When I heard there was something “fishy” going on in Villa these past few weeks, I immediately took off and investigated the matter. But the “suspects” turned out to be lapu-lapu, tilapia, managat and bangus!
Welcome to Pixie’s Sinugba Live! Located along Yulo Drive, the first of its kind Pixie’s Sinugba restaurant is home at last.
“We have around a hundred take-out outlets nationwide and 5 dine-in restaurants, yet this is our first branch in Iloilo” opens up Meriam Valencia. “We carefully planned everything since we know how discriminating the Ilonggo palate can be.”
Meriam Valencia is often referred to as the “Inihaw na Bangus Queen”. Her original recipe for grilled bangus proved to be a smash hit that eventually led them to venture into the food business.
“To start with, we offer live fish tanks with filled managat, tilapia, lapu lapu and bangus which our other restaurants don’t have.” she continues. “Our Iloilo branch is the world’s first live bangus restaurant where one can actually catch bangus and watch it cleaned, deboned and cooked to perfection.”
BANGUS GALORE
Inihaw na Boneless Bangus is the specialty at Pixie’s Sinugba. It comes stuffed with tomatoes, onions, tanglad (lemon grass) plus spices and since it’s still whole, all the juice and aroma are still intact when it reaches the table.
“But what sets it apart from the usual inihaw na bangus is the fish skin being halfway between grilled and fried” she says. Of course it’s the former but it (looks) so crispy, one can’t help it but chow it down too. It’s edible since the scales have been removed in the process.
Aside from sinugba, one can also have their bangus sizzling, sinabawan, butterfly cut, fried and sweet & sour. But wait, there’s more! Also try their Grilled Rellenong Bangus (yes, it’s GRILLED not fried), Bangus Embotido (you’ll swear it tastes like meat), and Lumpiang Bangus (great with vinegar as dip).
FISH FRENZY
Not to be left out are lapu-lapu, managat and tilapia which can also be cooked anyway you like - grilled, sizzling, fried, sinabawan, sinigang, or sweet and sour. “Though it may take a while to be served (around 25 minutes) but you can be assured of the quality and taste. “ Valencia says. “You can call in early and have it served by the time you arrive - but you will miss the thrill of the process.”
Among the more interesting eats at Pixie’s Sinugba is the one I love to refer to as “snake skin chicharon”. Nope, they are not venturing into the exotic, but that’s how their Tilapcharap looks like. Made with tilapia skin, it is salted then deep fried resulting to a delicious and crispy appetizer – just the perfect munch while waiting for the order to arrive.
They also serve crabs, oysters (steamed or topped with cheese) and sizzling crabmeat.
The Grilled Liempo is already packed with flavour that there’s no need for a dip. They also have Pork Barbecue, Chicken Inasal and Chicken Atay Barbecue.
A mix of green vegetables called Inang Gulay is the perfect dish to go with the fish and meat. Made with talbos ng kamote, okra and patola sautéed in butter, topped with fried garlic and served ginisang guinamos. There’s also Mixed Vegetables – broccoli, asparagus, corn. sayote, carrots and squid sautéed in butter.
Pixie’s Sinugba is dubbed as “The Restaurant that Bangus built” and is a truly Ilonggo family business. The Valencias have been in the seafood business since the early 50s, supplying both the domestic and export market, and boneless bangus is one of their top-of-line-products. “Though our restaurants and take out outlets are less than a decade old, this diversification has proved to be one good move” finishes Valencia.
Pixie’s Sinugba Live is along Yulo Drive in Villa (five minutes away from the plaza). For deliveries and reservations, please call 336-3545 or check them online at www.pixiessinugba.com
Welcome to Pixie’s Sinugba Live! Located along Yulo Drive, the first of its kind Pixie’s Sinugba restaurant is home at last.WORLD’S FIRST
“We have around a hundred take-out outlets nationwide and 5 dine-in restaurants, yet this is our first branch in Iloilo” opens up Meriam Valencia. “We carefully planned everything since we know how discriminating the Ilonggo palate can be.”
Meriam Valencia is often referred to as the “Inihaw na Bangus Queen”. Her original recipe for grilled bangus proved to be a smash hit that eventually led them to venture into the food business.
