FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Got a surprise delivery from Punot Restaurant just in time for dinner hours ago and I  can still taste what I've eaten everytime I burp... 😋 And just the mere thought of it makes me salivate for the yummy leftovers that in the fridge and hope I can survive this temptation. Punot Restaurant is always my first stop whenever I find myself at the Riverside Boardwalk which is just beside the Iloilo River and the popular Esplanade. With the exciting view  it offers, also comes a lot of excitingly delicious dishes. From local Ilonggo favorites to fusion Filipino and other cuisines, it is always a good and fulfilling gastronomic experience at Punot. Good thing that they have already re-opened and to make their specialties more convenient, they also offer delivery and pick up services. And that brings us to the two dishes that were delivered just a few hours ago. First was the BAKARETA. This beef version of kaldereta has very tender and almost fall off the bo...

No pasta? No problem! Let's create your favorite lasagna recipes using the Classic White Bread from Gardenia! But let's first talk about Gardenia! Among the most popular and widely available brands in the country, Gardenia is famous for its Classic White Bread - its signature product. GARDENIA Classic White bread is not only known for its freshness, softness and oven-baked aroma but also for its nutritive value. It is made with high-protein flour, is folate-enriched and has vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3 and C) and minerals  (calcium, iron and iodine) It is also cholesterol-free, has zero transfat, zero saturated fat and bromate-free! And definitely, one loaf is not enough! So always stock up whenever you do your grocery shopping. With a lot Gardenia breads in my midst (again madamo gid nga salamat, Gardenia ), I was up for another challenge - creating a Gardenia recipe which is not a toast nor a sandwich. GARDENIA TOAST TOPPINGS CHALLENGE After some quick check of what's ins...

Celebrate an exquisite Valentine romance with your special someone with a medley of enticing flavors in a curated five-course dinner with wine and music at Seda Atria Iloilo. Under the helm of hotel’s new chef de cuisine, Chef Neil Ledesma has prepared this special 5-course dinner that will surely make another memorable Valentine’s Day. An exclusive preview, food-tasting session was arranged by Seda Atria for the members of the Iloilo media and bloggers. Here’s a taste or what’s to come this Valentine with Seda Atria’s Flavor of Love. As you get cozy at the Straight Up Bar, your Valentine Dinner begins with a delightful appetizer - a stack of savory crabmeat, refreshing mango and creamy avocado. With a visual play of colors, a burst of flavors and textures, this sets the bar high for your romantic gastronomic night. Setting to continue your dinner’s sophistication is a local touch to a Mexican culinary invention - Caesar Salad. Seda Atria’s version consists of lettuce, g...

The seaweed known as lato is popularly referred to as "sea grapes" as it consists of little globules that resemble a miniature bunch of grapes. It is commonly served as  kinilaw  or native salad with vinegar and mixed with tomatoes and onions among others. To make Kinilaw na Lato or SeaGrapes Salad, you will need the following: INGREDIENTS Fresh lato (washed thoroughly and refrigerated before making the salad) Sliced Tomatoes  Sliced Onions Vinegar (or Balsamic) Olive oil  Calamansi or Lemon juice Ground Pepper Salt   Sugar   STEPS: In a bowl make the dressing by combine vinegar, olive oil and the citrus juice. You decide on the the portions to suit you taste.  Season with salt and pepper then adjust the sourness by adding sugar. In a separate container that will become the serving plate/bowl, toss in the lato , onions and tomatoes while pouring the dressing. (Also place leftover dressing for those who...

"Homey" would be an understatement to describe a restaurant set inside an actual house. You only not get to eat as a customer but also feel as a real guest invited in the house.  This what makes Le Papillon Bleu stand out as you can not only satisfy and fulfill your gastronomic cravings, you will as well feel at home not to mention make Instagram worthy posts when you chase "The Blue Butterfly". Le Papillon Bleu is a "pleasantly comfortable and cozy" restaurant along Hingco Street in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially  KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

Parties there, reunions here - 'tis the time of the year when everybody temporarily forgets the word DIET. Christmas comes only once a year so better make the most out of it. And chances are, there will be more than enough  lechon baboy  after every party and reunion. So its time for another Left-over Lechon Recipe and this time its a very simple one - Sinabawan na Lechon. Just by looking at this, all you have to do is add some vegetables of choice to the leftover lechon. The skin is a must - if its good crisp and crunchy, there's also something delicious sipping some soup together with it. This recipe only has pechay in it, but you can also add potatoes and carrots to have more vegetables to go. Furthermore, adding some saba  (bananas) you have a typical Ilonggo pochero and adding some tomato sauce you will have the Tagalog pochero. Isn't that convenient? Extra rice please!