You say Iloilo, I say Fooood!

I LOVE FOOD SOOOO MUCH… really, I do!
Actually, to the point of grabbing every FOOD trip opportunity. I especially love it when I’d get to organize the trip’s itinerary (this way, I’d get to schedule a stop at every food shop, pure bliss!)

Our recent trip was a food lover’s heaven! Scrumptious, Delicious, Tantalizing food was just EVERYWHERE! We literally spent 3 days of non-stop eating!

The list below cites some of the places I want to highlight. Thus, a SHOULD NOT MISS!

Afrique’s - a famous Italian restaurant in Iloilo, offering gourmet dishes
As an Italian restaurant, it takes pride in using fresh ingredients, with sauces made from scratch.

Before calling it a night, we decided to visit the place for a light evening snack. And I must say, it was well worth it! Dishes served were deliciously satisfying – the pastas were exceptionally great!

Must order these!

• Carbonara - pasta: al dente; sauce: creamy and very flavorful
• Lemonade with Cucumber - a refreshingly unique blend

Tatoy's Manokan and Seafoods - popular among locals and tourists. It serves Filipino - Ilonngo cuisine.

Must order these!

• Lechon Manok - a house specialty; the BEST grilled native chicken in Iloilo!
• Baked Oysters - fresh and overloaded with cheese and garlic
• Kinilaw - sorry, no picture available – unfortunately it was devoured before I even got the opportunity to take a shot =( The raw fish was fully submerged in a distinct vinegar mix- bursting with Ilonggo flavors! A balance of sweet and sour, without the acidity that crinkles the nose.

Netong's - offer one of the best versions of the infamous Iloilo batchoy.
Iloilo is the “Home of Batchoy”, so NEVER leave the province without trying it- a mortal foodie sin!
Prior to my Iloilo visit, research through the internet disclosed unending foodie debates on who offers the best batchoy. Personally, I like Netong’s over Deco’s, as their version of the batchoy is tasty but not overly salty.

*Iloilo Delicacies for Pasalubong:

Roberto's - known for making the best and largest (It’s actually Gigantic in size!) siopao in Iloilo
The meat- filled dough was truly a culinary delight. The dough-wrap was soft yet firm, with an explosive filling of chicken adobo bits, pork adobo flakes, boiled eggs and Chinese sausage.

Royalties; such as the” King” or “Queen” Siopao include “SPECIAL” ingredients.

Must buy these!

• King Siopao - the best seller:  Mantao (traditional Chinese steamed bread) filled with Roberto’s famous chicken pork filling, plus Ham
• Queen Siopao - a limited edition, as it is only offered 3 or 4 days within a month. Also stuffed with Roberto's chicken pork filling, plus bacon

Panaderia de Molo - known for its artisan Spanish biscuits.

Must buy: Galletas

Original Biscocho Haus - also a famous Iloilo pasalubong stop-over. Offering wide varieties of sweets, breads, and pastries.

Must buy: Biscocho

Deocampo Barquillos - famous for Barquillos (crisp wafer rolls) since 1898. Deocampo's product line include; pinasugbo, biscocho, butterscotch, and many more.

Must buy: Barquillos

*Food Directory:

Afrique's

Red Square Bldg. 

Smallville Business Complex

Biscocho Haus

Lopez Jaena, Jaro

Deocampo Barquillos

46 Sta. Isabel, Jaro

Panaderia de Molo

Avaceña Street

Netong's Original Lapaz Batchoy

Inside Lapaz Public Market, Lapaz

Roberto’s Restaurant

#61 J.M. Basa Street

Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafoods

Barangay Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo

written by: Shobe

Beyond Korea's Kimchi and Jjamppong

“Spontaneous”, the word that fully defined our “barkada” trip in Seoul. All I can remember was – without any itinerary on mind or in hand, we just packed our bags and bravely took a flight to a foreign land. Surprisingly though, for some of us who frequently travels, ideas were knitted spontaneously :|

Speaking of our college group’s Seoul travel, it was pretty much similar to our (not too long ago) thesis project, wherein deadlines force us to abruptly make reasonable decisions. I can’t say we weren’t successful, as we were able to visit countless historic places (even my feet can’t keep count, bcoz of sore and exhaust). As what we adventurous youngsters say: travels aren’t much fun without some added thrill! Let me share some of the thrill then, maybe it’d help you decide on booking your next trip to Korea :p -- we were chased by life- like zombies in a theme park; walked in circles.. after circles.. after circles (yeh! Admittedly, we got lost and no one there seemed to understand English), and of course, as with most tourist, we communicated via charades =D

