FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

It's not Catbalogan nor Katagalugan, it's  CA-TA-LU-GAN, Catalugan. I also had the same problem when I was a kid when reading and remembering the name of this bread. But the many years of enjoying this specialty from Tibiao Bakery, I think I have it in me. So what is catalugan? It's basically a filled bread and like what you see, it has more filling that the "bread" itself. Tibiao Bakery makes the more "high end" catalugan as they are big, individually wrapped and deliciously addicting. Smaller bakeshops also make catalugan but its just the regular "one of those" breads. But this one from Tibiao is worth every "bit and morsel". For around 12 each (few years back it was only PhP 10), this bite size bread is heavy as the filling is a compact and flavouful blend of "secrets" for this one had no ingredients listed on its packaging. So I can only assume what they are everytime I am ...

It’s been a while since I featured (read gorged on) Iloilo's most popular Chinese bun - Roberto’s Queen sio pao . Aside from being unavailable most of the time (I think it’s now every two weeks rather than monthly), the restaurant is out of my usual way.  Priced at PhP105 and though the size isn’t that overwhelming as before yet still big compared to other sio paos in the city.  It was still hot when I got it from “Roberta” before (he's Clauds by the way, RIP 🕯) and around two hours later with some rainy escapade, I was surprised to sense it warmth when I got home. Aside from what’s inside, I really like the bun of Roberto’s sio pao. With a hint of gumminess yet soft to each bite, it greatly complements the filling.  Though I got a rather one sides sio pao with the filling almost bursting out the bottom part while the top was all bun.  But it’s one of the more photogenic ones I had so far – I halved it perfectly with without much damage to the...

You can almost smell and taste the goodness of this dish. It's sinugba na pata with a sour broth and banana heart. Its almost like the recipe for the Ilonggo favorite KBL   (kadyos baboy langka) for the pork is first grilled then soured with batwan . The absence of the kadyos beans and langka is made up for by the the puso ng saging which makes a milk broth. Now what more can I say but, extra rice please!

Other places in the Philippines have their own version of this cassava-based delicacy. In most parts of Western Visayas, this native delicacy is called alupe (or alupi). It is made with ground balinghoy (cassava) mixed with coconut milk and meat plus sugar and other flavorings. It is then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. What looks like an unappetizing mixture before (steaming) becomes a pleasure to both the sense of smell and taste as it results to a flavourful snack that would surely bring back memories. Or will surely make one for those tasting it for the first time. Now only if it ain't that sticky and messy to eat!

What the Bicolanos (and the rest of the Philippines?) know as laing , the Ilonggos call it pangat . This particular one from Breakthrough Restaurant along Villa beach in Iloilo City is among the most popular commercially produced pangat .  There are also a number of pangat -makers especially in Villa with pangat  like the one served during the Arevalo fiesta. The one below was during the Jaro Fiesta served at the Jamerlans. Pork or whatever filling one prefers (seafood) is wrapped inside  gabi  leaves. It is then simmered in low fire in a coconut milk-ginger concoction until cooked. 

Finally, after four trips to Hongkong, I found myself at the restaurant I’ve been meaning to visit since my first visit back in 2016. Despite with its “not-so-HK” sounding name, Australia Dairy Company is a culinary institution and has often been described as an iconic Hong Kong restaurant. The company was named by the founder as such because he had worked in an Australian farm in the 1940s and now, his resto is one of the most popular “ chaan tengs ” or HK stye cafe or diners most common as breakfast places. Its sole branch is located in Jordan in Kowloon along Parkes Street. And it has always been plagued with a long queue especially during breakfast as locals and tourists vie for seats to start their day with their specialties. The restaurant is notable for its efficiency as even during the rush breakfast hour when I visited, my orders came out in less than a minute. While it is also infamous for its rude service, I didn’t experience it that time. Maybe they just improved over the y...

