FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

With seven entries making a total of 1862 cups of La Paz batchoy, it was indeed a cook off of big and gastronomic proportions as Ilonggos witnessed a culinary event like no other. A culinary competition searching for the Best Tasting La Paz batchoy and Largest Serving “batchoyan” was held last Friday aiming to score a spot for Iloilo on the culinary map. SM Hypermarket Iloilo, on its first anniversary, sets it sight on creating a milestone by creating a new record for Iloilo’s most famous delicacy. The retail giant gathered several snack shops, carinderias and caterers among others to concoct their own recipe for La Paz batchoy sand serve the most number of cups ever to be served from a single place at any one time in the province. From the familiar to almost unknown, teams from all across Iloilo converged that afternoon to showcase not only their best recipes but also their determination to outdo each other in making the most number of servings. Tasked to select the Best Tasting batch...

What’s a hole-in-the-wall, you may ask. Foodies would define it as a place with something very special (and popular) to offer. Despite a straightforward ambiance and maybe almost obscure location plus all the hassles just to be there, still a lot of people (from all walks of life) make and find time to visit. It could be street side carinderia with a to-die-for specialty, maybe a stall in a corner that sells something special or can be a small restaurant having a unique recipe. It’s really all about good food and the e xperience! There could be many hole-in-the-walls in the city but one really stands out - for it has, literally, a hole in the wall. A “hole” new world This bakery, owned by a rather conservative Chinese family (the Foos ), started decades ago (presumably before the war era) and their business of baking and selling breads surv ived slowly but surely. What started out as a nameless bakeshop is now among the most popular because of its qu...

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...

What’s culinary boutique you may ask? At first I had no idea myself until I was inside one a few days ago. As I went around checking the place, I was glad that finally there’s a place in Iloilo City where “gastronomy” goes beyond eating. “ A culinary boutique is a place where one can do a lot of things related to food ” answers Jet Yap Jiz when I asked her about the concept of her business venture. “ Just like what our tagline says, Ilonggos can cook, shop, eat and share things related to food under one roof – inside my Happy Kitchen ” she says. And she shared what inspired her, where she got the idea, how it all came to be and when it all started. She used to be the publisher of Iloilo Premiere magazine that gave her almost “stressful days and sleepless nights” at times, beating the deadline and the like. “ My doctor then told me to take a rest after it took a toll on my health ” she says. “ With more time in my hands, I got to enjoy more things and watching the reality TV series Hell...

" Filipinos, beloved countrymen! Let us never destroy our precious rights because their loss will be our death and shame. Even if we do not have a single rifle, if all the towns will refuse to surrender, with one mind and one heart, the Americans will be ashamed to subjugate or kill us all. If this is the fate that will be ours, you will be greater, Filipinas, than all the nations!” General Martin Teofilo Delgado, the Ilonggo revolutionary leader and Filipino nationalist penned the previous lines with pride and high hopes for the nation. Popularly known as Tan Martin, he was responsible for the start of the revolution against the Spaniards, and later the Americans in Iloilo. With his leadership and gallantry, his hometown of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo is known to be the seat of revolution in the Visayas and Mindanao and where the first Philippine flag was raised outside Luzon. Standing proud, the GMTD Monument at the plaza of his hometown, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo His bravery and heroics a...