Kahilwayan Platter at Sinamu Seafoods and Native Cuisines Restaurant

After months of just salivating on the photos online, I finally was able to visit Sinamu Seafoods and Native Cuisines restaurant right in my hometown - Santa Barbara, Iloilo. So it's only fitting that I order their "top of the line" which is the Kahilwayan Platter. Named after the town's festival, kahilwayan means freedom in Hiligaynon. It's the the biggest among their bilao meals which also includes Bisperas and Piyesta platters.

This platter served on a bilao that measures 3 feet in diameter has a complete mix of meat which includes grilled pork anf lechon manok. It also has tortang talong salad and ripe mangoes for dessert. The lechon manok sa savory despite just being a regular roasted chicken. The pork had hints of familar flavour but at the same time tastes different according to my taste bud.

I just love the pork kilawin which sits in the center of the platter. Its made with maskara - slang for the pig's face that has been grilled and mixed in the concoction og onion, chilis, vinegar and if my hunch is correct, salted egg. The meat gives a different texture in every bite complemented by the appetizingly hot concoction.

For the seafoods, there were some kasag or crabs that have been steamed ...

... grilled squid and steamed shrimps.

I also love their baked scallops toped with cheese. Even though it looked somewhat unappetizing to due long exposure (due to someone taking photographs-lol), it still was delicious.

Among the Ilonggo favorite is the grilled pantat or catfish. Good thing they have it on this platter as it will really entice those who miss eating this especially balikbayans who often crave for this.

It was indeed a gastronomic experience of epic proportions having to try this Kahilwayan Platter on my first visit to Sinamu. Certainly it wont be my last as the food were all appetizing and delicious - and it's just a 5 minute ride away from home. Just a tip - call an hour ahead to have this Kahilwayan Platter as it takes around 30-45 minutes for the whole bilao to be prepared.

Sinamû Seafoods and Native Cuisines

Tydyco Commercial Complex, Bypass Road,

Santa Barbara, 5002 Iloilo, Philippines

Mon - Sat: 09:00 - 20:00

Phone (033) 396 0058

Mobile 0918-406-7528

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SinamuSeafoods

Fruits from the grocery

These packs of cut up fruits were bought from SM Delgado's grocery. Got enticed by their color and luckily, they were as good as they looked, especially the papaya. Each was just less than Php 22, really a bargain!

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 (

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.

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Search This Blog