Category Archives: Come Taste My Philippines

Timplang PROBINSYANO

21 Friday Jul 2017

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I am such a huge fan of Chef Poch Jorolan‘s authentic sukang paombong (aslam sasâ to Pampangueños) or nipa palm vinegar that I order at least 4 big bottles regularly. I even blogged about it a couple of years ago when he first came out with it — https://aboucheamused.com/2015/04/23/getting-a-kick-o…r-sukang-bulacan/ ‎

Now, Poch has given it proper branding and added a Spiced variant. To date, Poch Jorolan has purveyed, not just his vinegars, but also selections of his family kitchen’s favorite Kapampangan food, aside from delicacies from other provinces, under the brand PROBINSYANO.

And what partners well with sukang paombong? Pork Barbecue, of course! Specifically, the famous Benito’s Barbecue, from the heritage recipe of the founding father of Everybody’s Cafe —Benito M. Santos. He happens to be Poch Jorolan’s maternal grandfather. His barbecue boasts of beautifully tender pork cuts, — not tough at all or maganit, unlike other bbq brands I’ve tried — marinated in a special blend of spices and other secret ingredients. Every bite presents you with a perfectly balanced blend of sweet, savory, and smoky flavors. Just the way I like it. And the Santoses’ culinary legacy is faithfully carried on by Poch, his mother Pette Santos Jorolan, and his sister Namee.

In a way, Benito’s Barbecue brings me back to my happy childhood, reminding me so much of my own beloved grandfather, who himself was Kapampangan and a terrific and talented cook to boot. With or without the sukang paombong to dip in, Benito’s Barbecue is simply awesome! Manyaman talaga! This…  this is the timplang Kapampangan… timplang Probinsyano!

You can find these and other Probinsyano food and delicacies at the Everybody’s Café stall at the Saturday Market in Salcedo Village, Makati. Or if you happen to be in Pampanga, drop by Everybody’s Café. You can also check out their facebook page — https://www.facebook.com/probinsyano.ph/ or email your orders through probinsyano.food@gmail.com. There are many other delicious food products offered by Probinsyano — from traditional Ube Halaya to bottled Gourmet Tuyô in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Go try them all. Although I’m hoping that one of these days, Poch will also sell his delicious morcon. (hint, hint).

 

Fish Be To You

07 Friday Apr 2017

Posted by in Come Taste My Philippines, Food Glorious Food, Seafood

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It’s that time of the year again. The Lenten Season. When our culinary thoughts turn to fish and seafood for the table, especially on Fridays. Some would think it’s a penitential sacrifice to abstain from meat for a whole day. But, for me, it’s not at all. Filipinos are spoiled with choices of fish and seafood in our country. And there is nothing like fresh seafood, no matter how you cook it — fried, poached, baked, grilled, steamed, pangat, paksiw, sinigang, daing, smoked or tinapa, dried, stewed, and even “cooked” in vinegar or lime juice like in kinilaw or ceviche. Yes, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Especially in the seas of the Philippines, which are blessed with over 2,400 species of fish. This does not include other marine life such as shellfish and seaweeds.

As a little girl, I used to hate going to the palengke with my mother in Quiapo and at the Seaside Market in Baclaran to buy fish. And now, who would have thought I would come to enjoy going to fresh fish markets all over the country? Poking, smelling, peeking at the gills. At the Farmers’ Market in Cubao. The Seafood Market in Real, Quezon. Cebu’s famous Taboan Market. The Tagbilaran Fish Market in Bohol. And when I can’t go to these faraway fish markets, our own neighborhood Saturday Market (with chitchat and exchange of recipes with my favorite Lola Fishmonger) and South Supermarket in Alabang.

Aside from the usual bangus (milkfish), lapulapu (grouper), and galunggong (round scad), I love discovering the other hundreds of fish our seas, rivers, and lakes bestow on us. And the second best part of fish marketing is swapping and discussing recipes with the local vendors, who are always eager to share their own favorites. Seeing the eager look in their eyes as they describe how they cook their favorite seafood dish is such a joy. And then trying out the recipes on the fish I bought from them, especially the ones I just learned about that day. Like hiwas, otherwise known as chabita or chabet. In English, it’s a moonfish. Boiled in a sour stew (pinangat) and then deep-fried until super-crunchy that you could eat even the fins and tail, it’s a favorite in Batangas. Second only to tawilis.

