The foodie scene in Tacloban City is underrated.
Not a lot of people know that Warays are foodies. I was really surprised about the diversity of food in Leyte. - Anton, Our Awesome Planet
I didn't know either and I was born and raised there. I guess because it was just our lives and living it. I have not looked at it from another perspective since it was just part of our daily lives. Now that I am away from that life, I am seeing it with new set of eyes. Through Anton's, I have come to a better appreciation of what a charmed life we Warays live and we don't even know it.
When Anton first posted about his trip to Tacloban and looking for secret places to eat and all, I left a comment in his blog, a rather mouthful one per Mano Gerry.
I guess I got so excited that Anton was going to Tacloban. I have seen how he had discovered foodie secrets from other places and read how enthusiastic he becomes talking about them with pictures to boot. I couldn't wait for him to have a taste of what Leyte has to offer. I thought my comment was to introduce him to the foods of Leyte but looking back I think it was also because I was hoping he would feature the places of my childhood, that I miss so much. He sure did and more because I also got to read about the places that I hope to try when I go home. In some sense, he brought me along and it felt like I was home.
So many have changed since I left and so many have stayed the same. Nostalgia and excitement all at the same time. I am glad to know that our lechon is still the best ever with vinegar and garlic. The barbecue stands that I grew up with is still standing and the same family runs it. Boy, do I remember those days when I would look after the bakery and I would smell like smoke because these stands were literally right outside our door. I can actually still smell it when I remember. Their barbecue and our hot pan de sal = perfection. We live far from the city proper but when Papa would have a craving for native chicken, no matter how late into the night it was, we would all pile up in our car and drive to the downtown to eat some barbecue native chicken.
If Papa wanted "tinola nga isda" for breakfast, the only place to go was Yolanda's. Its the perfect place - you are inside a hut, near the beach, actually on the shore. I remember us sitting in our table and buckets and buckets of the freshest seafood would be placed in front of us and we get to picked which ones we want. Its as fresh as fresh can be - the fish is still moving, the shrimps are jumping, the crabs walking along the shore. Its cooked according to how we want it and breakfast is ready. Oh for clarification - our tinola is the same as the sinigang towards the sour kind. Now I shouldn't be surprised that my cousins had shrimps and prawns for breakfast the entire time they were in Tacloban. We were the same when we were growing up. No dress codes at Yolanda's and yup it means you can go there in your pajamas like we usually did since we were most of time roused from our sleep to go there.
Afternoon snack was either barbecue or pancit from Royal Seafood. I still don't know what the lure of these noodles is but it seems there's is no other pancit to eat but from there. Once again, this noodle dish and hot pan de sal = perfection. Another afternoon snack staple was the bibingka along T. Claudio. Anton wasn't able to try the bibingka but I am glad to know that its still in operation and prepared still the same. I will say it again, nothing comes close to it for me. The only bibingka I will eat with so much gusto will be the one coming from here. Its real rice, no shortcuts (I hope so) and none of those added flavors like salted eggs or cheese or sugar. Its plain and simple - rice cooked in banana leaves. Its best eaten fresh from the "pugon" (oven) and butter smeared all over it and watch it melt away. Its only available at a certain time and it is usually gone so fast. I wonder how much the recipe would cost or if they are even willing to sell it. I am willing to buy it, that's how much I love this bibingka. Or learn how to make it at least.
There are a lot of new restaurants in Tacloban now, a very diverse group at that. It seems they can already meet whatever you fancy and I am glad. I can already see and expect to gain weight when I go home. Calle Z for the bulalo. The "purbidang kangkong" from Ocho. I have heard so many good things about Ocho and I know the owner. Rafael Farms too, my family was just there. Jose Karlos, I think my sister Camille is always there.
I am such a foodie. I thought its only now but reading Anton's posts, I realized I have always been a foodie which I have to credit my parents, especially Papa for. We ate out a lot even before and we were not afraid to try new dishes. My parents enriched us about our culture through food which is so not a bad thing at all.
There are so much more so..here it is, discover the foodie secrets of Tacloban.
Our Awesome Planet: Tacloban City - - Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 1)
Our Awesome Planet: Tacloban City - - Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 2)
Anton walked the San Juanico Bridge from one end to the other. I grew up there and I have never done that. I am not sure I would want to either. Just made me realize how much we don't value the things and places around us because we think it or we will always be there. Or sometimes we seek those that are far and wide not realizing that what we had all along and all these times was the real beauty, the real gem. Reading other people's views, a stranger even, changes our perspective about the things we have but take for granted. But its not too late to change that.
