FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Mention Kong Kee and Ilonggos would always associate it with siopao on top of its equally delicious Chinese specialties.     But what used to be just a gastronomic melting pot in Downtown Iloilo City has now branched out to the progressive town of Pavia, Iloilo. Located just beside Puregold supermarket across the Poblacion and town hall,tou won't miss its iconic logo in its signature font in white and red motif. And of course, you've got to try their specialty - sio pao. Ilonggos have grown up with Kong Kee sio pao eversince and there has been a cult following for the resto's steamed bun. Freshly made daily to ensure its  quality, Kong Kee's sio pao is handcrafted everyday to serve the best tasting sio pao that is soft, moist and juicy. It comes ins three variants - Pork, Chicken and the Chicken-Pork combo. It prides to have no artificial flavors plus no preservatives added for us to taste all the ...

The Feast of San Jose is celebrated every March 19 with a big fiesta in places honoring the saint be it a city, town or barangay. But the one I experienced a few weeks ago was more than just the gastronomic side - it was a feast alright but in a different setting. Not just because it was held during breakfast time but it also included a traditional ritual which brought back a lot childhood memories. I joined the feast at the Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo on that day and it brought the memories of yesteryears. I was no more than 10 years old when I witnessed the "San Jose" ritual in my lola's house in Molo. I can still vividly remember the "role-playing" which had elements of eating, washing and "kissing".  As explained by Sir Eugene Jamerlan (of the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council), this ritual is  a tradition in rice-producing places like Iloilo. It is a sort of welcoming San Jose and his family into the household to...