FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Expect a lot of good ol' authentic Thai cuisine at Peppy Thai Deli in it's new swanky branch at Plazuela de Iloilo . Almost full to the brim when it's open, it's new location gives it more convenience and a better ambiance than ever. No frills, no VIPs, no announcements - just words of mouth, “the one and only” Peppy Thai Deli opened early this year at Plazuela de Iloilo . Excited patrons poured in making its opening day a success already in the bag even at noontime. But none was more excited than I was – already there a little past 9am! So I got to enjoy the restaurant without the crowd of hungry people craving for Peppy Thai ’s specialties. Just like what the owner said “Still the same concept just in a new and better location”. Indeed, as one enters the new resto, a display of Thai dishes greet his eyes just like the old restaurant - still the same turo-turo idea. But with its strategic new location in a swanky new mall come more polished furnishings and finally a...

Aside from the dances, drums and colorful costumes, Dinagyang also means food and Iloilo City has a lot to offer during this 3-day event. The festival brings them to the streets with the much awaited Dinagyang Food Festiva l . For four days, major streets in the city are lined with food stalls and kiosks that everywhere one turns it all about food. As this article states, major streets in Iloilo City will have a food festival there will be plenty of places to indulge in during D inagyang 2011 . ILOILO City's world-famous Dinagyang Festival will turn the spotlight on Ilonggo cuisine this year. Tourists are encouraged to try chicken barbecue the Ilonggo way and other tasty local dishes during the festival. There are also the world-famous Ilonggo delicacies and other concoctions to bring home after enjoying the Dinagyang ati-atihan and Kasadyahan competitions. Not only that. The 1s t Iloilo Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB) International Food Festival 2011 will attempt t...

Congratulations to the Dinagyang 2011 Festival winners. The crowd favorite Tribu Pan-ay of Fort San Pedro National HIgh School really deserved to win for giving a superb performance garnered a standing ovation in almost every judging area especially the main performance area - Freedom Grandstand. From the start of the festival - I was fortunate enough to watch it live and on television simultaneously. What made Tribu Pan-ay wrestle the crown away from the defending Dinagyang (and Aliwan Festival ) champion, Tribu Paghidaet, is the flawless, energetic, different concept, excellent choreography among the tribes. In short, it was a very superb over all performance. So aside from representing Iloilo City in the upcoming Aliwan Festival (I'm sure it'll land in the Top 3, as usual, for ever since the start of the Aliwan Dinagyag had always been in those spots.), Tribu Pan-ay will be performing in New York City, USA in the Philippine 113th Independence Day Festivities in June 20...

SM City Iloilo hosts an annual event called Fiesta in the City to boost the local tourism industry. In cooperation with the city and provincial governments, the event features the best of what Iloilo has to offer. From the festivals and native products to cultural shows and of course food. Years ago, the highlight of the gastronomic part of the said event was letting the Ilonggos see and taste, the biggest baye baye . No less than the mayor of the town Pavia was the guest of honor in the said event. Pavia is known as the baye-baye "capital" of Iloilo. So, what will this year's event bring on? Let's just wait and see.

Yes, it's the sweet side of life! And three weeks from now, Iloilo City will literally have a taste of the Italian phrase la dolce vita . Is it a new dessert shop or a new product line? Is it a new flavour to something we already love or a new twist on something ordinary? Could it be a reinvention or really a new creation? Just count the days and tune in for more ...

If there are restaurants which I consider overrated, Buto't Balat is certainly the opposite - it's underrated. A popular nightspot in Iloilo City, Buto't Balat literally means " Bones and Skin " probably referring to their specialties either it's pork,beef, chicken or seafood (A plate of crispy pata flashed in my mind momentarily-lol). Contrary to the notion that people go there merely for a drink (plus some pulutan ) , it is actually a "full" restaurant that serves native cuisine and other specialites. Like this native litsong manok and chicken barbecue combo meal. Both were good orders that time though the chicken barbecue was an order in lieu of chicken inasal. Surprisingly they have none but nevertheless the chicken barbecue didn't fail. A cold bottle of beer and a glass frozen iced tea were perfect for this chicken overload at Buto't Balat . Their litsong manok was reminiscent to that of Tatoy's Manukan and Seafoods for they a...

I just drank a bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy . They say it’s got ‘no preservatives added’. Aw, c’mon, it’s bottled juice. Is that even possible? So, I thought maybe they got Ethan Hunt and his team to do the impossible. Geez, I got off to a corny start, now what? I know, I’ll just drink another bottle to convince me of that claim. Hey, if it's really what it claims to be, then no harm done. If otherwise, I still can live to tell about it - I think. I didn’t believe it the first time I heard it’s got no preservatives added. So I read the ingredients (even the fine print) and everything checked out! It really has NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED! That means it doesn’t have ingredients that may turn out to be allergens, or worse...carcinogens! Whew! Now that’s healthy goodness that tastes so good, I am now “almost” assured it's really free from preservatives. Hmmm, just almost? Maybe another bottle would change “almost” to “really 100%”! Yeah, a third bottle might just do the trick. So ok...

From one Ilonggo icon to another, La Paz batchoy is truly the signature dish of Iloilo. Even though the Big Bee came out with its own version, it never can match the batchoy most Ilonggos have grown up with and still the best batchoy for me – Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz batchoy . Another comfort food and automatic recommended gastronomic destination if asked what to do in Iloilo City, batchoy has sealed itself as an attraction when in Iloilo. It knows no time, no occasion, or even location – Ted’s has a 24/7 branch and is on its way of invading the country with more branches to come soon. But I still love the La Salette branch, its proximity and convenience plus the fact they still serve batchoy is shallower bowls that the art of batchoy presentation is still intact. The noodles at the bottom submerged in the broth with the pork, chicharon , intestines and liver . Then with soy sauce and pepper, out comes an explosion of flavours and aroma that is distinctly that of La Paz batchoy an...

This is Iloilo . Beyond the Dinagyang festival; past it’s history, culture and heritage; apart from the melodious accent of warm and friendly people, Iloilo is, and will always be, associated with food and none is more popular than La Paz batchoy. This is La Paz batchoy . Noodles with pork, liver, innards topped with chicharon and served in pork broth boiled with onions, seasoned with guinamos and made even tastier with soy sauce and ground pepper. Originated and named after one of Iloilo City’s districts just like Pancit Molo. This is Pancit Molo . A “noodle-less” pancit dish from Molo district with Chinese influence in it’s wonton like Molo balls made with ground pork, chicken, shrimps and vegetables seasoned and wrapped in Molo wrapper served in chicken broth with chicken strips. Want more chicken? Then it’s time for chicken inasal. This is chicken inasal . Now made accessible nationwide by an aptly named fastfood chain, Mang Inasal, Iloilo’s export fastfood chain. This Ilonggo adap...