Out and about: Highlights of Ilonggo food in the neighborhood
In a place slathered by cosmopolitan leitmotifs, our carinderias and kapehan stood strong through the years.
Amidst Iloilo’s gourmet grubs and ritzy malls, the city lives gracefully with its carinderias, kapehan, and local bakeries tucked in just about every corner of the streets. It’s not a surprise that these eating hubs uphold their stay despite the rapid development in the city. After all, Ilonggos crave Ilonggo food, lutong-bahay meals – even the ones who came home from abroad.
“When people eat food, it becomes a part of who they are,” renowned Ilonggo chef, Rafael “Tibong” Jardaleza said. “They associate food from their childhood, even the ones they do not like. Each meal evokes warm feelings that tie people back to their roots,” he continued.
In an interview with Chef Tibong, he mentioned that these hubs have longed carved their names in our city. In fact, he said that these carinderias are the foundation of Iloilo. They’re a tangible link to history which brings up a sweet sense of nostalgia and the Ilonggo identity.
Nowadays, there’s a surge of food patriotism among young people who visited these eateries and take selfies for the ’Gram. Iloilo’s well-preserved carinderias might just beat three-star restaurants in the city.
Benjamin’s Café
Democracia St., Jaro, Iloilo
“Mga 15-anyos pa lang ako sa high School nga nag sugod si Papa sang kapehan niya. Driver lang to siya sang una. Gapangita pa guid ubra pa maka sustenar kami, mga pito niya ka bata.”
“I was 15 years old in High School when Papa started the café. He was a driver back then. He was looking for more work to sustain us, seven children.”
It was a rainy afternoon when Zenaida Jaena, now 74 years old, related how Benjie’s Café started years ago. It’s rather a fixture at Democracia Jaro, given that the café started way back in 1960.
Benjie’s Café was established by the late Benjamin Jaena, who only wanted the finer things in life for his children. He died in 2005 at the age of 87 years old.
The humble café serves your typical Ilonggo food – chorizo, daing, binati nga itlog for breakfast and lunch for students in nearby schools. It’s also a mainstay for jeepney drivers looking for a haven every afternoon after a day’s work.
Zenaida, who’s the eldest of the children, decided to manage the café after these long-toiled years. They sourced out their coffee beans in Janiuay and continue to brew it on their own. Benjie’s Café also serves pancit, tinapay, and hot chocolate among a few.
It’s a quaint café serving local coffee to the community nearby. When asked how they survived throughout the years, Zenaida only smiled and said, “Gracia sang Ginoo.” And, I’ve truly seen that, because I’ve been visiting this place since college.
Pat Pat’s Kansi
Burgos St, Jaro, Iloilo City, Iloilo
A mother’s affection for her daughter brought in a well-known local taste namely, Pat Pat’s Kansi. I wasn’t able to interview the owner, Christine Servando, but locals and personnel well say that her daughter loves bulalo so much that Servando created her homegrown beef stew concoction we all came to love.
The original branch was situated along E. Lopez Street, Jaro, housed in a shabby-chic mansion, before relocating to Burgos St., right beside Bavaria German Restaurant. Their new in-house restaurant oozes with rustic charm and is nestled with a small, manicured fountain area on the front.
What’s more, they also have a branch in Valeria where it’s often crowded with professionals. And what many people don’t know, Pat Pat’s beef stew flew all the way to Manila, at San Antonio, Makati, putting their famous dish in the Metro in 2006.
This signature comfort stew has the right blend of tang and chili, although I can sense a hint of sweetness when served from its flagship branch along E. Lopez St. However, when I take a sip of the soup in their new branch, I could no longer taste that same sugary sweetness.
I always order kansi unod for P115 and an extra bowl of the soup which I like to slather my rice on. You can opt to add calamansi to have that biting flavor to your meal – which I always do. Apart from its signature dish, they also offer quintessential Ilonggo favorites such as pork belly, sisig, adobo, and dinuguan.
