NEGROS OCCIDENTAL: Foodtrip and Pasalubong

When I hear of Negros, especially Bacolod, delicacies that come to my mind are inasal and napoleones. First one is due to being commercialized by a fastfood chain and spread all over the country. The latter one is because my officemate lives in the nearby Talisay City where he brings boxes from Pendy’s everytime he gets back to Manila. With sugar plantations abound the island, no wonder they offer the sweetest treats and as we landed in Sugarlandia, we listed our must-eats. It was a food trip indeed and exclaimed “Namit gid!” Here are some of the delicacies we’ve tasted:

1. Napoleones

This sweet treat is a version of French mille-feuille, made up of layers of puff pastry and filled with custard. The recipe was brought here in Negros and soon made in the kitchens of rich sugar barons. Now, you have different brands to choose from. Among those napoleones I’ve tried, I prefer Pendy’s due to its custardy filling.

2. Piaya

You can buy this in different sizes and flavors, too. The original filling is muscovado tucked in a crisp flaky flat bread. When I first time heard of mango flavored-piaya, I immediately bought few packs and took back home. You can taste the sweet mango filling and best eaten when hot.

3. Inasal na Manok

I’ve tasted commercialized inasal but when if want authentic one in Bacolod, head to Manokan country to taste their chicken offerings. We went to Aida’s as recommended by TripAdvisor as one of top-rated restaurants in the vicinity. Price of dishes are below Php100. We ordered pechopak (chicken breast with wing), tina-e (intestines) and some isol (chicken butt). Taste was utterly different and since I’m a chicken lover, I devoured all the meat until the inedible bone is left. Sarap to the bones!

4. Bicho-bicho

The bicho-bicho I know is a sponge-like elongated donut sprinkled with sugar and eaten hot, until we went to Talisay City public market to grab some breakfast. I looked into little sugar-coated treat and asked what’s called: bicho-bicho. We ordered few pieces and I ate one. At first, it reminded me of carioca but sweeter and rich in coconut meat fillings. The sesame seeds add crunch to every bite.

5. Bingka Pie

Another must-try that we bought in market is this pie. It is a round fluffy pie with coconut meat strands inside, topped with cheese and baked to perfection. We bought a piece for sharing at it was very fulfilling. Our hungry tummies were satisfied as this breakfast gave us energy for our itinerary for that day.

6. Guapple Pie

The heritage El Ideal bakery stands along the highway so it was perfect for our morning arrival at Bacolod-Silay airport to grab some breakfast. This pie is similar to apple caramel crumble pie like from Banapple’s, only the core is made up of tart guapple (large variety of guava) slices. The lightly sweetened crumbs at the top complements with the rich pie filling. I ate it with order of unlimited brewed coffee and milk for sweetness.

7. Baye-baye

I would call this “naked espasol” as this bar is made of pound malagkit (glutinous rice) and sweetened with absence of flour, where espasol is rolled into prior to packaging.

8. Kansi

It was time for lunch that we decided to grab it at Sharyn’s in Bacolod City. We got lost at first but after asking the locals of the vicinity, we found it and saw people lining up for orders. We got our table and ordered a bowl for sharing. The aroma of the dish engulfs this hole-in-the-wall eatery and we’re famished already. This Ilonggo dish is a cross between bulalo (beef stew) and sinigang (sour stew). The souring agent used is called batuan, a local fruit used in their home-cooked dishes.

9. Half-Moon

Pendy's bestseller is a light and fluffy sponge cake that is topped with a creamy bright yellow egg custard.  Being cut into crescent shaped—hand sized snack, they called it half-moon. The custard was smooth and creamy and served as a nice foil to the airy chiffon cake.

10. Grilled Ensaymada

Another Pendy’s offering is their ensaymada that was grilled on top, making the color burnt brown. The taste of butter complements with fluffy brioche, and really melts in your mouth

11. Cakes from Calea

I would say that the flagship Bacolod pastry shop is Calea. Their cakes and pastries are must eats especially the bestsellers Chocolate Mud Pie, Blueberry Cheesecake and White Chocolate Cheesecake. Conveniently located along the national highway, some tourists even take out cakes to be brought back to Manila and other places.

12. Snacks from 21 Bar and Restaurant

After basking on a rainy afternoon, we sought refuge and dinner at 21 Bar and Restaurant. We would like to order their bestseller batchoy but because it was out-of-stock then, we opted for Chicken Oriental Salad, Pancit Molo and Mushroom Cheeseburger. They have hefty servings and we even shared as they can’t finish it all.

Chicken Oriental Salad

Pancit Molo

Mushroom Cheeseburger

13. Paluto at Hyksos Tulahan

It was dinner time when we checked the paluto restaurant at Bacolod City. We bought first the ingredients at neary market good for 3: fish for tula (clear soup with scallions) and shrimps for halabos (pan-cooked with little oil). I love the comfort soup of tinolang isda and crunchiness of hipong halabos. Perfect to end the tiring day.

