Last week, a Manila-based food blogger contacted me through Facebook saying he’s in town (together with a friend) for a convention and wanted a local to be their guide to the best eats in town. Can I pull this through? I asked myself. True, for years I’ve been guiding a lot of strangers in and around Iloilo; where to go, what to do, where to stay and of course the most important of all – where and what to eat! And I think I’ve given them all the best Iloilo has to offer based on their appreciation especially on the gastronomic delights.
But Sanju is a food blogger for Table for three, please who has traveled halfway across the continent, eaten in the best places and has a gastronomic repertoire any food blogger (including me) would envy. A food connoisseur in his own right, I must say. Not to forget their (there are three of them blogging, hence the name) blog won the Best Food and Beverage Blog during the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards.
It’s a make or break not only for me but for what I am passionate about – the promotion of Iloilo in terms of gastronomy. Would I offer him the basics or would his palate be looking for the fancy? Plus the fact that he’s a foreign national - an Indian but grew up in the Philippines. Good thing that his blog also reveals a lot - he can have breakfast in a hole in the wall, have lunch in a fastfood then have dinner in posh hotel restaurant.
But there’s one thing he’s particular about (as his friend Jay revealed during dessert that night), the food’s got to be the best in town. Whether it can be found along a busy and crowded street or it’s a Michelin starred restaurant - he just got to taste it and certainly blog about it.
Now looking back on that day we met …
He called me around noon and asked for the best place for a quick lunch (they’ve only got a few minutes to spare from their convention at Hotel del Rio). He really specified that aside from satisfying their hunger it should, as much as possible, be a representation of Ilonggo cuisine. Without much hesitation I blurted out “Why not have a bowl of La Paz batchoy at Ted’s Oldtimer along Diversion Road?” That would satisfy his criteria I thought.
It wasn’t until meeting them later that day at Days Hotel Iloilo that I got to know how lunch was. And I got “extra super” bowl of compliments – the place was elegant and cozy for a “batchoyan”, service was prompt and attentive and batchoy really tasted good and filling. Even without the extra caldo he said, it sustained them until dinner that night.
But first we trooped to Deco’s Pasalubong Shop in La Salette building for goodies to bring back home. The variety of choices the store offered – from the food items of different brands and selection to the trinkets and ambiance, was enough to keep gastronomically distracted for a while. His lot included butterscotch from Biscocho Haus, an assorted box of goodies from Panaderia de Molo, biscocho from Deocampo (more neat he said ), and more that I didn’t get to see (lol).
Dinner followed next as we took a taxi all the way to Villa for another foodie adventure. First stop was Tatoy’s but most of what on our menu was already gone so it was Breakthrough then. And how we all loved what’s on the table that time. Sizzling crabmeat, managat fish – head in a soup and body grilled, kinilaw na pasayan (shrimps), sizzling pork sisig, grilled imbao shells, a plate of oysters, native lechon manok and to top it all off – a plate of aligue rice.
Everything was really delicious and well complimented especially the succulent grilled managat to how oysters in a small shell reveal something big inside. The sisig was revelation that night for it was better than some they’ve tasted elsewhere. The kinilaw na pasayan was the last plate for the day and luckily we got to taste it’s delectable freshness.
Even the ambiance seemed good that time – the sea was calm and the breeze was just right, the people were all enjoying a good dinner. They even enjoyed watching the live fish and shells tank plus the view of the beach even at night. “Nowhere you can find a place this big, with food that good and for a price that’s just half of I pay in Manila”. I just had to quote him for this. All was just right – a 180-degree turn the last time I was here.
Capping the night off was Nothing but Desserts at The Avenue. The moment we entered the shop, the cozy ambiance, trendy interiors and the great deserts selection were enough to satisfy their eyes. Time was spent admiring the interiors and each dessert on the display that it was a while when we finally settled for our sweets.
They each got a trifle and coffee to go with it while I settled for a refreshing kalamansi gelato. Two different trifles (peach melba and cappuccino?) but the same word came out from both of them - delectable! Coming from Sanju, whose wife makes a “killer” trifle and from Jay who is a foodie based on hiw own experience, I was glad to have brought them to a place that made an impression from all angles – the food, the ambiance, the service and the value.