Anthony Bourdain once wrote in his book “Kitchen Confidential” many years ago not to buy fish on Mondays as the fish markets in New York were closed over the weekend and, hence, Monday fish stocks were not fresh. But we are fortunate here in the Philippines. Being an archipelago with rich marine resources, our fishing industry is incredibly active that you can count on getting fresh fish and seafood every day, even in supermarkets. I do prefer to buy early in the day so that the fish are as fresh as can be, given the “commute” they had to make.

The abundance of our fish and marine resources is something we must be profoundly grateful for. And must take great care of. Other countries are not as blessed. I can only wish and pray that greed, over-exploitation, ignorance, and mindless disregard will not deplete these blessings.

And, on that note, fish be to you and grace from Him.

Top 10 Food-Faves — Part 1

10 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by in Come Taste My Philippines, Food Glorious Food, Restaurants, Yum Shots

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I’VE noticed that in these recent years, the Philippine food scene has been energetically transforming itself into such an exciting and richly diverse smorgasbord of cuisines and food styles! Not just in Metro Manila, but even out in the provinces. Nowadays one could pick and sample a myriad of culinary choices, from the basic and beloved Filipino dishes to popular regional dishes as well as international fare from Japanese-Peruvian fusion to Yugoslavian homecooked meals.

So I decided to list down 10 dishes which absolutely amused my bouche in 2015. It was tough to choose, but I narrowed it down to 10 dishes that I enjoyed so much, I would love to have them again and again. And here are the first 5 (not necessarily in the order of taste preference):

Suman Espesyal Combi by Aling Aging from AGING’S FOOD DELIGHTS.  No, it is not pronounced as age-ing but as a-GING, accent on the second syllable. Suman (glutinous rice cake cooked in sweetened coconut milk) may seem so run-of-the-mill Pinoy but this one is really special. The way the suman is cooked here is perfect. The texture is evenly soft and moist — no need for added sugar — sticky without being gluey or gummy. Much like the sticky rice cakes of Thailand. And the level of sweetness is just right. But what makes it brilliant is the filling of well-made halayang ube AND leche flan! Each roll of filled suman is wrapped in banana leaves, to keep it fresh. They have no dine-in restaurant. Just a take-out shop, which is located on 17 Pasig Blvd. in Bagong Ilog — from the northbound side of C5, turn right towards Julia Vargas Bridge and it  should be around there. I understand the suman products get sold out very quickly, so it is advised that one orders at least 2 days before. The landline number is  671-0172 or you may text at 0929-8410424.

While we are on the subject of Pinoy kakanin, there is another specialty that I often crave — Tibok-tibok from Susie’s Cuisine in Pampanga. This is the traditional Kapampangan rice pudding at its best. Made with real carabao’s milk and glutinous rice flour, tibok-tibok derives its name from the way the mixture bubbles up on the surface as if there’s a heart pulsating beneath — as in tumitibok-tibok — which indicates that the pudding is done. It is served with latik or toasted shredded coconut. To most, it is just like maja blanca, except that this is made with carabao’s milk, which gives the pudding a naturally salty flavor and a smooth and silky texture that’s heaven in the mouth.

I suppose you could say this is Pampanga’s version of al fresco dining? The restaurants are all designed to create an outdoorsy ambience, with bamboo-themed furnishings, in an effort to make the diner feel like he’s dining in a farm. That is what Apag Marangle essentially means. A table out in the farm all laid out with good food. And one favorite example of that is Apag Marangle’s Nasing Marangle, which literally means “farm rice”. But it’s rice fried in pork fat drippings (you read right — pork fat!!!) and topped with pinakbet cooked in bagoong alamang, then further topped with chunks of crispy lechon kawali. It sounds so simple but the dish has layers of flavors and textures that make it one of my favorites. The original Apag Marangle is all the way in Bacolor, Pampanga along the Olongapo-Gapan Road but, thankfully, they now have a branch in the heart of Makati at the Park Square.