 Tinolang Isda

Hipong Halabos

14. Homecooked meals

Our dear friend brought us to Victorias City to have a day tour. Then after a tiring day tour, we were served Ilonggo dishes such as linaga (beef stew), KBL or kadyos-baboy-langka (pork stew with pigeon peas and raw jackfruit), chicken adobo with pineapple tidbits, and grilled meats. I got curious and asked our host the ingredients of each dish.

What a great Ilonggo hospitality! Madamo gid nga salamat! Namit gid sang ginluto. J

I wanna try other delicacies but due to limited budget, for sure when I get back, I’ll try more of what I missed. Before departure, make sure to take home sweet treats from Sugarlandia! Stores below are just in the airport. J

From Bacolod to Manila with love!

LAGUNA: Food Trip and Pasalubong

This province by the lake is famous for homemade dishes, sweet treats and other crafts known for every city and town of its domain. As I frequently pass by this province, I make sure to visit and try some of their well-known delicacies locals and tourists rave about.

1. Puto Biñan

If Calasiao has bite-sized version, then Biñan has their own pizza-like version of this delicacy. Made mainly of pound rice flour, milk and cheese, this is the well-known product of this city and the best makers are found in Brgy San Vicente, where the PNR station is located.

2. Buko Pie

This pie was invented in Los Baños and famous stalls are located at Brgy. Anos. Buses plying the highway will take stopovers just to buy these freshly-baked goodies. This stall sells one of the best pies I've ever tasted.

3. Yema Cake

A simple cake made from egg yolks and milk smothered over chiffon cake slices, this dessert is a favorite by the locals and this is a staple on every occasion in San Pablo City. Aside from yema cake, they do have equally famous chocolate cake that can be bought at an affordable price.

4. Kinulob na Itik

Victoria town is famous for duck-raising activities, so they produce duck eggs turned mostly to salted eggs as well as duck meat. Famous dish concocted is kinulob, which is a way of cooking duck meat by slow-cooking in an airtight-pot and put in an open flame for hours then deep-fried. The result is a crispy skin but juicier meat without the stench.

5. Bibingkang Alsa

When you ply the Luisiana-Cavinti road, you'll see stalls selling these oven-baked treats and put in cubic pandan baskets. One time, we went to Hulugan falls and the market road of San Salvador have these bibingka vendors, as snacks for day hikers or pasalubong after the long trip. It is different from the usual fluffy variant, as this is quite similar to tupig. Instead of grilled in hot charcoals, it is baked on a makeshift tin oven where the mixture is put in clay pot, lined with banana leaf.

6. Espasol

This sweet treat is usually wrapped in paper cones drenched with generous amounts of rice flour. You can buy these from bus vendors or from roadside pasalubong stores in Laguna. Alaminos, Pagsanjan, Luisiana and Nagcarlan are famous for making these rice puddings. Among these towns, Nagcarlan has a concentration of making the best of these in Barangay Yukos.

7. Uraro

A very light biscuit made from arrowroot flour and dissolves in your mouth. It's like the soft version of puto seko. I can eat a pack of these! Perfect for a hot coffee or tea in the afternoon, or a snack while buying native slippers in Liliw's main street.

8. Ampaw

Ampaw Pinipig is one of the local produce of Biñan where it is used to be served in many varieties. Biñan used to have vast fields producing rice so this snack is one of the delicacies they offer, adapted from Chinese.

9. Pospas

Pospas is a famous comfort food in Biñan similar to lugaw but it is cooked with chicken and innards, served with toasted garlic, spring onions and pork crackling. One might lace it with calamansi juice and patis (fish sauce), depending on individual taste. 

10. Camote de Leche

This is the famous dessert served by Calle Arco Restaurant in Pagsanjan (near the arch).

11. Pancit Maciang

Maciang's is a renowned panciteria in San Pedro Laguna since the early 50s that is known for its unique taste. It is a pancít dish with proven, egg, and ketchup.

12. Pancit Tagapo

A must-try pancit in a barangay at Santa Rosa City, Laguna.

13. Ube Halaya

This delicacy is sold at Brgy. San Marcos, at a stretch of road between San Pablo and Calauan, Laguna.

*Ben's Halo-halo

One of the best halo-halo I've tried! It originated in San Pablo and it uses gelato ice which makes their halo-halo more smooth and flavorful. You can have the original one or spicy variety.

*Tuding's Porkchop

An institution in Laguna, this restaurant started breakfast meals but became famous for their porkchop meals. Tuding's Porkchop House originated in San Antonio, Biñan City. But due to their patrons coming from outside of Laguna, their San Pedro City branch became famous due to proximity in Metro Manila.

Every town has their own specialties. It's great that I try them one product at a time. :)

#RiseHighLaguna