Sooo Pinoy in Davao at Tiny Kitchen

Specializing on Fil-Spanish cuisine like this Calderatang Español, Tiny Kitchen started in 2009 as really a tiny kitchen in the Rodriguez family's apartment. Their kitchen served as their R&D for their baked goods and years later they eventually become bigger. But as the name "Tiny Kitchen" stuck to their patrons, despite a large full scale and nicely interiored restaurant along F. Torres Street in Davao City - it still remained as Tiny Kitchen.

I was part of Sooo Pinoy, Food Trip na Pilipinas! which is set to visit 300 restaurants in 10 key regions/areas all over the Philippines. Davao is the 4th food stop after Iloilo, Bora cay and Cebu that started last March. The goal of the Food Trip is to show that Filipino dishes per region have different identities based on the culture, lifestyle and history of the area. The Food Trip also aims to show that there are many Filipino recipes from different regions of the Philippines, each having its own specialty that has to be recognized for the unique flavor it adds to the Filipino Cuisine.

Welcoming us foodies were the Rodriguez couple who shared the above trivia about their place. I can't help but marvel on the spacious interior, "ogle" at their display of cakes and pastries. Their dishes are of Dabawenyo-Filipino-Spanish influence and a serving of deliciously smelling and visually appealing Caldereta Español arrived at our table. And again, despite having ingested a lot of food from the previous three restaurants, we still felt the lure to taste this caldereta which showed signs of being the "real thing". But whether it was or not, I delightfully enjoyed the blend of meat and the sauce with vegetables.

Exciting our palates even more were these assorted brownies and revel bars. I particularly loved the one swirled with chocolate as it was still gooey and each bite was pure bliss. Good thing I took the right one that suited my taste and gave me a very delicious first impression of the assorted baked goodies at Tiny Kitchen.

They also had several cakes on display that made us salivate for more sweets. But we had to control ourselves and be reminded that we have two more places to visit and more food to eat. Yet, here at Tiny Kitchen, I think could have ended my day in gastronomy because I was already full - of great food, nice ambiance, and the very enjoyable company.

Filipinos are encouraged to join and support the Sooo Pinoy movement, a partnership between Unilever Food Solutions and the Department of Tourism, and go on a gastronomic adventure that both fills the stomach and enriches our awareness of our own identity. To know more about the campaign, food lovers are invited to like the Sooo Pinoy page on Facebook and follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter

Sooo Pinoy Epic DAVAO Food Trip: June 25-29, 2012

DAY 1: Round up | Dencio's Kamayan | Grand Regal Hotel | Barbeque Boss

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece pork broth cube (

One bruschetta afternoon at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

On my third trip to Cebu City this year, I was with friends and we mostly discovered the gastronomic delights of the Queen City of the South. From the famous lechon and other native dishes at CNT Lechon and the barbecue galore at Larsian (missing those grilled choriso) to the lure of Brian's Ribs at Casa Verde and the sophistication of the wines and croissants at La Vie Parisienne - it was a trip with food written all over it. And of course, any of my trips to Cebu with be incomplete without visiting Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. Be it an afternoon enjoying their Pizza Burger at El Viento , a morning treat of their signature (Christmas) Ensaimada , indulging with my (and everybody's) favorite - Malicious Cookies or simply eating my heart out at the buffet stations at Cafe Marco. A regular buffet or a themed one like the Swiss Alpine Festival Buffet - doesn't matter since its all delicious 'til the last bit and morsel. Cafe Marco Its was mid-afternoon w

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Takway

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing . It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk. Then there is takway . The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways . Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and the gabi tuber with coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon . It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos , the local bago-ong . It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare.

A cooking weed called Lupo

Lupo is a weed that is commonly found in ricefields and roadside in provinces. It is most prevalent in Ilonggo cooking compared to others as it is mostly the Ilonggos who can recognize lupo , though maybe called differently in other places. Most commonly used in laswa or monggo dishes to add greens like kamote tops, it also makes a good partner in sinabawan na isda recipes. It has hints of bitterness but don't expect it to be ampalaya-bitter like. It is mostly sold in wet local wet markets by the tumpok .

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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