From Central Luzon, our food trip now takes us to the Visayas for a taste of Negrense cuisine. One dish my tummy remembers with great fondness is Sarsa Kitchen+Bar’s Sizzling Kansi. Kansi is Bacolod’s variation of Batangas’s Bulalo, but with a tangy twist from batwan. Batwan is a distinctly Ilonggo fruit, round and green, that is used as a souring agent for broths and stews, like sinigang, much the same way kamias or sampaloc is used. Sinigang na bulalo? Sounds odd, doesn’t it? But let me tell you — it’s the bomb! Sarsa takes this beloved dish even further. Their Sizzling Kansi is served on a cast-iron platter, fresh and sizzling-hot from the oven.  A  slice of bone filled with rich marrow rests on a bed of tender chunks of beef shank and the whole thing is generously covered with batwan-based gravy. It’s an oddly brilliant balance of umami and sourness, with the batwan gravy cutting the unctuousness of the marrow. Sarsa can be found at The Forum in BGC and on Rada Street in Makati.

Now we move on to modern East-meets-West cuisine, starting with my next fave — Torched Salmon Donburi at Your Local, which prides itself in its superb approach to global fusion cuisine with Asia at its base. This dish is one of its best-sellers, judging by the long queue of orders the chefs have to prepare every day, every meal time. Thick slices of Norwegian salmon, seared with a torch outside but still moist and tender inside. They are laid on a bed of wild black rice mixed with shiitake mushrooms and topped with mentaiko aioli and topped with tobiko (flying fish roe), then dusted with powdered seaweed and chopped scallions. One bowl is a deliciously complete and filling meal in itself. Your Local is located at the ground floor of the Universal LMS Building on Esteban Street in Legaspi Village, Makati. As yet, they do not accept reservations and it’s almost always full. ALMOST always. So you’ll just have to take your chances on getting a table or be willing to wait until one frees up. Whichever you choose to do, know that it will be worth it.

(Part 2 to be continued…)

Getting a kick out of the perfect Paombong Vinegar — Sukang Bulacan

23 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in Come Taste My Philippines, Kitchen Essentials

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authentic Sukang Paombong

I love maasim! It’s a rare true-blue Pilipino who doesn’t love the taste of asim. And we use several pampaasim (or souring agent) for our favorite dishes. We have fruit — sampaloc (tamarind), kamias, santol, batwan. And we have vinegar. So many kinds of vinegar to choose from, in fact. Sukang Iloko (made from sugarcane), Sukang Tubâ (made from coconut), Sukang Pinakurat (made from fermented coconut sap but spiced up with mountain-grown “kulikot” chilis in Mindanao), many other variants of spicy vinegars the most famous of which is Iloilo’s Sukang Sinamak. And, of course, there’s Sukang Paombong. Or as I knew it in Pampanga, Sukang Sasâ (made from nipa palm).

Sukang sasâ is what my Kapampangan grandparents used to put in their dishes, such as paksiw, sinigang, dinuguan, etc. I’ve been craving it for quite some time now, but somehow, the ones I’ve tried simply did not measure up. They did not have that distinctly flavorsome sourness that my tastebuds recall.

Then Poch Jorolan came along.

Poch Jorolan, himself a chef, is the scion of the Santos-Jorolan family that established and still runs the famous and much loved Everybody’s Cafe, which is regarded as the go-to place for classic Pampanga cuisine. Poch gave me a bottle of authentic Sukang Paombong/Sasâ to try, which he and his partner, son of Bulacan’s esteemed food historian and culinary icons, Ka Milagros Enriquez, have developed. It is called Pamana ni Ka Mila Sukang Bulacan.

I didn’t realize then that Sukang Sasâ (from Pampanga) and Sukang Paombong (from Bulacan) were actually one and the same. The marshy environs of Bulacan and Pampanga are ideal habitats for the nipa palm, which is called sasâ. And sukang Paombong is named after the municipality of Paombong, Bulacan, where nipa palm vinegar-making was once the primary industry. The 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, however, had decimated most of the nipa palm plantations of Pampanga; that is why, for many years, authentic Kapampangan sukang sasâ was difficult to find.

