On-the-spot gastronomic tour of Villa

It all started when I inquired through text if Bingkahan sa Mohon would be making their popular bingka last Saturday. And after it was confirmed, I literally just took off - excited over the fact that my blog frustrations on this popular bingka would finally come to an end. Though I have blogged about it before but I have to see and buy them for myself to complete the experience so to speak.

But when I got there, they were still just preparing and it would take at least an hour before their first batch would come right out of the oven. So that made me think, whether I'll just stay there waiting or go somewhere else to kill time. It took me awhile to decide and chose the latter, quickly excited by the fact that I may finally seek some of the holes-in-the-wall in this district which is out of my usual way.

A few days earlier I met with bloggers friends; Lee and Inday Hami at a popular snackshop in Mandurriao known for it's sio pao, sio mai and mami (Jiecel and Thea's Refreshment). During the course of the talks, Inday Hami mentioned a certain "siopawan sa Villa" that makes really good, what else, sio pao.

So I decided while waiting for the bingka, I'll check the place out and have my second breakfast for the day. After getting some instructions, I finally arrived at my gastronomic destination and was surprised that "siopawan sa Villa"was really part of the name of the establishment - Nang Pat's Siopawan sa Villa. It was right across another popular food shop also known for their sio pao - Dinagyang Refresment. Nang Pat's sio pao instantly became my favorite chicken sio pao eclipsing my former favorite which incidentally was just right across the street. I then bought two more of these sio pao to bring home.

Going back to the plaza of Villa, I then set for my next destination but before I got there, I saw something that excited me. It was another food shop I had a hard time looking for because I have not been looking at the right place. It was Dac's, a simple snack shop famous for it's kutsinta. It was closed that time and will open in the afternoon. But luckily someone inside saw me and asked what will I buy? "Kutsinta" came out of my mouth without even thinking. And then I got a plate of these native delicacies to bring home.

Almost across was my "destination" before my side trip. The Arevalo Sinamay House aside from being a sort of museum and a place to buy sinamay embroideries is also home to a fast rising star in the Iloilo City pasalubong business - Mama's Kitchen Food Products. Their chewies and crunchies in seven different variants are among the best packaged and most recommended pasalubong items from Iloilo today. Seeing the place was enough for me since my budget wasn't intended for these items - lol.

Then finally I took a short jeepney ride back to where I started my day and even though I still waited for a few minutes, it was well within reach. I just spent the time taking photos of the place and engaging anybody for some casual talk. My orders came right off the oven - 2 plates and 5 packs of the famous bingka of Mohon. It was indeed a gastronomic and bingkarrific weekend!

More Bingka sa Mohon features

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

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Kusay

Often mistaken to be, sounding-alike, as kinchay , kusay has a very distinct aroma and flavour. A rather unfamiliar herb mostly anywhere, my Tagalog officemate call this as sibuyas na mura and in Manila groceries labeled as kutchay . It do looks like onion chives but kusay is flat unlike the hollow chives. We have kusay planted in our backyard for occasional uses like soup garnishing. However, it often takes a trip to the Central Market to buy them in large quantities if ever we make Pancit Molo since it is an important ingredient in the filling mixture and as garnishing.

Budyawi

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FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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