Ilonggo food aside – come for the ambiance. Pat Pat’s perfectly capture Jaro’s Spanish-period appeal, yet retrofitted as a design-led restaurant space; remaining relevant to today’s contemporaneousness.
GOING TO LAPAZ
If you pass by Lapaz, the walkway in front of West Visayas State University Medical Center (Don Benito) turns into a flurry of street food inasalan every night. All Ilonggos get a taste of barbecued chicken, atay, and isaw. An array of bananaque sellers and fruits stands down by the Arcade and offers a pick-me-up when your cholesterol is at an all-time high. UPDATE: I think they’ve relocated now 🙁 Please let me know.
If you’re looking for a coffee shop in mid-afternoon, there are no better kapehan than Madge Café located at the heart of the Lapaz Market. It’s probably one of the most ‘grammed café in Iloilo – for a good reason. If you’re an Ilonggo coffee-lover, and you don’t know Madge Café, you’re probably living under a rock.
Madge is the oldest coffee shop in Iloilo, founded in 1951 by Vicente De la Cruz. It caters to the local crowd highly comprising of different personas such as businessmen, politicians, students – and on unexpected days, celebrities. Coffee lovers here are treated to a laid-back ambiance carinderia-style, whipped with culture and heritage.
Take a good sip of their coffee, sourced from Guimaras and Northern Iloilo. Ask them if you could see how they brew their elixir using a culador.
Likewise, on sultry afternoons or drizzling days in the city, people flock to Lapaz Market for a taste of hot batchoy. Perhaps, this is when the market is at its most picturesque – just viewing the locals eating their meals is local culture at its finest. The market is sprawling with different batchoy brands such as Deco’s, Ted’s, Nick’s, and Netong’s among a few. As the day deepens, that slurping sound of the soup gradually fades at Lapaz Market.
Nora’s Eatery
Solis St, Iloilo City (fronting Iloilo Cinematheque)
“Ilonggo food prepared by our mothers, grandmothers, or nannies become the comfort we seek when we’ve felt stressed or just have left the country for work,” Chef Tibong mentioned to me once.
It’s no wonder why the iconic Nora’s Eatery is heavily flocked by the community for exemplary home-cooked meals since 1969. You can expect Ilonggo dishes such as sinugba nga isda, ginisang amplaya, adobo, and sinigang nga baboy. You might be surprised to see its sudden transfer and rehabilitation to Solis Street inadvertent to its original spot by Aduana de Iloilo.
Susanita Galila, the owner, only told me with a poignant look that they have to transfer location after 50 years of situating near the wharf. However, the relocation at Solis St. doesn’t seem to hinder people going to back to Nora’s.
The new establishment serves to cater to newer crowds such as agents, students, professionals, and artists. Various circles and faces sat by Nora’s Eatery just to have to savor their home-cooked meals.
The carinderia now renovated most of its features to fit modernity, nevertheless, anchored its food and heritage through its cooking. Nora’s Eatery is a pedal to the past that started in the early ‘60s with Susanita’s aunt, Nora Palacios, as a mobile stall.
It grew today as an iconic carinderia graced by local celebrities such as the members of the Philippine Basketball Association, politicians, writers, and famous businessmen.
QUICK DOWNTOWN EATS
Downtown Iloilo is home to a lot of quick bites and humble eateries where Ilonggos go for their workday meals and snacks. Head to these tucked gems and have a taste of fine Ilonggo food.
Buho Bakery
This famous hole-in-the-wall bakery is snuggled in an alley along Mapa Street, across Sun Yat Sen. Its famous ‘buho’ or hole is opened to customers if the main establishment is closed. Trisikad drivers goad me to visit the place early morning, best at 6AM, so the bakery can open its small hole.
It actually serves as a precaution and safety measure from theft and robbery. They mentioned that the establishment opens as early as 5:30 in regular days, and 5AM during special days such as Simbang Gabi in Christmas. They serve a variety of bread products at low prices such as Pancho (best-seller), Teren-Teren, Ube bread (which I had for P12), and even Siopao.
