Fresh buttered shrimp from RML Kamayan

Fat mud crab that the hotel owner gave me

After having seen so much cooked mud crabs, shrimps, fish and grilled chicken used as decor during the Ati-ati Festival in Ibajay, both procession and the street dancing, I was craving for seafood!

When I did reach Kalibo from Ibajay’s festival, I was checking foursquare for food recommndations as well as asked locals: Where can I eat crabs? Unfortunately, locals were telling me that either I buy them or have someone cook these for me.

Fortunately, a Twitter contact recommended RML Kamayan, one of the native food restaurant in Kalibo. When I did arrived there, I was told that there were no crabs that day. Darn! But they did have shrimps. Having been so hungry, I opted for it paired with some cool halo-halo.

The shrimp was fresh, as one can tell from the taste. It was cooked at just the right temperature, succulent and sweet. A plateful gone in a few minutes.

Having been sated, I went back to the hotel. While getting my key, I asked the owner where to eat crabs and, wonder of wonders, she has some. Her daughter brought some from a nearby town and she was willing to give me one!

Nevermind if I’ve already eaten but the thought of savoring the sweet crab meat was just too hard to resist that I gave in and was eating with my barehands. Not a failed attempt!

Ang Langyaw’s Panay Island trip courtesy of Airphilexpress, the fastest growing budget airline in the Philippines that made this trip possible!

A box has nine carefully wrapped pastels in each, ready to be consumed

Unwrapped and naked

Cebu is no different except that the local pastel is from Cebu Cardinal Bakeshop which is located in Taboan Market, popular for dried fish like danggit.

I got a box yesterday which my friend brought. Inside the red, Christmas themed box were nine carefully wrapped pastels neatly arranged. I unwrapped the wax paper with the bakeshop label and it revealed another layer of plastic wrapping. This is to protect the waxpaper from becoming oily.

Yema goodness

A box of nine is a bit pricey compared to the one from Camiguin at P180 but for a delicious pastel, nicely presented with the individual wrapper, its worth it. Its becoming popular and some people already bring these as pasalubongs back home.

Cebu Cardinal Bakeshop
B. Aranas St., Taboan, Cebu City
+63 32 2621729

This is not a paid post. I just loved this product which I tasted for the first time yesterday.

Baskets full of different kinds of dried fish at the Taboan Market

A buyer sifting through danggit

Of course, one can readily go to the supermarket or grocery and buy dried fish that are already packed but where’s the fun in there? Being in Taboan is a different feeling. You get to see mounds and mounds, basketfulls, to be exact, of the items in different colors and forms and smells, freshly brought from Bantayan Island in the north or from other corners of the province.

There are dried squid, small, medium and large, shredded or whole. There are pieces of sweetened fishbones, yes, these can be eaten too. Medallions of fish tocino, translucent and pressed flat. Of course, the usual halved or uncut are there too.

Danggit, a popular dried fish that is best cooked fried to a crisp and eaten with strong vinegar with siling labuyo

Wider view of one of the shops selling dried fish

The market is actually big selling all kinds of things that can be used in the house but the dried fish section is the largest in Cebu. It is possible to buy in kilos here, cheaper than in the groceries. However, to get a good deal, its better to check the shops inside than those found immediately at the roadside.

Other than dried fish, fermented fish products are also available.

Taboan Market is located in San Nicolas district and is accessible by jeepneys and taxis. Most drivers know its location.

A young pawikan swimming at the Pawikan Nesting Sanctuary's holding pen

Maitum is a gem in Sarangani, a young province located at the bottom of Mindanao Island. Before the uninformed and ignorant tremble, nope, this place is as safe as one wants to be and, in fact, there are foreign tourists who shrug off their country’s security warning and venture into this not so visited but beautiful place with interesting history, culture and sights to offer the traveler.

Here are reasons why you should brave up and visit this town.

1 Pawikan Nesting Sanctuary
Ever since Danilo Dequina helped organized the sanctuary way back in 2003, the place has been an important partner in marine turtle conservation with the beaches of Maitum known nesting grounds to five species: olive ridley, loggerhead, hawksbill, green turtle and leatherback, which was last seen a decade ago.

Its a center where travelers and visitors will learn more about the importance of conserving these animals, their biology as well as experience first hand setting free young turtles as they slowly scamper out into the sea.

Inside one of two caves where the anthropomorphic jars were prepared by ancient inhabitants before transferring to the final resting place

Recreated anthropomorphic burial jar displayed at the town hall

Each jar bears a sculptured face said to represent, or has a likeness to the dead person interred. Other jars, without the sculpted head, bears interesting markings and hold other remains.

Its possible to visit the cave by asking the caretaker which lives just opposite the mouth. Although the place has been cleared of the findings, some jar fragments and bones can still be seen inside.

The cache was discovered in the town of Pinol and are said to date from the Metal Age. Recreated samples are displayed at the municipal hall that includes important descriptions.

