FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

“The siopao, a Filipino fast food favorite, may be counted among “Filipinized” Chinese dishes, like pancit” points out food writer Margaux Salcedo. But her quick search on the Internet shows that nowhere else in the world are these buns also called siopao. “ The Chinese (apparently) calls them baozi, the Thais – salapao, Hawaiians refer to them as char siu bao; the Vietnamese identifies them as banh bao” she writes in her column on the Philippine Daily Inquirer ” But they all mean the same thing - a filled bun.” “The difference seems to be in the filling. The Hawaiians’ char siu bao offers barbecued pork inside, similar to our asado siopao, while the Vietnamese version offers ground pork, like our bola-bola siopao” reveals her further search. “The “Filipinization” is obvious with the asado filling, pork asado being a viand of Spanish influence derived from the Spanish word “asado” meaning “roasted,” although pork asado is a favorite at Filipino-Chinese restaurants” she finishes. Il...

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. Good thing I got an errand in the area though not expecting to find one (it’s Friday and usually it’s from Tuesday to Thursday), I literally g rabbed one, lest I might not get one. Still priced at PhP65 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” LOL 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. ...

The mere mention of Kong Kee Restaurant only brings one thing in mind - sio pao! This iconic food shop along Iloilo City's heritage district had been making delicious sio pao ever since I can remember. Prior to this, my last visit had me indulge in their popular Pancit Sun yat Sen to satisfy my curiosity and of course blog about it. Recently, for my column in The News Today , I found myself walking along JM Basa Street to have another go with one of the most popular sio paos in Iloilo City. I've been seeing and reading about the recent renovation at Kong Kee that this visit was like hitting two birds with one stone - but that time it was actually eating two sio paos during one visit on top of getting the feel of the new ambiance. And yes I had my share of surprises that time. T he interiors greatly improved though it had still signs and feel of the old restaurant. Colorful and modern accents on the ceiling contrast their typical Chinese fixtures. There's still the sign...

While everybody is going gaga over the royal wedding that's going to happen in few hours, Ilonggos have been paying homage to royalties for years now - a queen and a king! Though the queen is only available every other week, people who have met her swear she's good and there's none quite her. She has special characteristics others dont have that makes almost everybody loves her. And yes, it's what inside her says what she's really made of as a whole. Yet the king is special too! Though appears on a regular basis, he also exudes inside-characters befitting a royalty. But just like in the United Kingdom where the current royal family is sort of "matriarchal", the royalties here in Ilonggo follow. Its the queen that rules and the one more talked. Note: There's also a prince in the family nicknamed "Jumbo"

If a list of iconic restaurants in Iloilo City is made, chances are Roberto’s Restaurant along JM Basa Street in the heritage district of Downtown Iloilo City would be among listed. This snack shop has retained the old world charm of Iloilo City as little has changed over the years in the way the restaurant looks and operates. It has managed to survive with little or no competition all these years, but when competitors decided to challenge Roberto’s , it didn’t even budge. Big league competitors in the likes of Jollibee and Mang Inasal have stores a few steps away yet Roberto’s always almost full no matter what time of the day. So what made this restaurant strong enough to co exist with really big competitors despite its feeble appearance? It’s neither the ambiance nor the service, for in this category Roberto’s , flops. Many shared their not so good experiences about buying over the counter, eating inside the restaurant and even suppliers have complaints or two. Most of the time peo...

One of the better commercial bakeshops in the city, Tibiao is actually a name of a town in the province of Antique. It has a wide range of breads, pasalubong items, pastries and cakes with branches in SM malls. Some stand alone branches serve short orders like pancit molo , hamburger and one of their best selling items, sio pao. Royal Bibingka

Roberto's Queen sio pao is not only known to be a big sized sio pao with more than the usual filling ( it has bacon and Chinese sausage on top of the usual chicken-pork adobo combination and hard boiled egg.) It also takes a deal of good luck to get one since it is only available for 3 days a month. Yes, only 3 days a month - you miss the exact dates then you'll have to wait for almost a month. So it's always recommended to call them before venturing out to taste the " Queen " or you'll end up with the " King ". It has ham instead of bacon and the rest are the same yet this one's much smaller. And I did call Roberto's today to inquire more than "when it is available next month?". It was actually for the upcoming bloggers meet. Not for sponsorship (but we'll try-lol) but to ask if the "Queen" can be made to order. And "Roberta" said yes if one orders a minimum of 30 pieces and must call 2-3 days ahead for the...

Deocampo is a brand that is very much associated with barquillos. Actually the complete brandname is called"Deocampo Barquillos". Aside from their famous barquillos and other pasalubong items, they also have sio pao which many revere. Curiosity made me try it before and I had mixed reactions. It's of one the graciously filled sio paos I have tried yet it was due to the extenders you can actually see and taste. Can be sure if it's potato, kamote or whatever. Yet I still love the taste and the totality of it. This one may not shot how gracious the filling is or it's quality since this one's just got out of the fridge. So I now have a reason to buy a pair or more soon.

Almost as famous as its namesake festival, chicken sio pao from Dinagyang Refreshment is truly worth the trip to this hole-in-the-wall foodshop. Both of its more convenient branches are located within the MaryMart Center but you will surely have second thoughts if its really worth it since ambiance is never heard of (except the one in the food court). Their main? branch though is located in the district of Villa. Dinagayang Refreshemtn also have shorts orders from batchoy to spaghetti, and turo turo items for lunch and dinner, to chocolate cakes and brazo de mercedes for desserts. But it is their sio pao, especially the chicken variety that made this foodshop stamp its foot in the very competitve gastronomical scene of Iloilo.

Hamburgers made this snack house famous then, but now it offers more than those patty filled buns. With short orders like pancit molo, bihon and spaghetti to their own version of rice meals (with chicken, pork, etc) to their specialties like camaron relleno, morcon and meatballs, it now has gone a long way since then. Even if competition nearby heats up (a fastfood and chicken barbecue store) loyal patrons keep coming back for more. Forget the ambiance when dining here since little attention is being paid to this aspect. If there's one thing that makes me go back there, it’s their Queen sio pao and her court (of sio paos, the King, Jumbo and regular). As they say, The queen has it all; chicken and pork adobo, ham, bacon, Chinese sausage, bacon & hard boiled egg and it's a big as a plate. There's a catch though, it's only available 3 days a month.