FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Pulang pasayan is literally translated as red shrimps. Seems common at first but when you take a second look these red shrimps are alive. Normally shrimps become red (or orange) when they are cooked but not these ones for they swim freely and out of harms way in their natural red/orange hue. But I'm not to discuss the best ways of cooking shrimps nor dishes that taste good with shrimps. These are the main attractions of Isla Tiniguiban off the west coast of Guimaras island. These shrimps only come out during the high tide when the water level is high enough for them to swim out of the rocks that act as barrier to both their enemies and their food supply. A man made pond sits near the beach of the island and is planted with magroves to provide food for these shrimps. During low tide these mangroves are exposed and their is nothing much to see. While waiting it's a good way to explore the beauty of Isla Tiniguiban - its beaches, its coves, the gorgeous views on top of hill ...

These are actually remains of a kind of fish used to make fish tocino or tapa , but "entrepreneurial" skills gave birth to something for some people. Looking "anemic"they may seem but these fishbones once fried would make you crave for more once you've had a bite. This 110 gram pack of fishbones costs PhP27.50 from Iloilo Supermart. A real bargain indeed!

Now here's a really terrific way to spend your Tuesdays on a high gastronomic note. Afrique's Gourmet Pizza, Pasta and Steaks makes your never ending pasta dreams come true with it's once-a-week, all-day Pasta Buffet. Dubbed as Terrific Tuesdays, Afrique's brings around 25 ingredients for it's patrons to make their own pasta.  Like my mix and match creation yesterday during a post Iloilo Zombie Run meet-up with members of the Iloilo Bloggers Inc. at Afrique's - Robinson's Place. I just threw in everything I saw on the display table - pasta, sauces and a whole lot of ingredients into my plate. It had four different types of pasta to choose from, (I guess it changes everytime), and we had linguine, fusili, spaghetti and penne that time. Of course I took the most visually appealing and smothered it with sauce. Our choices were Carbonara, Bolognese(?) and Marinara(?), so it was up to us to pair with the ingredients available. We had a variety of ...

Our very gracious hosts a few Sundays ago were the Camiñas - Sir Gerard and Ms. Luth who   welcomed us to their home in Guimaras - the Balay nga Kawayan .   The power couple also owns the among the top tourist destinations in Iloilo now, the Camiña Balay nga Bato famous for its delectable tsokolate.  The Camiña Balay nga Kawayan is around 17 kilometers from the Jordan Wharf and set amidst the sprawling   Springbloom Farm . From the abode, guests see a vast pineapple plantation nicknamed Pineapple Ridge (thanks Sir Eugene) on one side and a native papaya orchard down below. The pineapples will be ready for harvest by November and the papayas were all bearing fruit – so many that it weighs down the tree. The house overlooks Lawi Bay and offers a breathtaking view anytime of the day. It is also almost al fresco and the air smells sweet because of the produce around. But guests can go further and find a viewdeck which gives a closer look at the ba...

It was almost a year ago when I had my first bite of what Maridel's has to offer. I remembered ordering not only one but two "sinful" desserts that I finished in no time while the two ladies a table from me had a hard time finishing theirs. I was in a dilemma of which to order - their best seller Snicker's Pie (above) or the one that first caught my attention - Frozen Lemon Meringue (below). To come out of it, i just ordered them both. And while the latter became one of favorite orders, the Snickers Pie made me appreciate the creation more than the chocolate bar.  Then I also discovered how delicious their Banoffee Pie was with chilled wholes bananas that gives an icy sensation in every bite. The Vodka Bundt Cake also intrigued me because of the "vodka". It smelled and tasted good but I never had the chance to have been drunk with it as it is a fast selling item. Now here's one of the most unique and most "bloggable" cakes at Mar...

A sumptuous lunch of grilled, fried, sauteed and barbecued favorites highlighted the day after the stressful yet very, very , VERY enjoyable Iloilo Zombie Run. Good thing we were based near the new branch of Jo's Chicken Inato along Commission Civil Street in Jaro, so it was very accessible that we just walked our way.  The smell of freshly grilled chicken welcome us and a pecho combo was already in the bag, they ran out of pa-a then. Jo's is one of my favorite inasal places for years now having tasted it during college in their branch outside school. The taste still is pretty the same - mouthwatering, that you'll never stop until you feel the pain in your stomach because of gluttony. It looks good and taste even better even without the toyomansi-vinegar dip. Instead I reserved it for the Lumpiang shanghai side order - vinegar and fried lumpia ... heavenly. I almos finished this order of friend spring roll all by myself as I was lost in the delectable combo....

  Afrique's Big Meatballs Pasta    Matador Pizza Buffalo wings Chicken Cordon Bleu Big Meat Balls

Members of the Iloilo Bloggers Inc. and friends were in for a big and delectable treat as Max's Restaurant recently launched their newest group bundle dubbed as Max's 4Sharing meals .  But aside from their mouthwatering fried chicken, beef was also the star of the night as this group bundle meal includes their newest Beef Selection - Beef caldereta and Beef adobo sa gata.  “At only PhP 899, Max’s 4Sharing is a very affordable meal bundle that is perfect for small group get-togethers, With these new food selections, our customer can fully engage in bonding moments with their friends and family,” said Bobby Simborio, Corporate Media and PR Manager for Max’s Group of Companies.  Bobby (right) with the loveteam of the night Jess and Jessa  But before all the gastronomia that night, Max's shared a lot of good news aside from this 4Sharing meals. Chicken Take-out Treat - PhP98 off their whole Fried Chicken and it comes with a free bottle of Max's Orig...