Amazing Food Adventure at SM City Iloilo Food Hall

Whether it's lunch, meryenda, dinner or just anytime you need food, SM City Iloilo Food Hall got you covered. With almost 15 food outlets to choose from ranging from locally-based restaurants to international franchises, there's one that can surely satisfy your food cravings.

I just love the modernity in the design of the SM City Food Hall. Unlike the traditional court, it has a touch of sophistication from the floor to ceiling and everything in between. The glass wall not only invites the light in but also gives a wider perspective to a usually cramped space thus making the area more relaxing and friendlier.

The idea of having individual chairs and tables is very welcoming especially to those who wish to spend some quiet personal time and space yet still not totally disconnected. But if friends do drop by, it can easily become an on-the-spot party place!

But what makes me love this place is the variation of the food you can have. From local Filipino cuisine, you can opt to go Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and more, in just a few steps. And no matter what time of the day you drop by, there's always something that suit your taste.

And here are some amazing food finds we discovered during a special food-tasting session at Food Hall organized by the management of  SM City Iloilo through its Food Court, Marketing and PR teams.

SALADS & WRAPS BY HEALTHY KITCHEN
Who says mall food offerings aren't healthy? Salad and Wraps offers delicious food you can indulge in without having that guilty feeling afterwards.

Try its Honey Balsamic Salad which is a combination of fresh veggies and meat mixed to your healthy delight. You can also enjoy these healthy combo wrapped in pita bread like the Green Goddess and Smoky Ranch wraps.

KOGI AND VEGI 
With its flagship store located near the Iloilo River Esplanade, its good news for patrons of Kogi and Vegi that they wouldn't have to drive all the there to enjoy its Korean specialties.

Indulge in on these appetizing healthy Korean and Asian fusioon eats - Dolsot Bibimbap and Kove Kimbap, anytime at your convenience.

SBARRO
With another Sbarro restaurant just a floor and a few steps below, you might think they are practically pulling each others customers away. Yet instead, they complement each each as those on the go can just drop by the Food Hall wjhile those having more time to spend, just linger longer at teh restaurant on the Upper Ground Floor.

And SBarro never fails with its delectable Italian specialties like the Meat Lasagna and White Pizza, among its many delizioso offerings.

LAVA
Here's Mexico right at your fingertips! Lava offers Mexican food made from authentic ingredients shipped from abroad. Its food offerings are made from scratch as you order!

Take a pick from their Burritos, Nachos, Tacos, Soft Tacos, Quesadillas, Tostadas, Chimichangas, and Enchiladas at affordable prices.

PUB EXPRESS
From its original store in Molo, Pub Express conquers the mall with this new branch. Offering delicious food at reasonably affordable price, it is among the most lined up food tenant at the Food Hall.

And most line up for their baby Back Ribs which is the hands-down best seller. Also try their Rangoons - fried cream cheese filled molo wraps.

ICHIBAN DACO
Experience Japan between bites through the different varieties of Ichiban Daco's authentic Osaka -style takoyaki. For those who haven't tried it yet, a takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion.and a lot more. (Wiki)

Ichiban Daco takoyaki comes in Original, Prawn, Ham and Cheese, Bacon and Cheese with a variety of sauces to choose from.

PEPPER LUNCH
Its opening last December was "marred" by kilometric lines that I didn't bother satisfying my curiosity at that moment in time. Now that the lines are tolerable, Pepper Lunch is almost always my first stop at the Food Hall.

And its almost always the simple Beef Pepper Rice for me - shown above before the beef is actually "cooked" on the sizzling plate. A variety of sauces of your own choice (I just mix all three, actually) to flavor the beef-rice-veggies concoction.

Among the best sellers is the Shimofuri Pepper and like all what they have to offer, it comes with a caution - Pepper Lunch is hot. As always, its my tongue that suffers the heat.

DUNGAN KAMAY KAINAN
My food memories of Kamay Kainan is their buffet restaurant at the Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila. It is simple buffet concept but really satisfying with its lutong-bahay Filipino specialties. Its like a year-round fiesta of Filipino cuisine whenever I find myself there. 

And I'm glad that Kamay Kainan has reached the Visayas through its mall-based stores. Even though, it's turo-turo style and not the buffet restaurant, their Filipino specialties Squid ala Pobre and Sisig brings the taste memories.

TEPPANYAKI BROTHERS
Its not just another Japanese specialty restaurant but one with a flair for good food and showmanship. Teppanyaki Brothers not only satisfy your tummy but you can watch as your orders are being prepared - right in front of you.

Basic Sets let you choose among beef, pork, chicken and seafood (salmon, dory, shrimp, squid) and comes with plain rice, soup and veggies. Deluxe Sets comes in All Meat or All Seafood with soup, rice and veggies for two persons.

HOW FUN
It may sound plain English but How Fun also somewhat sounds Chinese - say it again How Fun. With specialties like noodles, dimsum and meat dishes like the Chinese-style Beef Steak below. noe you know you are in for a good and tasty treat.

One must try their iced desserts like the Buko Pandan as it is not only refreshing but also very delicious to the last drop. Not your typical iced sweet, this particular dessert has pandan flavored jelly with frozen buko juice, genrous amount of buko meat and some ice cream? I may not be right though but one's thing for sure - I will definitely be back!

DON'S ORIGINAL SPANISH CHURROS
It is always satisfying to have a bite into a less greasy and flavourful churros, whether it's filled or just the classic fried-dough pastry

With dulce de leche, bavarian, blueberry and chocolate as filling or dip, you craving for this Spanish specialty with a mdern Filipono twist will be surely satisfied. make room for their hot choco and coffee too!

FRUITFULL 

Whether it's smoothies, juices or salads, Fruitfull got you covered! An offshoot from its popular parent brand Thirsty, 2014 saw the opening of Fruitfull as a healthy juice bar. Its a more level up brand offering smoothies and detox juices made with high quality ingredients and a little more expensive (than Thirsty) but still very much affordable. 

POTATO CORNER

Now who doesn't love French fries? And if it comes in many flavors like Cheese, Sour Cream or BBQ and more novel ones like Sweet Corn and Wasabi, then it must be love! 

Take your pick from Regular, Large, Jumbo, Mega, Giga and Tera sizes for your French fries cravings. And I must say, I can finish a Tera size (sour cream, please) all by myself!

Check out all these delicious goof offerings at the SM City Iloilo Food Hall. "Eat's" always one amazing food adventure!

Special Thanks to Keitel Ravana, Tyrell Doronilla, Dan Aman, Marc Pugao, Jan Rae Aguilos and Troy Camarista of SM City Iloilo for making this amazign food adventure possible