The Philippines is never shy when it comes to food, with its abundant recipes for exquisite flavors that make excellent use of its natural resources! Iloilo City is one of those places that stand out from most, with its beautiful Spanish-era historic sites, as well as the soft-spoken locals, the Ilonggos, that give the city its beloved name: The City of Love, which makes it the perfect place to wine and dine!
In this article, we’ll be talking about five delicious hearty dishes from Iloilo City that will warm your frigid heart!
- Lapaz Batchoy
Rain comes when you least expect it to in tropical countries like the Philippines! Because of this, tons of Pinoys have cooked delicious foods to warm the body, with Lapaz Batchoy being one of Iloilo’s all-time favorites. The thick, hot, savory broth combined with the symphony of vegetables and pork meat makes for a hearty comfort dish to bring life back into you!
- Pancit Molo
A Filipino version of the famous Wonton Soup, Pancit Molo might, for some, taste even better than its inspiration! With the fillings made from ground pork and shrimp, it’s no wonder the dish provides such an excellent blend of savory and sea flavors alongside its key ingredient: toasted garlic. The flavor kick from the garlic makes for a good time for sure!
- Arroz Valenciana
A Filipino home isn’t complete without any dish that makes heavy use of the country’s favorite staple food! Valenciana is Iloilo’s answer to the famous ‘paella,’ and boy does it serve as a great counterpart. With sticky rice as its base, the beautiful meat component that comes from chorizo and pork, and the veggies from raisins, garlic, peas, and bell peppers all combine to form one exquisite dish! This is a must-try!
- Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka (KBL)
If you’ve ever tried the Filipino-favorite known as ‘sinigang,’ you’re in for a treat! ‘Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka,’ more colloquially known as KBL, is an Iloilo favorite for soury-savory foods! Made from unripe jackfruit (langka), pigeon peas (kadyos), pork (baboy), as well as a local souring agent called ‘batwan’ or ‘bautan,’ the dish gives you that oh-so-sweet sour kick you never thought you needed!
- Bitso-bitso
Filipinos are known for their wide variety of tastes, and sweets are plenty to be found within the country! Wherever you might choose to go, you’re sure to find something sweet to satisfy your cravings. Bitso-bitso is Iloilo’s version of a doughnut, with its soft and squishy bread that’s twisted, baked, and then coated with muscovado sugar syrup. An excellent snack choice to scratch that sweet itch!
Iloilo City is a great place to explore your culinary tastes with its fantastic food culture and even more amazing people. Visit the place and see (or taste) for yourself!
Comments are closed.