FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

The Philippine Tatler Magazine has recognized Amalfi Cucina Italiana as one of the country’s best restaurants. Already twice on the list, in 2009 and 2011, Amalfi has elevated the standards of an Italian dining experience in Iloilo by offering authentic cuisine using only the finest ingredients, superb dining ambiance and impeccable service. And these accolades inspire Amalfi to come up with even more Italian cookery to satisfy the discerning palate of the Ilonggos. Within the next few days, the restaurant is set to launch new items on its extensive Italian menu. And I had the utmost privilege yesterday to sample ten (10) of them for the first part of the food tasting session organized by Chef Miner del Mundo , food and beverage consultant of Amalfi Cucina Italiana and through the invitation of Ms. Arvi Sumayo , Marketing Manager of Great Foods Concepts Inc. It started with Bruschette con Cannellini, Pomodori e Olio Nuovo , an antipasto of bruschetta of white beans, cheese and tomato...

Valentine's Day dinner ended on a sweet note as The Venue served these awesome strawberry pavlovas for dessert. I remember my first local pavlova encounter when Nothing but Desserts at The Avenue launched their pavlova line up more than two years ago. Now NBD caters these desserts during special occasions and events at The Venue Function Rooms . And in time for Hearts day 2012, it was but fitting that these heart-shaped strawberry pavlovas would be the centerpiece dessert during their Eat.Love. Indulge dinner buffet. With fresh strawberries as the ultimate toppings, the meringue base had a fresh crunch to it, a crunch that crumbles and delivers a melt in the mouth texture that perfectly combines with the white cream. Each forkful of the meringue, cream and strawberry was the perfect-ender to the gastronomic feast dished up by The Venue for a very special celebration of Valentine's Day . Just perfect as it can be!

A very special occasion like Valentine's Day deserve only the best so last Feb. 14. I found myself enjoying the dinner buffet Eat, Love, Indulge at The Venue Function Rooms at The Avenue Complex . The Heart's Day dinner proved to be another gastronomic experience of old favorites and new discoveries. With the buffet set up on the veranda, one can't help but be distracted quite a bit of the happenings all around the complex (and it was full of people then) but the "Boracay" lanterns provided calming atmosphere - at least for me. It was one superb line up as I started my eating ritual - with the usual clicks and flashes. And it was a sort of healthy set up without those cholesterollific and bilbilicious food items on the spread. Truly, a good for the heart buffet on Valentine's Day! Add more to it was the soothing ambiance made more romantic by the violin performers that made eating more of leisure than gastronomic. And I started out by concocting my own ...

Yesterday, I dropped by Bluejay Coffee and Deli and came at the right time when they were debuting something new in their dessert line up. And in time for Valentine’s too as their Red Velvet cake caught my eye first. It was more of the name actually that got my attention for their Red Velvet mini cake was covered in white icing that turned out to be cream cheese and topped with mini white chocolate kisses. I am more familiar with Red Velvet cakes and cupcakes with their reddish hue screaming for attention but this one, you won’t know it unless you give it a close look or it is offered to you. Googling, I found out red velvet cakes are smothered with Buttercream icing but it’s the cream cheese that is most popular. The red hue of cakes now is mostly food coloring but it before it was the addition of red beets that made the color more pronounced. Bluejay’s Red Velvet mini cake is made with a dense red cake layered with cream cheese. It’s not fluffy or airy like those in cakes or cupcakes...

Valentine is just around the corner and if you're not sure whether to buy flowers or chocolate for your love ones, then this might just interest you. Hotel del Rio 's fabulous Chocolate Cupcakes Bouquet combines the ageless appeal of flowers and the mouth watering charm of chocolate cupcakes! With the cupcakes iced like a flower's petals then bounded together to form a bouquet and placed in glass vase - it's a perfect Valentine gift to give and receive. The thought of flowers you can actually eat gives this Valentine gift a whole new meaning. They can also be a good centerpiece for your Valentine dinners at home or elsewhere and surprise them with dessert - flower cupcakes! This beautiful cupcakes bouquet is a fabulous way to say I LOVE YOU and comes with delicious butter icing in color combination of your choice. And they also have Mini Cupcakes Bouquets in lively colors! Truly spectacular gifts this Valentine's Day. These Valentine Cupcakes Bouquets costs P...

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 !

Participated in by 18 teams from different culinary and hospitality schools in Iloilo City, the 4 th Dinagyang Bartending Cup (Tandem Edition) was one night talent and skills both in showmanship and cocktail concoctions. Presented by Great Foods Concepts Inc. and sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions and Pepsi , among others, the 4th installment had pairs of contestants juggling it out on stage and mixing it in in glasses. The Avenue Complex hosted the event gathering hundreds of spectators in and around the Smallville area. I served as one of the judges of the competition concentrating on how each concoction tasted, so it was an intoxicatingly enjoyable night for me that lasted almost midnight. But as it was the Dinagyang weekend, the fun was just starting that time. I only had sips of the cocktails, two the most then wash it all away with a gulp of water in preparation for the next and next. I also enjoyed the showmanship of each tandem with mostly juggling acts of bottles whether ...