FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

The Iloilo Central Market community has a lot of finds especially those in food and food ways. Turo-turo stall owners and market vendors are drawn to this showcase of Ilonggo gastronomy. Among them, an enterprising couple who don’t only sell live and dressed native chicken but also makes one delectable litson manok! BEST “SELLERS” For Jesus Janeo Jr. and wife Evangeline, their business involving Bisaya nga manok has been a way of life for almost 35 years.   Having a stall at the Iloilo Central Market, they’ve been selling live or dressed native chicken for years to bring up their five children.  “Rawit”, as Jesus is fondly referred to, is among the big suppliers of dressed Darag chicken in the market. Darag is a Philippine native chicken strain found in Iloilo and the rest of Western Visayas. Best known for its unique flavor, taste and meat texture - it has become famous as an alternative to commercial chicken, and has captivated the taste buds o...

How cholesterollific this linaga is but admit it it looks very delicious! On the way out of the the Iloilo Central Market , we chanced upon this stall serving this stewed lanit-lanit or tendons.  The lady who ordered it was about to take spoonful of her lunch when we stopped her just to take a photograph of her lunch bowl and she found it funny-lol. But I found it very salivating looking at the steaming broth that probably is soured by batwan just like most linaga served in Iloilo. The thought of having the chewy portion of the cow or pig is a steaming and sour soup easily made me forget that I just had lunch .  I usually dig in/look for this part whenever I order linaga or kansi but this bowl has lots of it so I might be checking this one out very soon when I get back to the Iloilo Central Market.   

I'm not really a coffee person but if it's native coffee that comes in a recycled can, then give me some. There's this coffeeshop named De Leonian at the Iloilo Central Market that is the melting pot in this part of the city. From the usual patrons consisting of the several politicians to just anyone who passes by the area. Native coffee is their specialty and when one orders it "to go" or take out it comes in these cleaned evaporated milk tin cans. Of course you don't drink straight out of the can unless you want a bloodied coffee. Nonetheless, the coffee tastes like native coffee freshly roasted and prepared right before your eyes. I can't be sure but this cup or tin can costs only 10 pesos. So have a native coffee experience, of course, to go !