Despite the proliferation of restaurants in Metro Manila offering Ilonggo staples from chicken inasal to batchoy—many are even branches or franchises of well-known Iloilo establishments—the ongoing “Diwal-icious Visayas: Bounties of the Sea” food promotion at Mandarin Oriental Manila’s Paseo Uno is still a rare treat for the metro’s foodies.
For one, the breadth of dishes on display is just enormous such that I doubt if anyone could get his fill of the Ilonggo specialties on offer in just one visit. I certainly couldn’t, even if I purposely didn’t partake of the regular offerings of Paseo Uno’s buffet. There are 45 dishes—from appetizers to desserts—prepared for the festival, although not all of them are available on the same day as they are on rotation.
While the more famous Ilonggo specials like batchoy, molo and chicken inasal are included, there are many dishes not usually available in Manila restaurants. And even if they are, chances are they won’t taste as authentic as the ones served here.
There’s an unmistakable freshness in the flavors of the dishes, befitting Paseo Uno’s ala minute buffet concept. Even soups, like the chicken binakol, have that un-processed taste; the use of coconut juice both cleanses the palate, while tempts it to try more—from the fresh lumpiang ubod prepared on the spot to the comforting “KBL” for kadios, baboy and langka. There’s kansi, which uses beef short ribs for added flavor, while the dessert spread includes varities of native bibingka and the yummy yema cake.
But the star of the buffet is seafood, from the well-balanced kinilaw to the grilled blue marlin, so unlike the “dried up” slices served in fast-food places.
And among the salmons, crabs and prawns, the one that easily stands out is the diwal, also called angel-wing clams.
For a time, the supply of diwal dwindled such that it “vanished” as a staple delicacy, even in Iloilo. A local government program to rehabilitate the white, wing-like shell saved it and now, the numbers are slowly growing.
Still, the diwal is a seasonal item and quickly sells out in Iloilo’s markets. This is the main reason the Mandarin chose to run the promotion for a short, one week, since it couldn’t guarantee supply of diwal for a longer period.
Moreover, the diwal served at the hotel are not the small varieties; they are pretty large and so sweet and juicy that the other shellfish offered in the grilling station like the scallops and oysters pale in terms of taste. Definitely, it is the diwal that will drive customers to Paseo Uno.
In charge of this special promotion is guest chef Pauline Banusing, who has become a culinary ambassador for Iloilo cuisine. She is known for her restaurants in Iloilo, such as Al Dente, the first Italian restaurant in the city, and Maki, which serves Japanese. She also opened the Freska chain in Metro Manila.
While she has been featured in other Metro Manila hotels—this is also her third time at the Mandarin—one doesn’t really tire of these dishes. This kind of promotion always gives foodies a reason to splurge.
“We look forward to welcoming Pauline back to Mandarin Oriental,” said Rene Ottlik, the hotel’s executive chef. “Visayan seafood is so distinct to the region, and we’re incredibly excited to bring these delicacies to Paseo Uno.”
And hopefully, she will be back again—soon. --Vladimir Bunoan
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The Ilonggo food festival runs up to September 25, for both lunch and dinner. The buffet is priced at P1,818+, while Friday and Saturday dinner is priced at P2,200+, inclusive of Paseo Uno’s Luxury Buffet. There will also be a special cooking class on September 25 at 9 am at The Tivoli. Priced at P2,800 nett, the class will feature chicken inasal; batchoy; kadios, baboy at langka; prawns with aligue sauce, and Ilonggo-style kilawin na tanguige. A light breakfast, as well as a lunch featuring the dishes demonstrated, will also be served.
IN PHOTO -- Chef Pauline Gorriceta-Banusing(top photo), Iloilo’s culinary ambassador and celebrity chef. Above right, Steamed Kalibo Prawns
