Melo Villareal
Previous Post: 2nd Ilonggo Night Market and Street Food Hawkers Festival
On our second day exploring Iloilo, around 9 in the morning, we decided to enjoy a hearty brunch at the charming Breakthrough restaurant. Before heading there, we made a quick stop at a lively street-side bibingka cart in Villa Arevalo, eager to sample their freshly baked Bingka—a traditional local rice cake crafted in a rustic makeshift oven, filling the air with a sweet, inviting aroma.
Iloilo Bibingka
However, that stop was far more than merely a food-tasting activity; to me, it felt like a deep cultural immersion, where every moment was an opportunity to learn, observe, and connect with the local traditions and flavors. I cherished every aspect of the experience, from the vibrant sights and fragrant aromas to the stories behind each dish.
Breakthrough is both a seaside seafood restaurant and a tourist spot. It’s a must-visit place for people who want to sample Ilonggo delicacies and fresh seafood. For appetizers, we tried their lumpiang hubad. For the main dish, we had ensalada nga puso, sinugba nga managat, pangat, grilled bihod, sizzling crabmeat, grilled oyster, and ginataang hito. Lastly, to tame our sweet tooth, we tried their buko halo-halo — its own version of halo-halo served in a coconut shell.
Day 2: A Culinary Showdown
After having that sumptuous lunch at Breakthrough, we then went to Robinson’s Place Pavia for the Let’s Cook with Nora Daza Cooking Competition. Four teams from different culinary schools joined. Each participant was required to cook an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. Each dish needed to be inspired by the recipes from Chef Nora Daza’s updated cookbook.
Each team was given 2 hours to prepare 3 recipes from scratch. I was thrilled to witness them use the ingredients, apply cooking techniques with finesse, and plate their dishes. While all the recipes came from the Nora Daza recipe book, the participants made some changes during the cook-off and made them their own. And what they did impressed me more.
The participants prepared mouthwatering food like meatloaf, lapu-lapu relleno, pollo ala naranja, and chicken relleno for the main course; onion quiche, gazpacho, kilawing librillo at labanos, pork kilawin, and rumaki for the appetizer; and leche flan, Pampango fruit salad, fruit tart, and no-bake cheesecake for dessert.
Together with Chef Sandy Daza, Nina Daza-Puyat, and fellow journalist Dominic Galeon, we started sampling the dishes. To be honest, we were all amazed by how delectable the food they prepared was. Although everything we tasted deserved to win, Team La Flamme Bleue, composed of Kevin de Asis, Ronson Baticos, and John Paul G Tolosa, took home the top prize and the Best in Food Presentation award. After awarding the trophies and medals, we went back to the hotel to freshen up.
To cap off our first day in the city, we revisited Robinsons Place Pavia to enjoy the Ilonggo night market and a street food feast. As expected, the place was fully packed with local visitors when we arrived. A lot of people were still lining up to get their food, even though all the tables were occupied.
Fortunately, Chef Tibong reserved a table for us. We then started roaming around the area to get what we wanted to eat. We just had to make our orders, which were eventually served and brought to our table. It was definitely a feast for the palate. We tried all the best appetizers, main dishes, and desserts available in the area. My tummy really won that night.
Day 3: The Ultimate Food Trip
It was now our last day in Iloilo. To maximize our time, we skipped breakfast served in the Courtyard and headed to our first stop, Kap Ising’s Pancit Molo, where we had molo soup, fresh lumpia, and their famous kaliskis empanada.
Located in the district of Molo, Kap Ising serves an heirloom recipe of their grandmother, who started serving pancit molo in the 1920s. Situated within their family compound, the eatery also serves as their commissary. There, we witnessed how they prepare their empanadas.
After finishing a bowl of molo soup, we found ourselves inside La Paz Public Market to check out another famous local eatery Netong’s La Paz Batchoy.
The term “batchoy” may have been borrowed from the Chinese “ba-chui,” meaning “pieces of meat.” Batchoy, for those who haven’t tasted it, is a soup that is composed of a yummy broth—cooked from boiled buto-buto added with chicken breast, intestines, shrimp,s and even pork liver—and fresh miki. It is usually sprinkled with pork cracklings for added texture.
At Netong’s, we ordered another bowl of Batchoy for takeout after dining in. And before leaving the market, we ordered another bowl from Decos. I guess our common goal at that time was to try the different recipes of La Paz Batchoy from different restaurants and eventually compare them.