Nypa_fruticans_Blanco2.386

This botanical illustration is from Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository

Now I’m no professional taster but I do love my vinegar. So I figured tasting vinegar is similar to tasting wine. I poured about 10 ml (or 4 tablespoons) of the vinegar into a small glass cup and swirled the liquid to bring together the vinegar’s natural aromas. Then I inhaled. The aroma was just how I remembered sukang sasâ smelled. Sour, of course, but not too sharp. It has a gentle kick — a full-bodied, well-rounded flavor and just the perfect amount of acidity which other vinegars do not have. I slurped a bit of the vinegar — the sourness was touched with just a nuance of sweetness and a delicate woody taste. I love it! I love it so much that I just have to drink it after soaking — yes, soaking, not just dipping — my favorite grilled liempo, daing, tuyô, tapa, chicharon bulaklak, tokwa’t baboy, and… well, you get the idea! (I bet you guys do the same thing.) Yes, this is the vinegar I’ve been searching for! Dacal a salamat, Poch.

To all vinegar lovers like myself, you’ll be pleased to know that Pamana ni Ka Mila’s Sukang Bulacan will soon be available at the outdoor weekend markets in Salcedo Village and Ayala Alabang Village. But for now, if you’re interested, you may get in touch with Poch Jorolan directly. To order, SMS him at 09175108961 or email him at poch168@gmail.com.

Ask him, too, about the Nipa Palm syrup, which is an all-natural and effective remedy for allergy, especially allergic rhinitis. I’m getting some of that, too.

The Cheese Club’s homage to our local fromages.

15 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by in Come Taste My Philippines, The Cheese Club of the Philippines

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When I think of cheese made in the Philippines, I can only come up with kesong puti. Square white blocks of very soft, slightly salty cheese, made from unskimmed carabao’s milk, usually wrapped in banana leaves, and often eaten at breakfast sandwiched in hot pan de sal. Is that it? Is that all the cheese we make, I wondered?

At the recently-held March gathering of the Cheese Club of the Philippines, I was delighted to find that it spotlighted and paid tribute to our local cheeses. And one of the cheesemakers featured was Olive Puentespina’s Malagos Farmhouse Artisanal cheeses. In the past few years, fine locally-made cheeses have been finding their way to our plates — at our neighborhood Saturday Market, at the Wine Depot, in Rustan’s supermarkets, and in some restaurants like Chef Cyrille Soenen’s Brasserie CiÇou. They were from the Malagos Farmhouse Artisanal Cheeses of Davao. My favorite was their ricotta drizzled with a little truffle honey, which harmonized divinely with my sparkling rosé. There were also superb French-style goat cheeses created by The Goatary of Negros Oriental. The goats bred and raised here come from the Anglo-Nubian milking stock recognized worldwide for their high-quality high butterfat content and creamy flavor. Then there was that velvety and delicious fresh mozzarella from Bacolod created by the international cheesemaker Casa del Formaggio. (I want!!! Where do I buy this, I wondered?)

It is certainly wonderful to see that traditional, artisanal cheese-making is now making inroads in our country and we can now enjoy a range of fine Philippine-made cheeses beyond our customary Kesong Puti. That evening was definitely an eye-opening and palate-pleasing affair.

Ang BALUT. Bow.

16 Tuesday Oct 2012

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Doesn’t look like much, does it? It looks just like any ordinary egg. But do not be deceived — the balut is for the consumption and enjoyment only of the gastronomically daring and the adventurous. And if you do dare, I assure you that once you taste it, you’ll be an addict … for life! Like my Singaporean friend Symon Ler.

I remember when I was a child, as dusk settled over the city, the ambulant balut vendor, like clockwork, would walk past our house, shouting in a distinct melodic tone “Balu-u-u-u-t!!!” My Dad loved it and would enjoy one with his daily beer before dinner. The whole ritual of eating it fascinated me. First, he would determine the “butt” side of the egg and crack it gently, enough to peel away a small hole. He would then slurp all the hot ducky broth through that hole — very noisily, if I may add — before peeling away more of the shell to reveal the golden yolk and ducky embryo inside. He would then proceed to eat all that’s inside — except for the toughened albumin, which my dog would happily dispose of. I eventually learned to love balut. And at one point in my college days, it became one of my food obsessions (more about that in another post) that I would skip a class and my professor would find me sitting by one of the campus kiosks, demolishing up to 5 baluts at a time, washed down with Coke!