Water tubing in Pangi River

3 Watertubing fun in Pangi River
Maitum has clean river systems and one of the biggest, Pangi River, is a great destination for watertubing. Tire interiors are adeptly transformed into watertubes with a webbed seat and handles. With the guides, several watertubes are attached side by side and are then floated down the river. It can be really exciting, heart pumping but very enjoyable.

Giant fruit bats resting

4 Bat watching in Pinol
The town of Pinol is a bit distant from the municipal center but it not only has the burial caves but at one area a few meters from the highway are the resting place of fruit bats. During the day, these mammals, in the form of dark sacs, hang from branches of trees. Some are stretching a wing or two or flying to transfer to another branch. Its kind of a surreal but beautiful experience.

A family of Tbolis

5 Encountering indigenous Tbolis
Native Tbolis are not only found in Lake Sebu, a town just behind the mountains of Maitum but they also inhabit the lower slopes near the rivers. During the L’moyg Festival, the Tboli’s come down to perform rituals garbed in their colorful native wear with other tribes living in the area.

Their houses are also interesting as not a single nail is used to build it but woods are tied together using rattan strips.

Bangsi or flying fish dried out in the open

6 A taste of bangsi
Maitum is so proud of its bangsi day old dried flying fish that they have a festival in honor of this fish. Caught off the waters of the town, it is a popular breakfast fare which is fried and eaten with tomatoes and salted duck eggs. For visitors, its good for pasalubong.

To better appreciate your visit to Maitum, better visit the Tourism Office first located at the Municipal Hall. The officers there are really very helpful and goes out of their way for tourists. The town also has one of the well organized tourism initiatives in the country.

This is my entry for the Pinoy Travel Bloggers’s Blog Carnival with the theme Mindanao Bliss. Click on the graphic at right to visit the blog carnival page.

Visit Maitum now and explore this wonderful municipality rich with natural, cultural, historical and natural wonders that will surely make your visit worthwhile. Contact the municipal tourism office via tourism officer Arlex at +63 919 373 8007.

Joemar's Pansit batil patung version loaded with garnish. It's also very delicious.

I was in the NORTH. Up at the coasts of Cagayan and the Ilocos Norte provinces when I was again invited to be part of Lakbay Norte’s 2011 edition, Leg 2, visiting several new and interesting spots as well as reacquainted with some old sites.

I was staring hungrily at the noodle dish just served before me, piping hot and the layers upon layers of sahog (ingredients) was just making my mouth water: crushed chicharon (pork rind cracklings), ground carabeef, slivers of pork liver, mung bean sprouts (togue), scallions, julienned carrots and cabbages on a bed of hand made fresh miki (a type of noodle). A beaten egg, cooking from the heat, topping it all. Making matters unbearable was just the sumptuous aroma filling the small eatery. But I was in pansit batil patung heaven and was ready with fork in hand for my meal.

Pansit batil patung soup

Joemar's eatery is basic but clean and is typical of most batil patung joints. CLICK TO ENLARGE

After a minute or two, a portion of the soup is ladled out and then left to simmer again. Once the broth has reduced, the noodle is ready and is then served on a plate. The meat and stir fried vegetables are then garnished, fresh egg is whisked (batil) and, most of the time, half cooked, then placed on top (patung).

Another version of the pansit batil patung with the soup poured on the noodles

Pamasingo, a sauce that is added when the pansit is eaten

It depends on the person, either one can drink the soup or pour it on the pansit batil patung and just consume with gusto.

Very filling!

Pansit batil patung can cost from P30 to P80 depending on the place, size and number of ingredients included and one should never leave Tuguegarao City without savouring this popular and delicious fare.

Piles of fresh bischoco being readied for packing

I was in the NORTH. Up at the coasts of Cagayan and the Ilocos Norte provinces when I was again invited to be part of Lakbay Norte’s 2011 edition, Leg 2, visiting several new and interesting spots as well as reacquainted with some old sites.

The home of Pasuquin's biscocho. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Biscochoin Spanish means biscuits and in the Philippines, it’s typically day old bread that is toasted, buttered or daubed with margarine and then sugared. It is eaten as a snack paired with either hot coffee or milo and is available in many bakeries or groceries around.

In the town of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, the biscocho comes in three forms: the traditional hard biscuit made from the outer part of the bread, a soft version of the former and the inner core which is called bugas, soft and tasty. Of the three, the soft ones are quite popular that the Pasuquin Bakery has become a sort of landmark in this province with several visitors and travelers stopping to buy their products.

Biscocho's are manually packed

Young bakers behind the scenes

The bakery goes back to post World War II and is currently managed by Manang Pansing. Pasuquin Bakery offers several bread types too and isn’t hard to miss.

Bolinao's binungey

Through the invitation of Micamyx, fellow travel blogger who hails from Dagupan, a bunch of us bloggers went to the northwestern province of Pangasinan to enjoy and discover what this beautiful place has to offer. Bolinao in Pangasinan is far, but interesting. Located at the tip of the province, it has history, culture, food and it’s own language.