“To start with, we offer live fish tanks with filled managat, tilapia, lapu lapu and bangus which our other restaurants don’t have.” she continues. “Our Iloilo branch is the world’s first live bangus restaurant where one can actually catch bangus and watch it cleaned, deboned and cooked to perfection.”
BANGUS GALOREInihaw na Boneless Bangus is the specialty at Pixie’s Sinugba. It comes stuffed with tomatoes, onions, tanglad (lemon grass) plus spices and since it’s still whole, all the juice and aroma are still intact when it reaches the table.
“But what sets it apart from the usual inihaw na bangus is the fish skin being halfway between grilled and fried” she says. Of course it’s the former but it (looks) so crispy, one can’t help it but chow it down too. It’s edible since the scales have been removed in the process.
Aside from sinugba, one can also have their bangus sizzling, sinabawan, butterfly cut, fried and sweet & sour. But wait, there’s more! Also try their Grilled Rellenong Bangus (yes, it’s GRILLED not fried), Bangus Embotido (you’ll swear it tastes like meat), and Lumpiang Bangus (great with vinegar as dip).
FISH FRENZYNot to be left out are lapu-lapu, managat and tilapia which can also be cooked anyway you like - grilled, sizzling, fried, sinabawan, sinigang, or sweet and sour. “Though it may take a while to be served (around 25 minutes) but you can be assured of the quality and taste. “ Valencia says. “You can call in early and have it served by the time you arrive - but you will miss the thrill of the process.”
Among the more interesting eats at Pixie’s Sinugba is the one I love to refer to as “snake skin chicharon”. Nope, they are not venturing into the exotic, but that’s how their Tilapcharap looks like. Made with tilapia skin, it is salted then deep fried resulting to a delicious and crispy appetizer – just the perfect munch while waiting for the order to arrive.They also serve crabs, oysters (steamed or topped with cheese) and sizzling crabmeat.
MEAT AND VEGETABLES
The Grilled Liempo is already packed with flavour that there’s no need for a dip. They also have Pork Barbecue, Chicken Inasal and Chicken Atay Barbecue.
A mix of green vegetables called Inang Gulay is the perfect dish to go with the fish and meat. Made with talbos ng kamote, okra and patola sautéed in butter, topped with fried garlic and served ginisang guinamos. There’s also Mixed Vegetables – broccoli, asparagus, corn. sayote, carrots and squid sautéed in butter.TRVIA
• Who is Pixie? She’s Sylvia Marie Valencia, eldest daughter of Jaime and Meriam Valencia of Iloilo, and is a star player for the RP Women’s Basketball team.
• When she requested for a simple, healthy and yet tasty diet for her athletic career, her mom instantly thought of bangus, being low fat and a high protein source.
• “Only from my Mom”, Pixie would answer if asked where she got this tasty bangus dish and it eventually became the whole team’s main diet.
• The long queue in the kitchen of Valencia home just to taste the Inihaw na Boneless Bangus was like a charity line, albeit not the less privilege, and eventually signaled the start of the business venture.
• Pixie’s Sinugba opened its first take out outlet in 2003 in Quezon City and sold 10 pieces on its first day. Within days, sales increased to unexpected levels that just three months after, they opened their first dine-in restaurant in front of ABS-CBN along Mother Ignacia Street.
• In 2004, it was registered with the SEC at the same time opened their commissary capable of producing 20,000 pieces of grilled, deboned and scaled bangus.
• Plans are now underway for their US expansion specifically in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City.
Pixie’s Sinugba is dubbed as “The Restaurant that Bangus built” and is a truly Ilonggo family business. The Valencias have been in the seafood business since the early 50s, supplying both the domestic and export market, and boneless bangus is one of their top-of-line-products. “Though our restaurants and take out outlets are less than a decade old, this diversification has proved to be one good move” finishes Valencia.And true to their tagline at Pixie’s Sinugba – Uulit ka sa Sarap!
Pixie’s Sinugba Live is along Yulo Drive in Villa (five minutes away from the plaza). For deliveries and reservations, please call 336-3545 or check them online at www.pixiessinugba.com
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An edited version was published in my column FLAVORS on The News Today last July 21, 2011