Way back in 1997, I even “defended” it in a Salon.com column called Mondo Weirdo.  Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods on the Discovery Travel and Living channel, said in one interview, “I found it actually quite ordinary in the sense that it tasted like a hard-boiled egg with roasted duck inside of it. I really quite enjoyed it. It was surprisingly good in the sense that I was prepared for it to be stranger to my palate than it really was.” Nowadays, balut has become more than just a culinary curiosity. It’s been made “haute-cuisine-ized” into a soufflé, cooked adobo style, or deep-fried (called tokneneng, which is eaten with chili vinegar).

Balut is NOT unique to the Philippines. The idea of eating fertilized duck eggs came from the Chinese who traded with the Philippine islanders a long time ago. It seems most Asian men back then (and maybe until now?) believed that eating balut enhanced their virility! Really? Their virility needs enhancing??? Anyway, I read that the Vietnamese, who also got it from the Chinese, prefer the chick in their balut, which they call hot vit lon, a little older— with feathers and bones already developed!!! Anthony Bourdain tried the Vietnam version and, no, he wasn’t that sold on it. I wouldn’t go for a boiled egg with a half-incubated baby duck inside either. For us Filipinos, the ideal balut should be only about 17 days old. That is what’s called “balut sa puti” (“wrapped in white”) — the white is the albumin, which is the source of protein food for the developing chick embryo. Although pronounced as balút, with accent on the second syllable, the root word balot means “to wrap”. So, the albumin is not too hardened and the chick inside should not be mature enough to show its beak, feathers or claws, and the bones should be undeveloped.

Just goes to show — different yolks for different folks.

photos from Kinabuhayan Cafe/B&B

02 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in Come Taste My Philippines, Flashback

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We came here to Kinabuhayan Café and B&B way back in 2005. Owned by movie production designer and self-taught chef Jay Herrera, it is one of the destinations of the Viaje del Sol art and culture tour of the Southern Tagalog region. It is located in the Herrera family’s ancestral estate and sits at the toe of sacred Mt. Banahaw.

The second photo shows a 3-storey treehouse built on and around a tall and ancient sampaloc (tamarind) tree. It’s so high up, the mountain breezes provide free-flowing natural air-conditioning while you snooze!

You can tell by the offbeat arrangement of artwork and decorative objects that you are in a very creative space. No corner is left unimagined or artistically put together. A broken blue vase half sunk in a duck pond. Mountain breezes play music on the wood and metal chimes which hang from every cabana. Ornately carved wooden chairs and tables usually found indoors are set out in the open.

We stayed in two cabanas — the ground level area has only 3 walls. What should be the 4th wall is left open. A room-sized net provided the buffer from mosquitos while allowing the mountain night air blow cool and fresh. No TV, no phones or cable (I’m not sure if Jay provides wifi now) – just the pets and other creatures and your traveling companions to provide entertainment. Each cabana has its own ensuite toilet and bath, which has no roof. In the morning, the sun shines right through while you take your shower and other ablutions.

If you wish to stay overnight, you can. For FREE! Simply pay for the day’s 3 meals – lunch, dinner and breakfast, which Jay prepares himself. Each meal costs around P500.

The food Jay creates and serves are singular in every way, using locally-grown ingredients. He made us a fantastic dinner with tricolore pastas made up of Penne Arrabiatta (with hot chillis fresh-picked from the Kinabuhayan garden) + Spinach Fettucine with Laing as sauce (Laing is a classic Southern Tagalog dish made of gabi or taro leaves and stalks cooked in fresh gata or coconut cream and chilli) + Fresh Papaya Salad that looks like pasta but is actually made of sweet and semi-ripe (manibalang) papaya fruit, shredded and topped with salsa. He even makes his own desserts like this one that we had: Sweet yam (camote) – baked, caramelized, and diced – topped with fresh coconut cream and chocolate sauce. Accompanied with wafer-thin
crisp camote chips! And the breakfasts are simply hearty and wonderful.