Central Market
The Central Market is jam-packed with busy people and unique wares waiting to be discovered. Breeze through each stall and alleyways to sample Ilonggo food. Along the way, you’ll find new delectable delights and old treats that have been threatened by gourmet grubs. Take an eco-bag with you as you go about your market runs and explorations
Rawit’s Lechon Manok
For P380, you can taste this roasted chicken, basted with spices and tanglad (lemongrass) seasonings. The proprietor, Jesus Janeo Jr., and his wife, have been selling their manamit nga manok (delicious chicken) for almost 40 years. It’s been visited by celebrities such as Jessica Soho and famous lifestyle writers of Manila. Never leave the market without Rawit’s native lechon manok!
The stall is now managed by the younger generations of the Janeo family and has grown extensively over the years. They have a kiosk by Delgado Street and a mobile cart around Sambag Jaro located at the back gate of Central Philippine University.
New Deleonian Caféteria
Located at Iznart St., Iloilo Central Market, this time-old café has been around for ages, challenging coffee lovers with its unique taste. Mornings are set on a perfect ambiance with a Deleonian coffee on hand and an asin nga itlog for breakfast.
Glory’s Café
I’m not talking about the hip, third-generation Glory’s Café found in Diversion. I’m talking about an alfresco experience at their flagship kapehan at Central Market. For over 70 years, this family-owned experience stayed true to its traditional barako coffee serving.
Dumalag’s Single Double Eatery
Quezon St., Iloilo City
“Wala na kami da sa Central Market. Medyo magastos. Mas maayo di amon position sa Quezon kay malapit sa mga tao.”
“We’re no longer there at Central Market. It’s a bit pricey. It’s better here at Quezon because we’re closer to the community,” said Frederico Dumalag Jr., proprietor of the linaga-an since 1981.
He mentioned that his father, Frederico Dumalag Sr. started as a meat preparer and griller and used the leftover meat to make stew and other braised recipes.
In the face of modernization, the Dumalags are yet proud of their humble beginnings, having survived 38 years in business. Their customers come from different walks in life, he said.
“Ara sa amon si Mayor, mga taga radio stations, mga estudyante , kag mga ululubra sa palibot,”
“We have our Mayor, people from radio stations, students, and professionals around,” Frederico said.
Local dwellers often visited the place and order a single-double menu. By “single,” they meant one serving – “double” is when they want two or more orders. Aside from linaga, the eatery also offers famous viands such as sisig, kaldereta, and dinuguan. Trust me, a single order of linaga with extra soup on the side is enough to make my stomach satisfied.
Other famous Ilonggo food
Linaga-an
This sour meat-based stew is rather famous here in Iloilo. There’s an array of them in Mandurriao Plaza namely D’Original Tata Linaga-an and Luis Linagaan. The former is established by Tata Elizandro about 30 years ago and offers a variety of meat-treats such as kansi unod, pata, and dinuguan.
Meanwhile, you’ve heard of Luis Linaga-an located at Diversion Road in front of SM City. They offer a 24-hour opening time for meat pata and linaga lovers out there. Known by a few, their original branch can be found around Mandurriao Plaza.
Pancit Molo
Just about any restaurant offers pancit molo. From your local carinderia to mall restaurants, this home-grown Ilonggo food is another favorite during rainy days. Molo is where you can find this popular food, where its namesake came from. If you’re looking for the best Pancit Molo in town, head to Kap Ising at South San Jose, Molo.
Siopao
Roberto’s at JM Basa St. is still the king (or rather – queen) of siopaos in Iloilo City. But if you want to venture for more siopao finds, I suggest Kong Kee near Roberto’s, and Dinagyang Siopao at Arevalo, Villa. Don’t worry if you can’t ride to Villa, Dinagyang has an outlet at Mary Mart’s! Dinagyang siopao starts at P23 for their pork regular and P30 for a chicken jumbo.