Binungey tindera at the front of Bolinao Church

Of course, I’ve been to Pangasinan before, passing the province enroute to my Ilocos destinations. When I had the chance to join Lakbay Norte, I was able to visit the beautiful colonial era Capitol of Lingayen as well as the Hundred islands. Thus, this trip is good to better appreciate the province.

It was Sunday when we arrived in the morning in Bolinao. The centuries old church is just beautiful and full of people hearing mass. However, what captured my attention were the series of stalls selling this Pangasinan delicacy, the binungey. By the way, binungey is malagkit (sticky rice) cooked with coconut milk inside a cut of bamboo tube.

Binungey cracked open

The binungey is well known in Pangasinan. The first time I’ve tried it was during our Hundred Islands trip in Alaminos when it was served to us. While there is no major difference as with regards to taste, the Alaminos binungey only had grated coconut put on top while the Bolinao variant is sealed with banana leaves. Of course, the aroma is different for both.

Like what we do in my hometown of Talisay in Cebu where we have the same malagkit based delicacy sans the bamboo, pair it with ripe and sweet Philippine mango. The best!

Halo-halo de Iloko's piece de resistance, a tall glass of delicious and cooling halo halo topped with ice cream and grated cheese

Thunderbird Resorts invited us bloggers in a familiarization tour of their resort in Poro Point, La Union and took us to the tourism sites in the surrounding area of San Fernando and Luna. It was an opportunity to visit what I wanted to go to: the Pindangan Ruins and the Luna watchtower. It was raining when we arrived in San Fernando from Luna’s Spanish colonial era church and watchtower. Tired and weary from the day’s trip around the province, we were hungry and anything offered as long as its food is always welcome.

Lots of sweet ingredients!

Here, if one gets the bigger order, is served on a big and tall glass. About half is filled with sweetened ingredients while the rest is with shaved ice. It is topped with cornflakes, a scoop of ice cream and a few grated cheese which reminds on of the popular fare of Tiwi in Albay.

As to taste? Just delicious! The different textures of sweetened bananas, the smooth ube halea, the crunchy cornflakes, creamy leche flan coupled with the rest of the ingredients just make this halo-halo version very memorable.

Its quite sating too and a bit heavy on the tummy. Even if it rained outside, I finished this one.

A different take on the popular okoy: squash, onions, malunggay, longganisa, tuna, are just some of the ingredients

Multicolored kropek with their special and secret dipping sauce

At Halo-halo de Iloko, they enhanced the typical okoy. Their version is healthier and fiber rich which is made from squash shavings, carrots and added with longganisa (local sausage), or tuna, or bacon and, of course, shrimp de rigueur. Dip it in their special vinegar and its one crunchy and delicious fare.

Their special vinegar, also sold at the restaurant, also gives life to the prawn crackers that were served us first to stave off our hunger and while waiting for the halo-halo.

Halo-Halo de Iloko is one place in San Fernando, La Union that a traveler should visit. Other than the dishes mentioned above, they have other meal items available, all at affordable prices.

And, oh, by the way, their interior is rather eclectic and it’s a riot of decors. Depending on ones taste, it might be too tacky or interesting for you.

Halo Halo de Iloko
P. Burgos cor. Zandueta Sts.
San Fernando City, La Union
(072) 7002030
0919 388 3145

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I had a pleasant introduction to it with The Peninsula Manila’s basil infused ice cream and it was something that surprised me. The taste was familiar but at the same time it was something new.

Now here comes guava and basil sorbet that was served to us after dinner with the magazine team at The Tinder Box in Crossroads, Banilad, Cebu City. Light but very delicious, something to end a wonderful fare of pasta, pizza and ribs. The taste of the guava is just enough followed by the hint of basil that gives it its unusual flavor. But I just loved it.

The sorbet is from Alexandra Rocha’s line of Pinkerton Ice Cream, home made dessert from Manila and can only be found in Cebu at The Tinder Box. There are other interesting flavors like carrot cake, banana nutella, mango-basil sorbet, honey comb, apple pie and even, margarita. Price per pint starts at P350.

Something to look forward to when I’m back in Cebu.

A twist on california maki?

People have been raving about the Japanese style carinderia that is Joed’s Lutong Hapon (literally, Japanese cooking) with many blogger friends attesting to its tasty Japanese dishes at cheap prices that I got curious with it. Can tasty + cheap = Japanese cuisine go hand in hand?

Yakisuba was swimming in oil. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Taste wise, both were just so so and I was kind of disappointed with the former. It’s not california maki. It’s just ordinary sushi with fish roe, not the typical inverted nori wrapping with the rice coated with the orange fish eggs and was just too rubbery.

The yakisuba also failed to excite my taste buds and was rather disappointed that it was just too oily and tasted flat. The ambiance is also uninviting with the interior, though spacious, is dimly lit.

I’m not sure if I miss something, despite both dishes having must try labels in their menu. Was it just a hit and miss affair? Or, Joed’s is just good for cheap Japanese food and nothing else? Really, I’m not that enthusiastic to go back again and try their other dishes.

Joed’s Lutong Hapon
Don Jose Avila St.
Capitol Site
Cebu City
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