To contact Jay Herrera, you may call or text him at +63916.2215791

Flashback to Kinabuhayan B&B and Cafe

29 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Come Taste My Philippines, Flashback

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By the end of 2012, the Multiply community site will be closing down. Which means we members will lose all our posts, photos, albums, blogs, etc IF we don’t back them up now. As in now na now na! Since there are precious memories and special experiences chronicled in that site that I simply do not want to lose, I am reposting some of my favorite pieces here, starting with my trip with the family to the town of Dolores in Quezon province one weekend in May of 2005. We stayed at…

Kinabuhay B&B and Cafe, owned by production designer Jay Herrera and his friend Winston Herrera. Here was my original piece about it:

It’s not at all your typical touristic B&B. Of course, each cabana — or kubo, if you will — has its own ensuite toilet & bath and a loft as sleeping quarters, complete with mosquito net. You can even choose to stay in the 2-storey treehouse! But don’t expect the usual “hotel” amenities like air-conditioning, etc. Think RUSTIC, although I did hear that they now have cable TV in each cabana. There was no such thing when we were last there. Kinabuhayan is for people who don’t mind roughing it a little (just a little) and are open to taking in unfilteredly clean and cool mountain air and communing with the great outdoors (and its denizens, too, if you’re “open” enough). It can be as close to nature as you can get, albeit comfortably. If you are open to trying the place, I suggest you bring insect repellent, though, unless you want to be THAT close to nature and have bites to prove it. Don’t worry, there are mosquito nets provided in each kubo, whether you like to sleep up in the loft or downstairs in the veranda/lounge area. And you will sleep. Soundly, deeply. The dark of night is very dark. And you cannot help but be lulled by the slumberous sound of swaying bamboo trees that surround you.

But the “roughing it” is more than compensated by the amazingly delicious gourmet meals that Jay Herrera whips up from his own secret recipes. He describes his dishes as “Pinoy food with a European twist”. This was the first place I had discovered the delicious combination of pasta with classic Laing (fresh taro/camote leaves cooked in spicy, coconut-creamy sauce)! And breakfast? OMG, the breakfasts! Divine!!! So good that even if you’re not a breakfast person, you’ll eat it all up, especially if you intend to go hiking, trekking, exploring, photographing, biking, jogging, etc.

The hostel looks pretty plain and ordinary outside. But inside, it’s like entering another world. Unstudied bohemian. Quaint in an offbeat, very artistic way. Faded photographs of family. Antique chairs and tables and decor. Imaginative and well-selected dinner ware. A broken blue vase lying on the pond. Ducks and dogs strutting aimlessly everywhere. And especially at night, the place feels as mystical and mysterious as the magic mountain of Banahaw that it looks up at. Do not be perturbed if you hear footsteps and laughter in the dark and find no one there. Just say “good evening” to the darkness and go back to sleep.

“You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?”

To this day, Mt. Banahaw is still closed to trekkers and pilgrims. It has been closed and guarded since 2004. To help the mountain cleanse itself and heal from the desecration, destruction, and indignities wrought by negligent, irresponsible, disrespectful, and litterbug visitors. But we did manage to get to the “first level” at the foot of this mystical place, which remains open to the public. It is called Santa Lucia. One just has to climb up and down the 259 steps that have been roughly and unevenly carved onto the mountain to get to the streams. Hell on the thighs and calves, but my mother (who was 78 back then and considered the oldest city-lady to make the arduous trek) managed it, with the help of a swig from water drawn from Santa Lucia’s springs every now and then. The people at the entrance to the mountain applauded my Mom when she finally took her final step onto level ground at her return from Santa Lucia, unscathed and unfatigued.

I did discover, to my dismay though, that my photographs of the various puestos (sacred prayer spots) were all blanked out, except for one. I remember the Banahaw people who watched me take shots had looked at each other knowingly but I just shrugged it off as the indulgent amusement of rural folk. Now I know they knew something I didn’t.

