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The Flavors of Modern Iloilo at PUNOT



On the banks of the Iloilo River, along the side of the Esplanade stands PUNOT - a restaurant named after the fishpens that used to dot the river.



The restaurant is s venture of siblings Andrea and Tope Arañador paying tribute to their parents Lea and Rogelio who built the family's two restaurants in Estancia - Friends (1987) and Punot (2000).



Andrea, who is now based in Germany, was in town a few days ago and invited the Iloilo Bloggers  to check out the latest creations of Punot concocted by her brother who is Center for Culinary Arts graduate.

Iloilo Bloggers Inc. with Ms. Andrea (righmost) enjoying the flavors of modern Iloilo at Punot.

It was also an opportunity to bring back the food memories of their best-sellers, which for years have stood the test of time despite the heated gastronomic competition in Iloilo City.

Here are some of " The Best of Punot"

1/16 TRES MANGGAS SALAD

Will you say no to the burst of flavor of green and ripe mangoes with guinamos vingairette with mixed greens, hard boiled egg and liempo chips? I tried to resist the gastronomic temptation but failed...



2/16 POMELO-BALINGON SALAD

The taste explosion of sweet pomelo and salty dried seafood (balingong) is a perfect combo to whet one's appetite.



3/16 SAY CHEEZ IT

Yummy Mozzarella sticks and cheese pimiento dynamite with special tomato dip 
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4/16 CRISPY SRIRACHA ADOBO WINGS



These chicken adobo wings are bathed in sriracha sauce and comes with a tartar sauce. Spicy and savory in every bite!




5/16 BUTTERED ALIGUE SCALLOPS

Estancia scallops baked with Punot's special aligue sauce. 


6/16 KADYOS BABOY LANGKA (KBL)

A taste home, this Ilonggo specialty is made with grilled and boiled pork hocks, unripe jackfruit and kadyos beans in a broth soured by batwan. The grilling of the pata gives the broth a rather smoky taste giving this sort of sinigang variant a whole new taste dimension. 


7/16 LINATIK with LECHON KAWALI

This dish made with mashed kalabasa and coconut milk is leveled up with the addition of the criapy fried pork bellt and toasted "baby shrimps" called kalkag.




8/16 SIZZLING BULALO

This is bulalo made 5x more sinful - sizzling in gravy but still melts in your mouth soft!


9/16 CRISPY KARE-KARE

Another Filipino fusion dish combining the savory goodness of kare-kare with the crunchilicious crispy pata.


10/16 GUINAMOS RICE

You will really "rice" up to this gastronomic occasion with Punot's take on bago-ong rice with lechon kawali bites.


11/16 KALKAG FRIED RICE

Toasted baby shrimps and egg makes this fried rice feel like an all day Ilonggo breakfast!


12/16 TURON STICKS

Or Turonettes, these are banana and riped jackfruit wrapped on lumpia wrapper the fried then served dunked in Punot yema sauce.




13/16 BAYE-BAYE CROQUETAS a la Mode

An Ilonggo delicacy given the Spanish twist. Bayi Bayi is rolled in breadcrumbs then deep fried to give it a crisp skin then served with ice cream.


14/16 ICE SCRAMBLE

Summer' calling! This cool dessert brings back childhood memories!


15/16 BUKO HALO HALO

The ultimate Filipino dessert served in coconut shell with fresh buko meat to be scraped off after finishing the "mix-mix" dessert.


16/16 KADYOS SHAKE

But what got my attention is something I never thought it would become one, other than its original usage in cooking. Drum rolls, please for Kadyos Shake!




So how was it? First sip had the kadyos "beany" taste in mind like monggo (think of hopia) but it was just subtle (good thing) as it was fused wih the taste of tsokolate tablea and milk.



Then it dawned to me that dried kadyos beans are used by as "extenders" for tablea chocolate. So I guess that's how this drink came to be. 


And I want more of it next time I visit - to discover more of what it has to offer at the same time indulge on the familiar flavors of Iloilo. 

Only at Punot.

PUNOT Restaurant
Iloilo Riverside Boardwalk Complex
Dr. Rizalina Bernardo Pison Ave. cor Paciencia T. Pison Ave. 
Brgy. San Rafael, Mandurriao, Iloilo City
5000 Iloilo City, Philippines

Tel. No 033 320-9893 / 0907 151 6296  Email punotrestaurant@yahoo.com.ph

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