Not a lot of people know that Warays are foodies. I was really surprised about the diversity of food in Leyte. - Anton, Our Awesome Planet
I didn't know either and I was born and raised there. I guess because it was just our lives and living it. I have not looked at it from another perspective since it was just part of our daily lives. Now that I am away from that life, I am seeing it with new set of eyes. Through Anton's, I have come to a better appreciation of what a charmed life we Warays live and we don't even know it.
When Anton first posted about his trip to Tacloban and looking for secret places to eat and all, I left a comment in his blog, a rather mouthful one per Mano Gerry.
I guess I got so excited that Anton was going to Tacloban. I have seen how he had discovered foodie secrets from other places and read how enthusiastic he becomes talking about them with pictures to boot. I couldn't wait for him to have a taste of what Leyte has to offer. I thought my comment was to introduce him to the foods of Leyte but looking back I think it was also because I was hoping he would feature the places of my childhood, that I miss so much. He sure did and more because I also got to read about the places that I hope to try when I go home. In some sense, he brought me along and it felt like I was home.So many have changed since I left and so many have stayed the same. Nostalgia and excitement all at the same time. I am glad to know that our lechon is still the best ever with vinegar and garlic. The barbecue stands that I grew up with is still standing and the same family runs it. Boy, do I remember those days when I would look after the bakery and I would smell like smoke because these stands were literally right outside our door. I can actually still smell it when I remember. Their barbecue and our hot pan de sal = perfection. We live far from the city proper but when Papa would have a craving for native chicken, no matter how late into the night it was, we would all pile up in our car and drive to the downtown to eat some barbecue native chicken.
If Papa wanted "tinola nga isda" for breakfast, the only place to go was Yolanda's. Its the perfect place - you are inside a hut, near the beach, actually on the shore. I remember us sitting in our table and buckets and buckets of the freshest seafood would be placed in front of us and we get to picked which ones we want. Its as fresh as fresh can be - the fish is still moving, the shrimps are jumping, the crabs walking along the shore. Its cooked according to how we want it and breakfast is ready. Oh for clarification - our tinola is the same as the sinigang towards the sour kind. Now I shouldn't be surprised that my cousins had shrimps and prawns for breakfast the entire time they were in Tacloban. We were the same when we were growing up. No dress codes at Yolanda's and yup it means you can go there in your pajamas like we usually did since we were most of time roused from our sleep to go there.
Afternoon snack was either barbecue or pancit from Royal Seafood. I still don't know what the lure of these noodles is but it seems there's is no other pancit to eat but from there. Once again, this noodle dish and hot pan de sal = perfection. Another afternoon snack staple was the bibingka along T. Claudio. Anton wasn't able to try the bibingka but I am glad to know that its still in operation and prepared still the same. I will say it again, nothing comes close to it for me. The only bibingka I will eat with so much gusto will be the one coming from here. Its real rice, no shortcuts (I hope so) and none of those added flavors like salted eggs or cheese or sugar. Its plain and simple - rice cooked in banana leaves. Its best eaten fresh from the "pugon" (oven) and butter smeared all over it and watch it melt away. Its only available at a certain time and it is usually gone so fast. I wonder how much the recipe would cost or if they are even willing to sell it. I am willing to buy it, that's how much I love this bibingka. Or learn how to make it at least.
There are a lot of new restaurants in Tacloban now, a very diverse group at that. It seems they can already meet whatever you fancy and I am glad. I can already see and expect to gain weight when I go home. Calle Z for the bulalo. The "purbidang kangkong" from Ocho. I have heard so many good things about Ocho and I know the owner. Rafael Farms too, my family was just there. Jose Karlos, I think my sister Camille is always there.
I am such a foodie. I thought its only now but reading Anton's posts, I realized I have always been a foodie which I have to credit my parents, especially Papa for. We ate out a lot even before and we were not afraid to try new dishes. My parents enriched us about our culture through food which is so not a bad thing at all.
There are so much more so..here it is, discover the foodie secrets of Tacloban.
Our Awesome Planet: Tacloban City - - Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 1)
Our Awesome Planet: Tacloban City - - Top 10 Foodie Secrets of Tacloban (Part 2)
Anton walked the San Juanico Bridge from one end to the other. I grew up there and I have never done that. I am not sure I would want to either. Just made me realize how much we don't value the things and places around us because we think it or we will always be there. Or sometimes we seek those that are far and wide not realizing that what we had all along and all these times was the real beauty, the real gem. Reading other people's views, a stranger even, changes our perspective about the things we have but take for granted. But its not too late to change that.
No comments:
Post a Comment