Deco's Original La Paz Batchoy: Innovating the batchoyan while keeping the Ilonggo culinary tradition

Vibrant and festive hues of red, orange, yellow and blue welcome diners to the newly opened Deco's Original La Paz Batchoy at Robinsons Place Jaro.

The chain’s third branch ushers in the batchoyan of the 21st century as it features modern and chic interiors.

An open kitchen surrounded with a counter where the guests can eat their meals, highlights the newest branch as it also becomes the prototype for future branches and renovations.

With the concept, diners get to see how their bowls of La paz batchoy are prepared from scratch and served to them – just like the typical batchoyan but in a modern setting

Ditas Taleon of Injap Investment, Marichel Magalona, Marilou Cacho, Ted Magalona, Atty. Helen Catalbas, and Fr. Joseph Haw, S. J. during the opening of Deco’s Original La Paz Batchoy in Robinsons Place Jaro

“We are revolutionizing the look of a batchoyan in Iloilo to make it more exciting to our guests.” says Mrs. Marichel Magalona, licensed operator of Deco's Original La Paz Batchoy.

“Given the fact that Iloilo is very progressive, Ilonggos today are more modern and many tourists are visiting our city. We have created a look that has an inviting ambiance that people from all walks of life will be happy to eat there,”

The ambiance of the restaurant may be modern, but the batchoy is very much traditional Ilonggo and prepared the way it has been for decades.

“We continue to prepare our batchoy the same way it was done and created in La Paz before the 2nd World War broke out. This is how Ilonggos love their batchoy, and to this day, we continue to please their palate,” says Mrs. Magalona.

Deco's Original La Paz Batchoy was founded in 1938 by Federico Guillergan Sr., a butcher in La Paz Public Market. Deco, as what he is called by family and friends, loves to cook and experimented on a soup by combining miki, pork meat, liver, intestines and different spices.

“We do not practice shortcuts in our stock making. We ensure the quality of our ingredients. We have our own reverse osmosis system so clients are assured that the water used for our stock and for drinking is clean and safe,” adds Mrs. Magalona.

Deco's Original La Paz Batchoy Jaro branch is a far cry from the batchoyans in La Paz Public Market decades ago.

It is not your typical batchoyan as this one is a fusion of Asian and Ilonggo – Ramen-style setting serving an Iloilo specialty

The menu also had some changes as it has been streamlined. Aside from the batchoy served with puto and/or pan de sal, one can opt for dinuguan, sio pao (chicken and pork) and sio mai.

You can also have this Ilonggo specialty to-go as orders are placed in convenient containers for easy handling during travel.

This new branch in Jaro is certainly good news for the residents as well as the neighboring districts who want to have a taste of the first and original batchoy.

Visiting tourists who are touring the area need not go far to have a taste of Iloilo’s most popular signature soup.

With the opening of Deco’s Robinsons Jaro, locals and tourists can now enjoy the Ilonggos’ favorite soup in 3 locations. The other 2 branches are in Valeria Street (La Salette Building) and Robinsons Place Iloilo.

To be kept updated of their latest offerings and promotions, Like or follow them on Instagram @decosbatchoy and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/decos.lapaz.batchoy.official/.

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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