For our next stop, we visited Popoy’s Batchoy at Iloilo Central Market. This time, we borrowed two empty bowls where we placed the ones we ordered from Decos and Netongs side by side with those of Popoy’s. Three Batchoys all vying for the best broth in town–which one had the most unforgettable taste? Find out in my next post, The Battle of La Paz Batchoys. 🙂
Truth be told, we had a Batchoy overload. We felt we had to give ourselves a fat-free break, so before we went to our next food stop, we decided to visit Jaro Cathedral to hear Sunday mass. It was some sort of a simple thanksgiving for the success of this year’s Ilonggo food festival, the mini launch of the updated version of Chef Nora Daza’s cookbook, and the first cooking competition created in honor of her.
After the mass, we then went to Spring Palace Restaurant, where we had beef stew, steamed crabs, garlic shrimps, and steamed vegetables for lunch.
Eager to indulge in some delicious and visually appealing desserts, we decided to visit the renowned Maridel’s, a beloved pastry shop situated in Plazuela de Iloílo along the bustling Benigno Aquino Avenue. Maridel’s has earned a stellar reputation for its exquisitely crafted, flavorful cakes that delight the senses.
The quaint dessert shop is cozy and intimate, with only a few small tables. Fortunately, when we arrived, we managed to secure one of these tables to enjoy our sweet treats. We ordered a variety of desserts, including the rich and decadent Death by Chocolate, a tangy frozen lemon meringue pie topped with golden peaks, a luscious mango ice cream cake layered with fruity goodness, and several others.
Each dessert was a masterpiece, bursting with flavor and crafted with care. I wholeheartedly agree with the numerous positive reviews—every cake we tasted was absolutely delicious and truly lived up to its reputation.
As we made our way back to the bustling city center in search of our next culinary destination, Chef Tibong suggested we visit Bakery by Louis. He recommended we try their teren-teren filled with savory corned beef and complemented by a hoisin chicken bun.
The teren-teren, named for its resemblance to a train engine, is a beloved, flavorful bread that, according to folklore, is commonly found in local panaderias across the region. Its texture and taste resemble the renowned pastel bread of Camiguin, offering a delightful, nostalgic flavor that invites locals and visitors alike to savor its delicious appeal.
Despite the loads of food we’ve tried, we still managed to carry on with our food trip. We were here for food, so why not make the most out of the remaining time?
And so we continued our food journey. We drove to Roberto’s to taste their famous Queen Siopao. Aside from Biscocho, one thing I always buy as pasalubong from Iloilo is a box of siopao from Roberto’s, which has become a household name in the city.
Located at JM Basa St., Roberto’s first opened on May 25, 1978. Since then, it has become a local favorite even before the food chains started dotting the city. Roberto’s takes pride in its different varieties of siopao, but the most sought-after is the Queen Siopao. Unlike siopaos in other Chinese restaurants, Roberto’s siopao lives up to its word of not needing any sauce to taste really good.
Having satisfied our foodie hearts, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up, pack our bags, and rest for a while. On our way to the airport, we stopped by Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafood at the airport road. The first Tatoy’s restaurant was built in the 1970’s by a local fisherman named Honorato Tiburan Espinosa.
Just like Breakthrough restaurant, Tatoy’s is famous for its seafood and a variety of sumptuous dishes. To mark the end of our three-day Iloilo food trip, we had grilled native chicken, dinuguang manok, sinigang na hipon, grilled squid, lato salad, and chicharon bulaklak for dinner.
Flight back to Manila
I am really fortunate to have visited some of the best food spots and one of the grandest food festivals in the country, which showcases local Ilongo cuisine. All thanks to Chef Tibong Jardeleza for making our visit one that’s worth the while. Many thanks for allowing us to go through this fantastic food tour around the city.
Sometimes, the food we eat evokes nostalgia, especially when we eat it with the best foodie companions. That one bowl of La Paz Batchoy may mean different things to different people. For Ilonggos who almost always frequent restaurants that serve such, it may just be commonplace for everyone to unwind and slurp their favorite broth. For visitors like me, it may mean a go-to place I’d always put on my travel itinerary.
Let me end this post with a food quote by the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti. He said, “One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Till our next food trip!
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