The culinary tour around the Philippines continues as Unilever Food Solutions brings the Sooo Pinoy advocacy to the island of Boracay. In cooperation with the Department of Tourism, UFS is on the road to 10 gastronomic destinations across the country and visit more than 100 restaurants. It aims to get to the belly of what makes up Filipino cuisine in a campaign dubbed as Food Trip Na, Pilipinas!
Among the premiere tourist attractions of the country, Boracay offers a melange of cuisine to cater to a very diverse parade of nations frolicking under the sun. And it is a challenge for restaurants to come up with recipes that have the Filipino flavor as well making them stand proud beside with other world cuisines.
DAY 3: BEACH FRONT DINNERS
A sunset walk along the famed white sand beach brought us to our first foodie destination - Sur Beach Resort. Situated along the northern shores (Station 1) of the island, we wondered why it was named as such until we learned that the owners hail from Davao del Sur.
Welcoming us was the Mini Beef Burger Patties with Mushroom which we made Sooo Pinoy by having it with rice. Also on the menu was Pan-fried Dory with Garlic and Cheese sauce.
Dinner was served at Mesa Filipino Moderne Restaurant at the Boracay Regency Resort as they brought out their Filipino specialties.
An import restaurant from the famed Lamesa Grill group, this restaurant offers a modern take on Filipino food and ingredients as they served Tinapa roll and Hito Flakes with Green Mango and Chili for appetizers. Like a fiesta we had Laing and Bago-ong Rice, Crispy Boneless Pata, Crispy Boneless Tilapia, Laing 2-Ways (dry and wet) Chicken Binakol, Shrimp Croquettes and Suahe on the Rocks. The latter were cooked on hot stones in bowls – right on the table!
For a post dinner sampling, Le Soleil de Boracay two very Filipino and Ilonggo dishes as well. The aroma and eventually taste, totally distracted us from the lure of the beach and sea, which was just a few meters away.
Their Chicken and Pork Adobo had a very homey flavor which is surprising for big hotels and resorts which usually taste bland. Le Soleil’s Sooo Pinoy dish was the Inubaran nga Manok with a Bicolano twist. It has ubad (the popular Ilonggo “extender” which is from pith of the banana but the spice and use of coconut milk gave it a taste of Bicol. Also, as the owner of the resort hails from Negros, a side order of Bas-uy (a soup made with pieces of various meats) was made available.
DAY 4: D’MALL THE MERRIER
Our second day started at D’ Mall where Smoke Resto served their specialties – Adobo Rice, Eggplant Omelet, Adobong Kangkong, Sinigang na Hipon, Bicol Express and Tuyo & Salted Egg with Garlic rice. And it was their Bulalo Soup that made my day – smells good, tastes even better.
Why not? Smoke Resto made it to the Sooo Pinoy Top 10 of the Best Bulalo in the country. And it comes in Sizzling and Crispy variants too!
After a side trip to Jonah’s Snackbar for a round of Banana Choco Peanut shake, lunchtime had our stomachs filled with the specialties of Island Chicken Inasal.
Another walk along the white beach and back to D’Mall, a bowl of Kansi (Ilonggo style bulalo), a plate of Apan-apan (adobong kangkong with guinamos-Ilonggo bago-ong) and a serving of their Chicken Inasal served as midday meal with their very refreshing calamansi shake.
