FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Along the border of Villa-Arevalo and the town of Oton, Iloilo is a bustling community named Mohon . Nowadays, it is synonymous with the busy passenger terminal serving the southern towns of the province. But there’s more to Mohon than this congregation of jeepneys and passengers - it’s their famous “ bingkahan ”. FAMILY LEGACY “ Bingkahan sa Mohon” started in the early fifties when Mrs. Felicidad C. Animas concocted a recipe for bingka that eventually made their little stall tantamount with the place. She was then able to support her family – from the daily needs to sending all her children to school, with this business. Her children are now in charge of the business and they are contented with its performance even though it does not generate that much profit. “It’s more of the social responsibility of continuing the family legacy of making this special bingka for the 50-year old Mohon is already an i con” they echo. The bingkahan makes rice cakes four ...

For a double " binyag " celebration, I ordered two identical cakes from Tinapayan Bakeshop with a design that combines what I saw on their design menu book, on the actual cakes on display plus the special touch and assurance of their master artisan, Ms Weng. And when the actual cake arrived, it was way much better than what I imagined it to be! A festive cake with tasteful color combination and design apt for the occasion, it was an exclusive design as what Ms. Weng told me. Working with pink butter icing base, toddlers/infants line up on a side with colorful flowers on top - perfect for the two little girls whom we will be welcoming to the Christian world today. It has a cream filling layered between orange chiffon, which is among the best tasting ones I've tried so I need not think twice nor had other choices when asked which cake flavour it would be. Already a good eat on it's own - soft and fluffy with the subtle yet pronounced flavour. A very de...

I've seen better looking and had better tasting cupcakes before but the lure of Panaderia de Iloilo's "cupcakes galore" is hard to resist. Imagine a box of 16 pieces costs only Php100 and is a steal especially if you're planning to have a " cupcake tree ".  Though I was dismayed with the way it looked compared to around 4 years ago, at least the taste was good. It wasn't that spectacular for a cupcake that costs around 6 pesos, it is well worth it. It was also surprising to know that these cupcakes still costs the same from almost 4 years ago when I've tried making that cupcake tree. Sixteen different flavours and designs, though it looks like it was haphazardly made. The simplest of them all (bottom right) proved to be my favorite as it had a crusty top and soft inside. The strawberry and chocolate cupcakes meanwhile were compact and hard compared to others.  But it was still a good buy, mostly on how they all tasted rather than t...

A great tasting bread that helps you lose weight Tinapayan’s low GI Multiseed loaf bread is very ideal for dieting. Being low GI (glycaemic index) it helps stave off hunger pains longer, making it easier for you to keep your resolve. Glycaemic Index is a way of ranking foods according to the effect they have on blood sugar levels – that is, how quickly they are digested. The lower the GI ranking is, the slower it is digested, helping you to feel fur longer and sustaining you energy levels. But where does Tinapayan’s Low GI Multiseed loaf bread really scores? It tastes great! Freshly baked daily at Tinapayan makes eating healthy a real pleasure. This health bread contains pumpkin, linseed and sunflower seeds which altogether with wheat bran and oat flakes, produces a deliciously tasty, darker style bread with extra bite and a coarse, open texture. Try Tinapayan’s Low GI Multiseed loaf bread today. You and your family will simply love the taste plus it’ll help you stave off hunger ...

Now this is a truly seafood pizza-with shrimps, squid, oysters and crabmeat among others, it was swimming in mozarella cheese on a  high fiber whole wheat crust.Continuing my “mission” of spreading “the word” on good food, I recently reacquainted my taste buds with old favorites and new items on the menu at Chicago Style Pizza. I was invited by Father Espiridion "Boy" Celis to attend the blessing and formal opening of CSP last week.   “It’s a dream come true to finally realize the plans we had almost a year ago” opens up Father Boy. “But as early as December 2011 we were already on a dry run.” He then shared the irony that while his restaurant finally made it “home“ last Christmas, his duties as parish priest were transferred from Mandurriao to Molo a few months after.   CHANGES “Change is inevitable” he says. “And this also is reflected on our menu as we have new pizza variants and flavors as well as new offerings”. Now open to serve is a cozier re...

Chef Pauline Banusing, renowned for representing Iloilo’s famous culinary scene, visits Mandarin Oriental, Manila’s Paseo Uno once again for a 10-day fete highlighting the island’s seafood delicacies, particularly the famed shellfish diwal (angel wing clams), as well as its other gastronomical delights. Held in conjunction with Makati’s 342nd Foundation Day celebrities, the food festival celebrates the ties between Makati and its sister city Iloilo. “Diwal and Other Ilonggo Flavours” is held from May 25 to June 3, for both lunch and dinner. Grilled Diwal (simply grilled “angel wings” from Capiz) Diners can look forward to lining up at the grilling station for the succulent diwal, a specie native to the Visayan region; Grilled Managat (Mangrove Jack); and Talaba (large oysters from Aklan). Also on the menu are Ilonggo specialties such as Chicken Inasal, Iloilo’s most popular chicken dish; Chicken Tinuom (steamed chicken cooked in banana leaves); Uhong na may Gata (oyster mushroom...

It’s almost the same Breakthrough experience of great Ilonggo food but on a much different ambiance. While the Villa branch boasts of the beach, the sea and the view, Ponsyon makes up by having a more accessible and convenient location on top of being sophisticated and urbane. Not that ambiance is more important than the food. But if there’s a common denominator (aside from good food), it’s got to be the crowd that makes it’s way during lunch and dinner hours, that having a reservation at Ponsyon is a MUST if you’re a big group.  If you don’t make one, you’ll surely miss their Lechon Ilonggo which was surprisingly very good. Unlike the unappetizing ones being displayed in their turo-turo in Villa Beach, the one we had at Ponsyon was visually-enticing and mouth-watering. Perfectly brown skin that packs a big crisp on your first bite (and next) plus a very savoury meat that packs in more flavour but not as salty as the I had in Cebu. I didn’t even bother to dip it in sauce to ...

Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) has been in the food industry since the 1880s. It is the home to some of the world’s favourite brands: Knorr, Hellmann’s, Lipton and more. It  works closely with businesses of all sizes, from independent restaurants  to hotel chains and contract caterers. UFS helps chefs all over the world serve tasty, wholesome meals that keep guests coming back for more. It creates ingredients that save precious preparation time in the kitchen, without compromising on flavour and flair. UFS also constantly provides ideas and inspiration that keep chefs’ menus fresh and exciting.  The Sooo Pinoy advocacy celebrates Filipino cuisine as a key ingredient in our nation’s heritage and identity. UFS recognizes that the diversity in our cuisine is exactly that which makes it Filipino.  The many variations in different regions as well as the inspired innovations of the country’s leading chefs and operators have contributed to the continued evolution of...