What keeps me coming back to Iloilo, other than ‘batchoy’

Rafael “Tibong” Jardeleza Jr.’s invitation to visit Iloilo was hard to refuse. Knowing that the trip would again entail new eating discoveries and visits to my favorite joints, I immediately accepted.

‘Carinderia’

Tucked below two huge billboard ads, in the garage of an old corner house, is Muling’s, a street-side shack run by Michael Angelo Ledesma. It’s a humble business he started with his dad, Romulo aka Muling, at the Jaro Plaza back in 1987.

The 40-year-old home cook continues his late father’s legacy by serving dishes many locals have recognized them for—duck estofado with saba bananas and potatoes, linagpang na bangus, pata with a potent broth, and pinamalhan, a dry stew of fish cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and other spices.

When the pandemic hit, Ledesma and his siblings were forced to close their stall at the plaza due to safety protocols. Now, they sell their fare at two places—in the garage at 9 a.m.5 p.m., then back at the plaza from late afternoon until night.

Two particular dishes in their repertoire piqued my curiosity: nilabog na pagi, stingray sauteed in annatto, ginger and lemongrass then simmered in coconut milk; and the inubad na manok, native chicken cooked in the fashion of tinola then topped with loads of chopped banana pith. The former carried a potent flavor and color, while the latter was tamer in taste. Both sated my never-ending craving for regional cuisine.

Private dining

Balai Vittorio, located in Cagbang, Oton, started as a small bed-and-breakfast three years ago. But when sisters Vivien Clavel and Leda Clavel-Cervas got a lot of inquiries from people who didn’t want to check in but wanted to enjoy their food, they decided to open their place and offer private dining.

The menu is varied and

I have always been impressed with the creativity and skill showcased at the Tabu-an Western Visayas Ilonggo Heritage Cooking Competition

extensive. Their maiden offering was talaba and sinugba na baboy-all-you-can, which lured crowds. Eventually, Vivien added pizza, pasta and even a Spanish menu, highlighted by her preservative-free homemade pudpod. Her Ilonggo breakfast is a hit, especially among foreigners. There’s pansit molo,

chicken adobo flakes, and the classic combo of ibos na suman, pajo (mango) and tsokolate na batirol.

The siblings want to make the Balai exclusive and intimate so guests are advised to reserve and preorder at least two days prior to their visit. What’s great is that they have a big compound, which allows for grand events. A debut for 40 guests has been their biggest thus far.

And since Vivien also has a line of plates, utensils and an assortment of tableware (all of which she happens to sell online), she guarantees that no setup will ever be the same, making their dining experience unique and indeed special.

Local talents

Now on its eighth installment, the annual Tabu-an Western Visayas Ilonggo Heritage Cooking Competition pitted talents from different parts of Visayas who cooked unique interpretations of local dishes under three categories—appetizer, main and dessert. Held at SM City Iloilo South Point, this year’s anticipated event had contestants from Aklan, Antique, Bacolod, Guimaras and,

of course, Iloilo.

In the seven years that I had been invited to judge this contest, I have always been impressed with the creativity and skill showcased by the competitors. This year’s batch, though, has been the best thus far, based on the techniques they presented, their inspired plating, the innovation and concept behind their dishes and, most of all, the pride they showed when they presented their entries.

There was a steamed roll made of tugabang leaves stuffed with crab and corn; a binakol and linagpang hybrid where native chicken was cooked inside a bamboo over hot coals; a sabutter, vory tart shell made with taro;

baye-baye, a specialty of Pavia that came as pucks of young coconut and rice; adobo nga darag; nilupak accessorized with tino-tino; and binabak, a specialty of Antique.

Out of 10 teams, one emerged victorious. The group headed by chef Ariel Castañeda placed in all categories and consequently took home the overall champion trophy. His oysters three ways (spicy adobo, zesty

kinilaw and creamy bechamel), chicken and pork roulade with latik, and suman stuffed with shredded adobo were the judges’ unanimous favorites.

For dessert, chef Gayle Armada, who joined the competition for the first time, made her winning version of sinakol, a grated coconut and cassava number strewn with crumbled salted egg and kamias jam, and steamed in bamboo.