My sudden craving for this Ilonggo native delicacy had me contact my "suki" baye-baye maker - D'Original Jaspe Baye-Baye based in Brgy. Cabugao Sur in Santa Barbara, Iloilo. Baye-Baye is an Ilonggo favorite native snack usually made with ground toasted rice aka pinipig, coconut meat and white sugar.  But some makers also use corn and brown sugar giving it a distinctive taste from the original The mixture is then pounded altogether then rolled into finger size bites and finally wrapped in plastic. It is usually packed in 5s and sold for around PhP 20 to PhP25 per pack. Expect the price to be 2x when you buy it in stores in thecity. But  bigger cravings are not usually satisfied with a pack of 5s, so bigger orders are welcome too. You can have them by the kilo or per plate in some makers. For baye-baye lovers like me, having them in almost unli serving like this loaf-style serving  is a gastronomic dream come true. Just sli...

A visit to Breakthrough Restaurant along Villa beach is always filled with gastronomic memories - from their extensive line up of the freshest seafood to mouth watering meat dishes like lechon baboy. And of course there's this fish called managat . Usually it is sold by the kilo, as guests can choose from the display of fishes they have at the counter. Tucked in a corner are these managat which you can choose according to size and price per kilo. They are usually served in two ways; the head and upper body part usually is sinabawan (cooked in broth with vegetables) and the tail and lower body part sinugba (grilled). Though it is not only Breakthrough that serves managat , but I have to highlight this popular restaurant since most online articles mentioned this seaside restaurant. And most of the photos I have for this fish came from Breakthrough, a testament of it's popularity, both the resto and the fish. Anyway here are excerpts...

Named after its resemblance to trains, teren-teren is a popular bakery staple in most Iloilo bakeshops. And this one from the iconic Buho Baker y is no exception when it comes to popularity.   It is how the  individual breads (with sweet stuffing) are connected to look like train "cabooses" that gave its name. The "stuff" is just  like sweetened dough, almost like the ones in hopia but just colored but when its fresh hot off the oven, it is heaven in every bite! Just be careful since the filling is hot! And what can be more iconic than having your teren-teren order, handed down to you via the most popular hole-in-the-wall in Iloilo! 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, there would be thousands of the word namit (delicious) written all over this native delicacy called bot-ong. Bot-ong is made with glutinous rice mixed with gata wrapped in banana leaves in a pointed shape then boiled until cooked. It is like ibos but with different shape and wrapper. Ibos is mostly tubular and wrapped on coconut leaves while bot-ong is pointed at one end and wrapped in banana leaves. Ibos and Bot-ong being wrapped and still uncooked. Photo from Google While the dips could be interchangeable, ibos is usually paired with sugar, bukayo or ripe mango while bot-ong with latik which is  made with gata and sugar boiled until it is syrupy and caramelized. One of my fave bot-ongs now comes from Brgy. Lanag in Santa Barbara, Iloilo from the same makers of  Puto sa Lanag .  I could eat 5 or even more in just one sitting when the bot-ong is warm and drizzled with the latik.  Will give details on how to ord...

How about some labanos or radish?  Most likely you've encountered labanos in a Sinigang recipe or as an appetizer with vinegar dressing. But on its own, I love its peppery-bitter (or how might you call it) taste. If it's in season or if its really  cheap in the market , we'd have like a "Labanos Festival" at home. And here's one of the simplest recipes using radish. Here's the recipe for Labanos Guisado with Ground Pork .

Suman Latik is one of my ultimate favorite native delicacies ( check out more ) and most of the time these are sold in the public markets in pairs. It consists of a flattened ibos (or suman as referred up north) topped with bukayo - coconut strips sweetened by muscovado sugar. But most of the time, my appetite hungers for more than a pair of these or the bukayo portion is bitin that I wish there's more. And at times we just make our own at home so that we can enjoy this suman-bukayo combo to our heart's content. But the wrapping of the sticky rice in banana leaves when cooking and unwrapping it for eating, is labor extensive - sort of. So out of the blue, we just thought of making it "Trifle-style". Inspired by the British dessert which Tinapayan at Iloilo Supermart recreates in Ube and Strawberry , our Suman Latik "Trifle" is a native delicacies version made with layers of suman/ibos and bukayo. It's a delectable presentation, easy ...