(Tourist tip: Look for a person with a letter “i” on his hat- he could help you out with directions)

Though we had no itinerary on hand, we were fortunate enough to have tried some of Korea’s unique treats. By fortunate, I meant tasting Korean delicacies fit for a Filipino’s palette, of which my friends would whisper after every bite- “manamis-namis”

Savory Street BBQ

The very first street food I noticed was the “tender and juicy” looking Korean BBQ… By the looks of it, one couldn’t have guessed the type of meat coated under its thick brown sauce. Though, despite the uncertainty, we continuously devoured the grilled meat, picking a stick after another…  Good thing the stuff is made with white meat- Chicken!

School Food - Blooming Mari

This restaurant raves its deliciously cooked food, while authentically prepared the Korean way! 

The Beef Bokkeumbap is the Best! With rice cooked perfectly moist and fragrant…

As all fresh ingredients were mixed together, the plate itself was bursting with Asian flavors.

Street Vanilla Ice Cream

This particular Korean ice cream may not exactly taste extraordinary; yet, its distinctive shapes make it highly recommendable. I personally tried the “J” shaped cone, and true enough the shapes distinctiveness made it undeniably fun to eat. A plus: the cone remained crunchy till the last bite.

Tip: If travelling with a child, the J- shaped cone is truly a must try (While strolling, I saw a father carrying his child over his shoulders, and couldn't help but notice them sharing a J- shaped cone together, with the son eating the ice cream top- bottom while the father eating the same bottom- up.)

written by: Shobe

Taiwan! Taiwan!

Do you love food?? Well, the heck we do!!!

Fortunately, our recent trip allowed us to munch our way around Taiwan=)

Just so to share our tummy filling experience, from street-finds to rated 5 stars… We've decided to make a little compilation of the best treats the country has to offer.

A foodie with deep desire to explore the rich flavors of Asia, but on a tight budget?? Fret not, as Taipei City in Taiwan offers outrageously wide varieties of food at affordable prices.

Read on!

Din Tai Fung Restaurant

A must visit award winning restaurant! You need to taste its legendary Xiao Long Bao 小籠包

Xiao Long Bao

Two thumbs up! You can taste the freshness of the Xiao Long Bao. Its wrap is soft and delicate, paper thin but elastic enough to hold the soup without breaking easily. In devouring this small piece of art, you can actually feel the hot well-seasoned broth oozing while slowly sinking your teeth on the flavorful tender pork meatball.

Fried Pork Chop

A very well marinated, thinly sliced piece of meat.. you can’t stop eating til’ you've savored it all up.

Mango Shaved Ice

This is usually my favorite during the hot season. A mountain of shaved ice covered with fresh mango cubes, flavoring, and condensed milk. (Note: If you live in the Philippines, you won’t appreciate it as much, coz Philippine mangoes tend to be sweeter)

Fried Chicken Fillet

An over-sized chicken fillet, deeply fried till crisp- with generous amount of seasonings added when served.

Pan Friend Buns

Like our usual siopaos, these buns are made of white Chinese dough; However, instead of it being steamed, the buns are pan-fried. Biting-in would divulge a savory porky filling.

Taiwan's Black Bridge Sausage

SOooo addicting! Chunky sweet sausages grilled to perfection..nom nom nom...a must try!

Believe me, even Atchi can't get enough of it.

Foodnotes:

> Eating is the best part of the Taiwanese culture, as small bites are their thing.

> To save you the stomach space, tour the country with more friends... That way, you could share orders which would allow you to try more variants ;p

written by: Shobe

Palawan’s Best Delicacies - Baker’s Hill

“Saan na pasalubong ko?”, a line sooo familiar among Filipinos, commonly chanted upon a beloved’s arrival… from another country, city/ province, or the nearby work office- that’s how cliche it is!

Giving of pasalubong (a present or token) usually connotes an act of love and remembrance, as the gift- giver tends to spend more on goods for loved ones, other than the self. In most case, gifts of this kind come in edible form- as they say “there is no better way to express love but through food”.

In Puerto Princesa- Palawan, the most frequented tourist site is the Baker’s Hill. Located in the barangay of Sta. Monica, the place beams with a Disneyland-like aura- a theme park filled with Disney characters sculpted from fiberglass… Don’t get overly excited with the sceneries, as you might forget the more important reason for the visit- Pasalubong! Allocate ample time for purchases, as Baker’s Hill bakery offers the best sweet treats!