Come Taste My Philippines — Talbos Ng Kamote

24 Friday Aug 2012

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Talbos ng Kamote

The ubiquitous camote plant. Everywhere I walk in our neighborhood, chances are I will always come upon a patch of camote plants, either growing wild in an empty lot or deliberately planted in a home-style garden for that household’s consumption. It’s just like the kangkong — also called swamp cabbage or water spinach — which grows year ’round and grows lush in wet areas like swamps, marshes, and waterways. But with the camote or sweet yam, you can dig up the rootcrop and enjoy it many ways. You can caramelize it for dessert (with a dash of Tanduay Rhum maybe, if you prefer a little kick), boil and dice for halo-halo, fry it as chips, cook and eat it as part of a viand, or even bake bread or a pie with it.

I’ve seen residents and their household helpers walking the streets carrying a bunch home! Many times I myself am tempted pull out and harvest a handful or two of the humble talbos ng kamote (camote tops or the shoots and leaves of the sweet yam) to bring home and have for lunch or dinner as a salad.

To make a simple salad, I steam or poach the talbos for a few minutes. And rinse them immediately in cold water and drain afterwards. Then I mix some diced raw onions and tomatoes. Then for the dressing, just a balanced blend of kalamansi and bagoong na isda (I prefer the ones from Pangasinan, rather than from Balayan). The salad is a perfect partner with crispy danggit maybe or daing na bangus or any fried or grilled seafood.

So down-home simple and easy yet so good!

Kay Sarap sa KaLui

29 Sunday Jul 2012

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It was my first time in Palawan and I stayed in its capital city of Puerto Princesa. Progressive and almost bustling it may be, the city still retains its provincial charm and unpretentiousness. However, I did notice that there are several enchanting choices in restaurants and bistros. One of them came highly recommended by a dear friend — KaLui. It touts itself as “the most famous and best value restaurant in Palawan”.

Eponymously named after its owner Luzerino Oliva, familiarly called Ka Lui, the restaurant is designed like a stretched-out native house of bamboo and solid wood. To enter, one has to take off one’s footwear, as in age-old Filipino (and for that matter, Asian) custom when entering anyone’s home. It does sort-of make one feel right at home, barefooting on the well-polished wood floors, I suppose. And the place really does feel homey in an over-the-top sort of way, with interiors so colorful and artful to the point of almost kitschy. Even the restrooms are thoughtfully designed. Of course I can only speak for the ladies’ room 😉 One part of the restaurant is serves as an art gallery which exhibits the works of local artists. There are a few phallic objets d’art discreetly placed here and there, one of which is often “held” yet unrecognized by many a customer, judging by the sheen of its surface.

Seafood is KaLui‘s main specialty. FRESH seafood! The repertoire may be limited as compared to the usual restaurant but one can always expect the seafood to be nothing less than the freshest catch of the day. And Palawan is a veritable treasure trove of the most wonderful seafood — from tuna, grouper (lapu-lapu), maya-maya, pampano to eels and rays, from clams and mussels (especially the endemic tamilok) to lobsters, prawns, crabs, and latô (seaweed).

KaLui gives diners the choice of the “Special of the Day” and the “Choice Catch.” These dishes are created from whatever freshest catch and ingredients which Ka Lui and his chefs find that day from the market and their fishermen suppliers. And from there, he decides on the best way to prepare and cook them. The evening I went, we had the crunchiest latô salad, dressed only with a squeeze of calamansi… grilled lobster, zested up with a fresh marinara sauce… beautifully seasoned and grilled tuna steaks. They even do justice to the simplest of vegetable dishes, like tempura and pinakbet. Carnivores may feel a little frustrated — KaLui rarely serves meat on their menu. The restaurant also stocks a good selection of South American wines for those, like me, who want fine vino to complement the excellent meal.

The next time I find myself in Palawan, I would definitely make it a point to dine here again. Fine fresh food, delightful ambience, good service, and reasonable prices — what more could one ask for? My bouche is happily amused!

KaLui is located at 369 Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City, along what I suppose is the city’s restaurant row. They rarely accept walk-ins so it is best to make reservations early: 048 4332580 or +63928 7539621.