Visayas: My First Food Escape Part 1

Last year, I braved Bohol (Chocolate Hills, Loboc, Tagbilaran, Panglao) and Cebu (Cebu City and Malapascua Island) alone. I had so much fun that I decide to do it again. And so I did! Last month, I conquered Visayas alone again (naturally), but this time, I made sure that I will be tasting the town's specialty without going over my budget. The result: Probably a lifetime craving for Inasal (Chicken barbeque) and La Paz Batchoy (egg noodles in a savory broth topped with pork rinds, garlic and onion spring).

First stop: Kalibo, Aklan
I was very disappointed with Kalibo since there's not much going on here to satisfy your craving. Had I not seen a kamayan (eating with bare hands) restaurant while the tricycle driver was trying to figure out where to take me, I would have easily settled with Mang Inasal. The grilled liempo was okay, and I can't even remember the name of the restaurant. The only thing memorable about it was the TV was tuned into Channel 2 (as I would later on find out, the Visayans are truly Kapamilyas much to my delight).

Second stop: Iloilo - Jaro, City Proper, Miag-ao
I took the 3AM bus from Kalibo to Iloilo city to catch the 8AM mass at Jaro City Church. The ride was 4 hours long passing through the rest of Aklan, Capiz and a few towns in Iloilo. I didn't eat during stopovers so as not to spoil my appetite (there wasn't really any option to eat, it was still dawn!)

My first pagkain in Iloilo: Mini bibingkas!
  

There are makeshift stalls for these mini bibingkas in front of churches in Jaro and Molo and they sell for 20 pesos/5 pcs. I may be wrong (and I forgot to ask), but I think it is made of grilled rice for the bibingka base and shredded coconuts (this I am sure of) baked in a make-shift oven.

After the Mass, I dropped by the Original Biscocho Haus to buy some pasalubongs but I didn't really like anything so I just moved on to the main event: The La Paz Batchoy!


More of that in my next entry, for the meantime,whet your appetite with this Ted's Old-Timer La Paz Batchoy with Puto:

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