood mascots having a showdown in the busy streets of Manila. Enjoy the video and make sure to answer " Sino ang manok mo ?" Youtube Video courtesy of DMOLEMASTER

It was too ripe to be used in cooking but too raw to be eaten as dessert. And since we do not usually make our own atchara (we have a suki atchara maker), I really thought the papaya halves I saw inside the fridge would end up in the trash bin. Surprisingly it became something I already tried but almost forgotten; papaya pickles! Though I wasn't involved in the preparation, it looks easy to prepare one. Just finding the right papaya would be challenging. It would have to be not too hard or soft, right color and texture. After slicing the papaya thinly, it was soaked for a few minutes in hot water. Then it's ready to be stored in a vinegar, salt, sugar, garlic, onion, ginger and pepper concoction, though variations can be made to suit your taste. Now you have an appetizer or a side dish during meal time.

It was a hot Saturday afternoon spent at Bluejay's Branch in Smallville. As always it was their dessert offerings that I came for and as usual it didn't fail. Though they were just setting up their dessert display, it was worth the wait since it was another good set of order just like last weekend. Now it can be told that the mysterious chocolate cake I ate last week was aptly named chocolate midnight since it was chocolate all over and if not for that white chocolate topping and cream, it would truly be as dark as midnight. Rich chocolate cake frosted with chocolate and garnished with chocolates and cream, it was literally chocolate all over. But a new order instantly became a new favourite of sorts. Walnut cappuccino roulade, coffee flavoured sponge cake wrapped in chopped walnuts and topped with butter icing and served, I'm guessing, with hot coffee poured on the cake (see those bubbles on top?) These cakes may not be overly spectacular nor the best but they are much be...