I recently attended an event at Punot Restaurant at the Riverside Boardwalk just beside the Iloilo River Esplanade.
It was for Victorias Foods Corporation's " A Taste of Negros" campaign for its products specifically Victorias Spanish-style Sardines and Bangus.
There, Chef Tope of Punot satisfied our appetites with his level up "de-lata" creations ranging from Pizza and Bruschetta to Pasta using the much-loved Victorias Foods products which were created from a heritage recipe born in a Negrense kitchen and cherished through generations.
You may check out Chef Tope's creations in this blogpost.
Pizza, pasta and bruschetta all made
with Victorias Foods Spanish Style Sardines and Bangus in Soya Oil.
Complementing his collaborative creations, we were also serve a number of Punot Specialties to balance our gastronomic repertoire.
To whet our appetites, Punot restaurant offered a duo of their best selling salads which coincidentally two of my personal favorites.
The Pomelo-Balingon Salad is basically fried dried local anchovies (dilis) with bits of sweet tasting pomelo with hints of tanginess. It then rests on a bed of lettuce sprinkled with chopped cashew nuts and drizzled with their signature dressing.
The combination of the slightly salty balingon and the pomelo complements the combo of the lettuce and nuts - all creates an explosion of flavors and texture in every forkful. More than enough to make you crave for more!
Then there's my other favorite - Tres Manggas Salad. It's a mix of sliced green and ripe mangoes drizzled with guinamos vinaigrette on a bed of lettuce, onions and tomatoes. It is then topped with slices of hardboiled egg and crunchy liempo chips.
Now, how and where to begin? The green mango and guinamos combination is already a classic Filipino appetizer but with the addition of sweet ripe mangoes, it creates another range of taste to the one we are already familiar with.
Add to that the onions and tomatoes, the classic veggies salads enhancers also complement the mangoes with the lettuce making some crunch. Giving the salad a savory twist are the hard boiled egg toppings and the ultimate crunch - deep fried thinly sliced pork belly.
Another appetizer of sorts, though I often consider this already a main course, is the Punot's take on the Buffalo Wings.
It is a fusion of Filipino and Asian flavors on an American classic - Adobo Sriracha Buffalo Wings.
The crunchy fried adobo flavored chicken is smother with thick sriracha and honey glaze that creates as sweet, tangy and spicy flavor making every bite really a delight.
For dessert we have, another curious Filipino fusion of familiar flavors but in a unique way. Punot's Buko Pandan Crepes in some ways are a deconstruction of this popular combination of coconut and pandan leaves.
The pandan essence is in the fluffy crepes, as it the smell and taste gives that familiar aroma and flavor pandan. The buko can be found in the filling in the form of the bukayo which is basically young coconut meat boiled in muscovado sugar until it thickens and incorporates itself to the coconut meat.
The dessert creation is finished off with more coconut creme and sprinkled with some toasted desiccated coconuts. Talk about fine gastronomic details!
And I finished everything off with a glass of Ube Shake to satisfy my craving for a creamy drink. And I got myself one that tastes like ice cream. Very lucky me!
As always, dining at Punot is an utmost gastronomic pleasure. From my all-time favorites to new discoveries, I always go home with a very satisfied tummy.
Add to that, these faves and more dishes are just a call or click away as Punot Delivers.
Now that's really worth burping about!