TRIED AND TASTED: LAING & KAMOTE-Q ICE CREAM FROM ALAB

Are you into weird food? I am.

Not that I like the taste of most weird food but I like to take my chances. You never know if you come across a discovery of a lifetime.  According to Allison Spiegel, food writer and editor for Huffington Post, chocoalte chip cookies, crepes and potato chips were all discovered by accident.

The hubby was out dining at Alab he texted me if I wanted him to bring home Laing and Kamote Ice Cream, I immediately said "Yes!"  

Why are these flavors weird? 

Kamote-Q or for the less street savvy- Camote Cue, is a street food made of sliced sweet potato fried with brown sugar and skewered on a stick often sold as merienda (snack).

As an ice cream, the inherent sweetness of this street food puts it to an advantage. What you miss in the ice cream is the starchiness you get in every bite of the fried version. I wonder if this would work better if they had swirls of honey or brittle brown sugar crystals.

On the other hand, Laing is a bicolano dish made of gabi leaves, coconut cream, chili and pork.You heard me right... pork! 

I was expecting to gag and spew on the first spoonful but lo and behold... it tasted like Matcha (Green tea) ice cream. There was no trace of pork or chili. It works as an ice cream but it does not taste like laing.

Here's to weird food, the people who make them and suckers like me who will try anything in the name of food.

ALAB

67 Scout Rallos Street, Sacred Heart, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, Philippines

Telephone: (632) 3649631

TASTED: THE PERFECT REUBEN SANDWICH AT HILL STATION, BAGUIO

There is one restaurant that you must visit should you find yourself in Baguio, Hill Station.

This Asian fusion and tapas bar is a  Miele Guide awardee.  Launched in 2008, the Miele Guide is a regional guide to restaurants in Asia that ranks the top 20 restaurants in Asia using a multi-round judging process.  That means, food is taken seriously here at Hill Station.

It doesn't hurt that the place, despite looking very lived-in, is cozily located below one of Baguio's oldest hotels, Casa Vallejo. If you get the tables by the window, you get a great view of the country's summer capital.

 

There is also a foyer at the entrance for those who want to lounge and have a kuwentuhan session  with friends and family while drinking wine or cocktails.

Or if you have the kids with you, this is a sweet spot to have cakes for merienda...

... or to snack on some serious deli like the Reuben Sandwhich made with fresh USDA grade corned beef, topped with meltd cheese and a side of home-made sauerkraut. This just needs to be mentioned- the sauerkraut here is excellent, even better than the "authentic" German restaurants in Manila. it is not overly sour or bland and complements the well-spiced juicy corned beef chunks.  Just writing about it now is creating a Pavlovian response.  I am drooling at the memory of a sandwich. That's how good it is.

But if its rice you like, there's the Lechon Kawali with Laing sa Gata served with ampalaya salad and red mountain rice. You'll surely end up with a clean plate.

 Before you go home, you can also check out their bottled goodies like the Vegetarian Bagoong, guava jam and salsa monja.

Address: Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City, 2600

Telephone: +6374 424 2734

FOOD FIND: LUTONG BICOL... SA SUBIC!

I was on a weekend getaway with friends when we chanced upon this hole in the wall, just right outside the gates of Subic Bay Freeport.

We were looking for home-cooked meal and we saw the ihawan right beside it. Luckily, the ihaw-ihaw place did not serve rice and had no seating. We were 'forced' to order food at 'Leah's Lutong Bicol' so we could occupy a table. And did it turn out to be the best mischance we had for the night because the laing is one of the best I tasted.

 

We ordered Laing, the famous Bicolano dish made of dahon ng gabi, gata and sili.  

Aling Leah, a Bicolana who married and settled down in Subic, shared that her spicy laing is based on a family heirloom recipe and uses only kakang gata (pure coconut cream) giniling na baboy (ground pork). She simmers the ingredients for a long time to really integrate the gata into the gabi leaves and pork.

So, when you find yourself hungry in Subic, go and check out  Lea's Lutong  Bicol.

Address: 525 Rizal Avenue, West Tapinac, Olongapo City
Telephone: 0908-748-8255

Casa Bongga sa Sarap!

To be fed by friends is always a treat. And to be fed by friends who know what a good meal is cause for celebration. Recently had to do an interview with two good friends, P. and A. They are not an item but are BFF's and recently chose to be housemates in a house they christened as Casa Bongga. Both are flamboyant drama queens who can make a pregnant pause give birth to a plethora of scenes fit for an Oscar moment.

 The Casa Bongga drama queens at their housewarming party.

Photography: Frances Makil-Ignacio

When it comes to food, though, they are pretty straightforward. Tasty, filling meals are their specialty.  On my first visit to their French Boudoir inspired house A. made laing, dried gabi (taro) leaves cooked in coconut cream while P. made dry-rub herbed Pork Chop.

LAING

 

The gabi leaves were mushed up to creamy perfection (not watery at all) and the coconut cream was  infused with a lot of chili and the fat of the tender pork that was used to sautee and spices.

PORKCHOP

The chops were the size of a grown man's palm and covered with the herbs used for the dry rub. I only have three words: Crispy, salty, fat.

For the past year, I have lessened my intake of carbohydrates, rice in particular. My visit to Casa Bongga was a major back slide for me, having eaten at least 10 cups of rice, I think. But all the carbs I took in triggered a truckload of serotonin and  made me so dizzy with happiness, everything else after the meal was a blur.

Since then, the memory of that hearty meal at Casa Bongga is one happy place I always go back to when confronted with a lonely styro-packed meal. Thank you P and A for one great food memory.