Make Iloilo a City Wonder

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Devouring Seafood at Allan's Talabahan

          If there’s a place where I could feast on seafoods while not hurting my pocket, Allan’s Talabahan in Oton, Iloilo would be the perfect spot. This is the right haven for a weekend eating experience most especially for barkadas who still depend on their parents for their allowance. Just like me, saving a part of my baon when I was a student was so “sulit” since aside from walking out of the simple yet cozy resto with a full stomach, you  got to smell, taste, and gobble down your favorite ocean delights.

          And what can I say? I am a “Pantat” boy. Thumbs up to their oh-so-meaty grilled mudfish, if you really call it a mudfish. I didn’t even taste a hint of soil. To tell you the truth, my friends and I devoured it up to the last bone. Dipping it in my toyo with calamansi made it more gratifying.

         Though I am not really a fan of talaba, theirs abided with my palate satisfactorily. Of course, I had to fully masticate it because the first time I ate talaba in a friend’s birthday party, I didn’t chew it properly that I ended up having diaarhea the next day. And I thought a softdrink was the remedy to my watery disease. Haha!!!

          What you shouldn’t miss in this humble seafood house is their baked talaba. The melted butter that surrounded the flesh and the seasoning that came with it made the sweetness irresistable to partake. Mind you, its smell was already satiating. What more with taste, right?

          My all-time favorite grilled squid was also available. Its juicy and delectable savor was heightened by the onions seasoned to it. Perfectly manamnam!

          If one isn’t craving for seafood like my friend, Angel, the restaurant also offered scrumptious porkchop and other preparations aside from seafoods that are surely to be enjoyed.

         After half an hour, our table seemed to be cleanly swept. Turned out we really had a satsifying fill. When we went out of the place, we laughed as we compared whose belly was the largest of all. Aside from the delicious meal Allan’s Talabahan offered us, the company of good friends made that day more appetizing to eat. I will definitely come back here soon.

Amigo Plaza Iloilo Made Me Smile

            The renovation of Iloilo Amigo Plaza Mall made it hipper and more spacious for its customers to shop in. It is actually filled with fashion boutiques from which you can choose a variety of trendy clothes, shoes, and accessories. Branches of Mang Inasal, Bench, and Blue Jay Cafe' are also located inside. Adjacent to it is a grocery stop where I love to eat siopao for a quick fix to my hungry stomach.
            If you want to sit for a bit to stretch those tired feet, there is also a small bakeshop situated within where you can take a break and munch a yummy bread or two. I just love how this simple pasyalan looked so fresh and relaxing to the eyes. If you want to cool down from the heat and pollution brought by the city, anyone can just pass here and stroll for a while. And yes, I admire its comfort rooms - clean, wide, and stylish. A sort of a lotto game is also played here where you can get lucky enough to go home with big bucks. I tried to play twice but sorry, luck wasn't on my side on that certain day. It's funny how you wish all the numbers you've marked will show up on the screen.

            I kind of missed the old Amigo though. When I was in highschool, my friends and I bought our flutes for our music class in one of the Chinese stores housed here before. And we also used to purchase some cheap exchanged gifts in a store located on the 2nd floor of the Old Amigo. Unfortunately, I don't know where those shops transferred.
            With the cool ambience and lots of finds to scour, plus the company of great friends, Amigo Plaza surely made me smile.

Ice Scramble and Pizza at Sta. Barbara

         My cousin and I drove off to the main town of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo in search for food for our gurgling tummies. I bet you'll never starve strolling through the kalyes and kantos since a number of humble restaurants are just around the corner, waiting for guts to satisfy.
          By the plaza, we spotted Chico Shade, a refreshment built around a Chico tree. The walls inside were lined with bamboo and of course, you can see the Chico trunk rooted right in the middle of the space.

          We ordered bihon for about Php 60 which was already good for three starving mouths. For our drinks, we tried its popular ice scramble for Php 15 which I think to be the tastiest, milkiest, and smoothiest ice scramble my tongue has ever slurped. They also serve pansit canton, batchoy, cakes, halo-halo, and juices that came in lofty glasses.
          Chico Shade is the right haven for budget-conscious eaters who desire a satisfying meal or meryenda. No wonder many students from nearby schools get to have their delicious fill here.
          A few walks away from Chico Shade is Dogsdale, a small pizza restaurant popular to the residents in the place. Aside from the different pizza sizes that you can choose from, the pie comes in two basic types of preparation - the ones with white sauce and the once with red sauce. My cousin and I tried their Dogsdale Solo White Special for Php 40 which tasted like your perfect home-made pizza coated with delectable melted cheese and topped with pepperoni, hams, and onions. They also have various sandwiches to select from.

          After an exhausting shop in the town's grocery stores or a perspiring transaction in its government halls, people can stop by these two refreshments for a very rewarding munch.

Mang Inasal for my Hungry Gut

         Sometimes, I'm wondering what's inside my stomach. After I eat something that would fill my hungry tummy, I would again be anxiously looking for food for the next hour or two. At times, I'm wondering if I have diabetes or something because I know there are three things evident on this disease: Polyuria (persistent urination), Polydipsia (excessive thirst), and the last one which could be my great dilemma, Polyphagia or insatiable appetite for food.
          Well, If I'm hungry, I'd really go out of my way to look for something to munch even if it's the last bread in the tupperware, or the cold spaghetti in the refrigerator. But I will not dwell on my eating dilemma for now. I'll speak about how to really satisfy my appetite whenever I'm in the city strolling and in the middle of nowhere, my stomach begins to rumble as if my intestines would like to stick out of my belly and independently grab a food on their own.
          A restaurant in Iloilo that would surely make my intestines calm down is definitely Mang Inasal. It is famous for its "unlimited rice" offer so you sure to feed yourself in the most satisfying way that you can. Its chicken barbecue comes in really large cut such as the Pecho and Paa part in which you can dip it in soy sauce with Calamansi. With the rice, I used to put some chicken oil in it so it becomes a Java rice (caution to hypertensive people though, too much oil and "asim" is bad for your health).

80 pesos, unlimited rice. Hmmm, yummy!!! Super busog!!!

          Whenever my barkada or family go out in the city of Iloilo, one of the really top choices of restaurants that we want to dine in is Mang Inasal. A hundred pesos is worth it for your craving and hungry tummy. My cousin even consumes 3-4 rice. That is why I hate myself because I can only manage until the second rice. And then, after I finish eating, I would then become hungry about 2-3 hours later so I'll search for some food kiosks that would alleviate my crazy gut.
          Ilonggos are proud of Mang Inasal because it has already many branches all around the Philippines and Pinoys love it. I guess the reason for its success is because "inasal" has become a culture in the nation's food tradition. I remember eating my first Mang Inasal Chicken at Robinson's Iloilo with my highschool friends. I'm really not sure if this is the first branch to open but what I'm truly certain is that, it was born here in the city of love.

Who wants an extra rice?

           Aside from the uniforms of the employees, I really love the Filipino vibe when you dine in Mang Inasal because you can see a lot of Pinoys from all walks of life come together and deliciously munch on their inasal with their bare hands. Simply, Hahanap-hanapin mo. I guess, my stomach's calling me to feed him again....grrrr.