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In every place you go in the Philippines, there’s bound to be a food specialty closely associated with that place. Otap and lechon of Cebu. Durian of Davao. Piyaya of Iloilo. Buko Pie on the way from Tagaytay. Binagol and moron from Tacloban. Ube jam from Baguio. Balut of Pateros. The list is endless. These food and delicacies immediately jump off your taste buds when those places are mentioned. Continue Reading »

The Filipino word “halo” means “mix” in English, so if we’re to be literal about it, “halo-halo” means “mix-mix”. But just the interplay of the individual, completely distinguishable ingredients of halo-halo, it’s hardly possible to be literal about this food. The final product — the halo-halo — is way greater than the sum of all its ingredients. It’s like carbon to diamond. Continue Reading »

It was a day of firsts. On the first day of 2008, we ate in one of Trinoma’s cluster of restaurants located in what I’d like to call “The Garden”, at the 6th floor (just look for the Cinemas, then you’ll easily spot “The Garden”). It was the first time we, as a family, ate at Fish and Co. It recently opened in December and while I was there during the soft opening, for friends and suppliers, it was free. In other words, the New Year dinner was technically the first time we ate there as paying clients. Continue Reading »

“Durian, the king of fruits, has a special place in the hearts of Davaoenos. It is, after all, one of the greatest attractions of Davao City, luring thousands of visitors to come see these shores to experience the fruit that, some say, “tastes like heaven but smells like hell.” But more than just an attraction, the durian is a delight to the Davaoenos, especially to the lumad community who were surely the first to enjoy it. It is also a “thorny” reminder that there is much to be thankful for in this land. The abundance of nature is never more obvious than during durian season, when the streets overflow with the fruit and locals can be found squatting on the sidewalk to enjoy a simple — truly incomparable — feast.” Continue Reading »

Tagaytay is not exactly near Metro Manila, specially considering the added traffic brought about by the South Luzon Expressway [re]construction, and anyone must have a darn good reason to go up there. When somebody invited us to try Massimo’s, saying this “hidden” restaurant serves great Italian food, I figured that it’s reason enough to go back to Tagaytay. Continue Reading »

It’s probably one of the foods I’ve came to know after milk and infant food. In our place where the sea is just around the corner, kinilaw is usually present at the dining table, and no beach occasion or drinking session is complete without it. In “Kinilaw: a Philippine Cuisine of Freshness” (1991), Edilberto N. Alegre and Doreen G. Fernandez deliciously described kinilaw in this manner: Continue Reading »

While it may sound like an exotic location somewhere in Hawaii, Kalui is actually a restaurant located in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. It’s really not much to look at from the outside, but wait till you get inside. The paintings and art installations, coupled with the cool lights and local-themed interior, create a perfect ambiance. You could choose to sit on the floor and eat with your hands, which we did, and you won’t even notice that there are also other people eating there. Everything else is immaterial — just you, the place and the food. Continue Reading »

Eat anything edible. This is probably one of the tips taught in Subic jungle survival course. I can eat almost anything, except, well, many vegetables. Still, this doesn’t stop me from appreciating good food, specially those with good prices and ambiance. Continue Reading »

It’s really difficult to choose a title for this article. I could re-arrange the words Inasal, Chicken and Bacolod, and that would still be a name of a resturant. There’s Bacolod Chicken Inasal, which has the only website (or, at least, a website I could search). Then there’s Inasal Chicken Bacolod and Chicken Bacolod Inasal, among others. I was about to use Bacolod Chicken Inasal, as this is my favorite, but decided not to use it because others may have their own preference. Southbound, for instance, stakes its claim that Bacolod Chicken House - Still the best inasal! Continue Reading »

If “sutokil” sounds foreign to you, chances are, you’re not from Cebu or haven’t toured Cebu. I’m using Cebu to refer to Cebu province — there’s a Cebu City and a Cebu province, the first being a component city of the latter (unlike Quezon City, which is not a part of Quezon province). Continue Reading »

Pepato’s has just elevated “comfort food” to a new level.

“Comfort Food” is a term we use to dishes that we like to eat when we’re tired, feeling sad or iffy. Our comfort food must be consistently delicious to remind us that there really are good things in life and that there are things that we can rely on. Continue Reading »