It was the lure of the rustic style of cooking that got me very interested with this restaurant located two towns away from Iloilo City. As what Sir Eugene Jamerlan describes, Branch 88 Beach Garden Restaurant in Tigbauan has this "inuma" (farm-style) cuisine as the owners are keen in introducing rustic Ilonggo food ways to their diners.
So one afternoon we set off for Tigbauan and found ourselves a mini garden beside the beach greeted by a cheery Atty. Anette Gengos. Indeed Branch 88 has lived up to it's name as a beach-garden restaurant. Atty Anette toured us through her simple garden but one that beckons - with ornamental plants, coconut trees, a grassy and rocky lawn plus native bamboo huts. Behind is the beach with a beautiful sunset in the horizon.
It is set up the perfect ambiance for a leisure eating as we started with off with an Ilonggo atsara made with pineapples, ampalaya, singkamas and carrots, among others. It was a delicious blend of sweetness and tang as these two flavours seem to contrast at first then harmonize.
Next was Kinilaw nga Isda nga Bolinao - if I heard the name right. The fish was sort of gamey - you know if it's chicken it's the native/free roaming one which is a bit tougher but it tasted good with the blend of vinegar, coconut milk and spices.Our meal progressed to the soup and we had Sinigang na Tanigue.Just the right blend of sourness to the broth with vegetables that gave a crunch in each bite - fresh from the farm!
The real cruncher came next as we had some Crispy Fried chicken.
Though not sizzling, the Seafood Sisig was a delight. It had a delectable flavour blending in the squid and shellfishes and just had the ample spice - one that gives you a taste of spicyness but doesn't linger.
And finally we had Tilapia (fresh from Antique) that was wrapped in pandan?leaves then simmered in coconut milk. I'm not really a tilapia eater but I had 2nd and 3rd serving for this one as it was a blend of fresh meat and well seasoned sauce. That's when I learned that the "rustic" cuisine to be served should be ordered before hand (maybe a day's notice) because the ingredients as well as the preparations are made sure to be authentic.
Kumbo with bugnay jam |
So that's why I already have arranged with Atty Anette that for my next visit, we'd have Tilapia nga Pinutos sa Gabi stuffed with Iba (kamias), Linagpang nga Bisaya nga Manok, Native Chicken Binakol sa Kawayan, and Ensaladang puso ng Saging among others. To balance it off, Atty Anette suggested Grilled Herbed Pork Belly with 3 sauces - sinamak, coriander vinagigrette and sweet savoury sauce.
Kumbo with choco mint |
By the way dessert that time were the typical Ilonggo favorite - "kumbo". These are fried battered-bananas but Atty Anette tweaked it a bit she added choco-mint in one batch and bugnay jam on another, I can't decide which is better, so I'll have both. We also had baye-baye Guimbal style which had fresh coconut meat blended into it before its wrapped and sold.
Most of the herbs, fruits and vegetables Atty Anette uses in the restaurant comes from their farm in Guimbal which is around 20 minutes away. Actually we made a side trip there before we had our wonderful dinner. Named as Lola Belay's Berry and Herb Farm in Guimbal, it sits on a ? hectare lot which has three "levels". The mid level where most of the plants and facilities are, is being developed to be an experiential farm area where visitors can commune with nature.
The lower portion is geared up to be the farms activity center with maybe camp grounds and more. The highest part of the farm has great mountain view - forests, rivers and more, plus a mountain top cottage that will served as rest, dining and recreation area.More Photos here
It was an unforgettable experience and in a span of just 4 hours, we got to be beside a beach with a mini garden at the same time be on top of a mountain with a view after traversing a an herb and berry farm. It's something worth visiting and reliving again ... and again.
Here's how to get there and their contact numbers. Going to the farm should be coordinated at Branch 88 for one will surely get lost on his own.