FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

A stones throw away from the plaza of La Villa de Arevalo is an ancestral house where one can find not only good pasalubong items but also a look into the past of the district. Known as the Sinamay House , this well preserved ancestral house is an attraction not only in the outside but also what it houses inside. A collection of what the past like is housed in the two storey edifice which also acts like a museum of sorts. Sinamay is simply known as abaca by most and, here, a variety of products made from this fiber can be found.  I remember watching a feature on tv wherein the owner proudly showed a framed letter signed by the late Princess of Wales, Diana, showing her appreciation of the handkerchief she was given as a gift coming from this very shop. But the attraction I am most familiar with are the chewies and crunchies made by Mama's Kitchen. Attractively packed in boxes showing their current flavours and variety, this is among the better...

It had me on SPICY, so choosing was not a really dilemma on a menu that was unfamiliar. In the end, no matter what the taste will be, the spiciness will just embrace my tastebuds. And Tantanmen it was... Tantanmen（担々麺),  as defined by  ChopstickChronicles   is the Japanese take on Sichuan Dan Dan noodles. In this dish, yummy ramen noodles are swimming in a deliciously balanced soup with hot spiciness from rayu Japanese chili oil and a mellow nutty sweetness from soy milk and sesame paste. And my tastebuds savored that definition word for word! But not the spiciness I expected it to be but nonetheless, it was a good start for a noodle experience at Ramen Musashi. With the interiors making you feel like you're in some quaint noodle house in Japan, this unassuming ramen house near La Paz plaza across the Iglesia ni Cristo church had been on my foodie radar since I got wind of it on social media. Inside, you can cho...

 After months of anticipation, Jollibee's Langhap Sarap goodness is now within reach for the people of Santa Barbara, Iloilo and its neighboring towns. October 15, 2020 marks the fastfood giant's opening of its 6th (?) branch in the province of Iloilo, aside from its numerous branches in the city. Located at Bangga Dama, this Jollibee Store and Drive thru is at a strategic and convenient corner as the intersection is a busy crossing linking the major central towns of Iloilo. Not to mention its proximity of the Iloilo International Airport, which is around 10 minutes away. Plus some upcoming regional government offices being constructed or already existimg - DOH, DILG, OCD, DPWH and PhilHealth. There are also a numberof subdivisions nearby and a large hospital, Western Visayas Sanitarium - all within 1o minutes. A blessing and ribbon cutting ceremony was held a few days prior to the public opening and was led by Santa Barbara Mayor Rema Somo and the franchisees - the...

The easiest way to cook shrimps is halabos -  just boil in salt and water until almost dries up. It's perfect with your dip of choice like toyomansi or just a good eaten on its own. With this kind of simple cooking, many decided to complicate it a bit for some challenge thus born one of the most popular halabos recipe which uses lemon soda like 7Up or Sprite instead of water. And the experiment continues... Here's one of those more "complicated" recipe but still very easy to do even for first time cooks. Ingredients 1 kilo shrimps (big ones like the ones used in sinigang) 1 minced garlic 1 500-ml bottle 7-Up (or Sprite) 2 tbsp Calamansi/Lemon juice Salt Pepper Sesame Oil Procedure Wash and clean the shrimps. Use scissors to remove excesses (antennae, legs,etc) In a pan, place the shrimps then add the 7-Up, garlic and calamansi/lemon juice. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Heat the pan and let it boil until almost dry. Be sure to s...

I know you want one, especially that one in middle which is obviously burnt. I got these from a local bakeshop here in town and for less than PhP 10 a piece, it brings back the gastronomic memories of yesteryears. I remember it to be a favorite childhood treat - something you get as a reward for being good or just as pasalubong. Now, it still is a treat but more on bringing back the taste memories and sharing others too.  Short Stop Bakery here in Santa Barbara, Iloilo makes two varieties, this yellow one and one that is sort of very light brown.  But still both variants taste the same and we still fight over the burnt ones. Other places where these are available aside from the "neighbourhood" bakeries are Tinapayan at The Atrium and St. Paul's Bakery along Valeria Ext. But surely there could be more ...

Are you a big fan of those soft, fluffy, buttery, sweet cheese rolls? If yes, chances are you'd really fall for these cheese rolls from Sweet Fix by Calix . With two variants - Cheese (original) and Chube (that "viral" Ube-Cheese gastronomic phenomenon), these rolls have been "selling like hotcakes" since July. Comparable to the iconic Mary Grace brand, the cheese roll are big yet light and generously topped with butter and sugar. One bite reveals its fluffiness and cheesiness in the inside with its softness enticing you to take another bite. I could finish this box of 6s in just one sitting - no joke! And the Chube Rolls are just as delicious and tempting especially with the buttery-ube sugar toppings. And it explodes with a yummy ube halaya and cheese filling in every bite. Can you guess how many I could finish in one sitting? A perfect page turner from the sweet and cheesy flavor is the recently lau...

At first, I had doubts about kombucha after Googling about it. While the articles I read listed a lot of benefits, it also came with some warnings and side effects. But after a lot of thinking, I gave in to my curiosity rather than my doubts realizing that everything comes with this dilemma. And when I finally had my first sip - it was ❤ 👍 Thanks to Kombē Kombucha for very a delicious and refreshing first impression on this health drink! Kombē is a homegrown Ilonggo brand specialized in brewing Kombucha. The company is  the first to introduce this health drink to the City of Love. Given today's necessity for better health, its digital launching a few days ago came at the right time. As a simple backgrounder kombucha is a fermented tea-based probiotic drink. It is made with green or black tea, sugar and yeast producing SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) plus some citrus fruits. It ...