Hopia (Ube) with pork oil- P45

• Light and Flaky crust
• Melt- in- your mouth Ube filling! - tastes like the renowned Ube Halaya

Cashew Brittle

• High quality cashew made crisp with sugar and corn syrup
• Far- better than the common peanut brittle!

Pianono- P45

• Miniature chiffon cake with custard cream filling, rolled in white sugar
• Light- textured and incredible moist

Baker's Hill
Mitra Road, Barangay Sta. Monica, Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Foodnotes:
> Pianono- originated from the Spanish Swiss roll cake called “Pio nono” (which means “pious nine”), made in honor of Pope Pius IX
> Hopia- a popular bean- filled pastry originally introduced by Fujianese immigrants in the urban centers of thePhilippines during the American civil occupation

written by: Atchi

Palawan Exotic Delicacies

“When in Rome, live as the Romans do: when elsewhere, live as they live elsewhere.” – Saint Ambrose

Unquestionably, I think that’s the best way to enjoy one’s travel…

Our world is a place of continuous discoveries, with flowing richness of history and culture. Thus, a traveler could never fully comprehend the locals’ lives instantaneously…

In this regard, we rely on the native food- as “TASTE is the best EXPERIENCE”- Ever heard the saying “Tell me what you eat, I’ll tell you who you are”…??

Well... Food is actually a form of art- a medium of expression and conveyance of a story, idea, emotion, and lifestyle- savoring its taste, smell and touch forms a connection not only with the food, but also with the artists (the locals).

Beyond Palawan’s breath-taking white beaches is the Palaweño cuisine- with striking delicacies that often raise culinary curiosities.

Be forewarned as some may have fear-factor attributes.

Tamilok, also known as a woodworm, is one of the famous Palawan delicacies. It is a mollusk found inside a decaying mangrove trunk. Usually served raw and dipped in vinaigrette. 

For a neophyte (the first one to eat the dish among the group), a minute of focus is necessary, with a lot cheering from friends. Swallowing may be the most challenging part, but don’t fret as tamiloks actually taste better than oysters if served fresh.

Crocodile meat a ”must- try” in the Crocodile Farm in Palawan.

What we’ve tried are: Croc Sisig (Php 160) and Croc Jerky (Php 95)

The crocodile meat was surprisingly delicious; its meat tender, flavorful, and low in calories!

CROC meat- my new favorite!

Irawan Crocodile Farm

near National Highway, Irawan, Palawan

Foodnotes:

> Tamilok looks like a worm, but is actually a mollusk

> The word "Tamilok" as the locals say was surprisingly coined by two Americans. After witnessing the natives eat the woodworms, one of the Americans with utter shock exclaimed, "Tommy, Look!" (Amusing, yet, this account can't entirely be validated in history)

> For the less adventurous, fried tamilok coated in bread crumbs are available in some restaurants

written by: Shobe

Deli-in-a-CAN! - Delimondo

After two years, I’ve grown used to walking home with shobe, enjoying the afternoon breeze… as it soothes the mind and emotions after a looong day at work, a plus—it keeps us physically fit!

Sadly, today was unlike the others, as I marched home- Alone!

What really bothered me was the idea that—while I’ve spent 8 hours working in chaos, shobe was taking trips around Metro Manila- enjoying the pleasure of eating good food!

Being my envious self, I pretty much pre-occupied myself with devilish thoughts of getting even… wait till I get home!

Upon opening the house gate though, the smoke and scent of corned beef cooking in the kitchen welcomed me, immediately extinguishing all plans of mischief…

Delimondo Ranch Style Corned Beef!- a premium corned beef made the old fashion way with 100% pure beef cut in long shreds. Cured with spices through a special process to ensure the distinctive flavor that goes well with your favorite corned beef recipe.

For me—it’s my newfound food of forgiveness! Worst- it comes in a can! (Am I that shallow?!)

Many of those who’ve tried it would definitely agree with me- as the description cited in the can was in no doubt the Truth! Every forkful of corned beef was immensely rich with flavor. Add to that the quality of beef! 

Other products include:

Corned Beef (Garlic and Chili)

Deli Luncheon Meat

Badito de Sardinas

Spicy Tinapa in Tomato Sauce

Callos al estilo Morado

Iberian Chicken Mix

Chili and Garlic: Drizzling Oil

Bacalao a la Mestiza

Foodnotes:

>The Delimondo line is available at the Delimondo stall at the Salcedo Village Saturday Market and at the Petra & Pilar restaurant along Export Drive corner Chino Roces in Makati.

written by: Atchi