The night ended with nothing but food in our minds – from the hot bowl of batchoy to the pasalubong galore plus the scrumptious dinner by the sea and desserts at the nightlife centrale. It was truly one gastronomic experience not just for visitors from Manila but also for one local foodie.
Here's SANJU'S take on the same experience in his blog, Table for Three, Please.
But Sanju is a food blogger for Table for three, please who has traveled halfway across the continent, eaten in the best places and has a gastronomic repertoire any food blogger (including me) would envy. A food connoisseur in his own right, I must say. Not to forget their (there are three of them blogging, hence the name) blog won the Best Food and Beverage Blog during the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards.
It’s a make or break not only for me but for what I am passionate about – the promotion of Iloilo in terms of gastronomy. Would I offer him the basics or would his palate be looking for the fancy? Plus the fact that he’s a foreign national - an Indian but grew up in the Philippines. Good thing that his blog also reveals a lot - he can have breakfast in a hole in the wall, have lunch in a fastfood then have dinner in posh hotel restaurant.
But there’s one thing he’s particular about (as his friend Jay revealed during dessert that night), the food’s got to be the best in town. Whether it can be found along a busy and crowded street or it’s a Michelin starred restaurant - he just got to taste it and certainly blog about it.
Now looking back on that day we met …
He called me around noon and asked for the best place for a quick lunch (they’ve only got a few minutes to spare from their convention at Hotel del Rio). He really specified that aside from satisfying their hunger it should, as much as possible, be a representation of Ilonggo cuisine. Without much hesitation I blurted out “Why not have a bowl of La Paz batchoy at Ted’s Oldtimer along Diversion Road?” That would satisfy his criteria I thought.
It wasn’t until meeting them later that day at Days Hotel Iloilo that I got to know how lunch was. And I got “extra super” bowl of compliments – the place was elegant and cozy for a “batchoyan”, service was prompt and attentive and batchoy really tasted good and filling. Even without the extra caldo he said, it sustained them until dinner that night.
But first we trooped to Deco’s Pasalubong Shop in La Salette building for goodies to bring back home. The variety of choices the store offered – from the food items of different brands and selection to the trinkets and ambiance, was enough to keep gastronomically distracted for a while. His lot included butterscotch from Biscocho Haus, an assorted box of goodies from Panaderia de Molo, biscocho from Deocampo (more neat he said ), and more that I didn’t get to see (lol).
Dinner followed next as we took a taxi all the way to Villa for another foodie adventure. First stop was Tatoy’s but most of what on our menu was already gone so it was Breakthrough then. And how we all loved what’s on the table that time. Sizzling crabmeat, managat fish – head in a soup and body grilled, kinilaw na pasayan (shrimps), sizzling pork sisig, grilled imbao shells, a plate of oysters, native lechon manok and to top it all off – a plate of aligue rice.
Everything was really delicious and well complimented especially the succulent grilled managat to how oysters in a small shell reveal something big inside. The sisig was revelation that night for it was better than some they’ve tasted elsewhere. The kinilaw na pasayan was the last plate for the day and luckily we got to taste it’s delectable freshness.Even the ambiance seemed good that time – the sea was calm and the breeze was just right, the people were all enjoying a good dinner. They even enjoyed watching the live fish and shells tank plus the view of the beach even at night. “Nowhere you can find a place this big, with food that good and for a price that’s just half of I pay in Manila”. I just had to quote him for this. All was just right – a 180-degree turn the last time I was here.
Capping the night off was Nothing but Desserts at The Avenue. The moment we entered the shop, the cozy ambiance, trendy interiors and the great deserts selection were enough to satisfy their eyes. Time was spent admiring the interiors and each dessert on the display that it was a while when we finally settled for our sweets.
They each got a trifle and coffee to go with it while I settled for a refreshing kalamansi gelato. Two different trifles (peach melba and cappuccino?) but the same word came out from both of them - delectable! Coming from Sanju, whose wife makes a “killer” trifle and from Jay who is a foodie based on hiw own experience, I was glad to have brought them to a place that made an impression from all angles – the food, the ambiance, the service and the value.
The night ended with nothing but food in our minds – from the hot bowl of batchoy to the pasalubong galore plus the scrumptious dinner by the sea and desserts at the nightlife centrale. It was truly one gastronomic experience not just for visitors from Manila but also for one local foodie.
Here's SANJU'S take on the same experience in his blog, Table for Three, Please.