Real American Barbecue at BBQ Shack in Jaro

I must have been very busy lately that almost a month has passed ever since BBQ Shack opened in Jaro that I actually noticed it. I almost pass by the area most of the time yet I was never magnetized to look and find that a new restaurant has been added in the Jaro gastronomic scene. So today, was my baptism into the "Real American Barbecue" fire as lunch was at BBQ Shack.

But it was a TO GO order of St Louis Ribs, US Pork Belly and Texas Style Cheddar Sausage. We had our eye set on combo meals 1-2-3 but the USDA Beef Brisket wasn't available so 4 was on the menu. Here's what's the "press release" of BBQ as posted on their FB account.

The only Authentic American Barbecue chain in the Philippines, BBQ Shack uses its one of a kind patented smoker and secret wood to smoke all the meats. BBQ Shack's unique 12-hour cooking technique renders all our meats so tender, juicy, and succulent that you'll keep coming back for more. We don't just serve awesome food but offer it at a price that everybody can afford. All our food are crafted in house using quality ingredients including USDA certified meats. It's time for you to experience how barbecue is supposed to be.

Our authenticity comes from International Chef Dominic who has traveled, trained, and worked in the US; specifically, Lockhart, Texas as well as Kansas City, St. Louis, and Memphis: the famous Barbecue trail of America. Experience a taste of the US in the ambiance designed by famous Architect Valencia.

St Louis Ribs

I was excited to shoot at the same hungry that I forgot to pour in the sauces our take out orders came with. At least I was able to know how the barbecue tastes on their own. Like the St Louis Ribs, eating ribs in general calls for the barbecue sauce to smothered like there's no tomorrow that often times its the sauce that dictates the taste. But having these ribs without the sauce was a treat, I got to taste the real goodness of the ribs. Having it with the sauce was delectable with a capital D!

US Pork Belly

Texas Style Cheddar Sausage

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?"

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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