Recognized in 2023 as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Iloilo City has a lot of must-check culinary offerings… though among the regularly mentioned are batchoy (yep, we’ve had that, too, via Netong’s) and pancit molo. The search for the latter led us to Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo, which – while offering what we were looking for – is actually more than just a resto, but a historical gem that just happens to also offer culinary gems.

So, how was the visit to Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo for us?

@outragemag Mixing history with #tsokolatedebatirol and #pancitmolo dring this #LGBT trip to #Iloilo ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the place is quite far from the city, huh! It is accessible naman, since jeepneys travel to the area, and – for those with budget – Grab can take you there, too. But that we had a hard time getting a taxi to return downtown should tell you how far this place is.

Ikalawa, the actual place is historical. Designed by the first parish priest of Molo, Anselmo Avanceña, the house was built in 1865 for Don Fernando Avanceña and his wife Eulalia Abaja. Declared in 2015 as an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines, it is now a museum with a resto.

Ikatlo, the house can be toured for a fee.

For ₱150, you will be mandated to watch a video telling you of the history of the place, before being allowed to check the house itself. This tour will end in the resto, where you will be served with tsokolate de batirol and a bowl of ugoy-ugoy (a kind of layered biscuit topped with sugar). This is unli, so you can drink as much as you want.

For ₱220, you can add pancit molo to the food to be served to you.

Ika-apat, kumusta ang food?

Prepared while we watched, the tsokolate de batirol was richly thick, though it was also milky and somewhat sweetish. Hindi nakakasawa.

The biscuits were good, ideal accompaniment to the tsokolate de batirol. They were crisp and yet, while disintegrating, weren’t powdery.

The pancit molo was 50-50 for us. On one hand, the dumplings were prepared well naman, with enough meat wrapped in not-easily-disintegrating wrappers. But on the other hand, the soup was quite salty; and that’s coming from us who are okay with salty food.

If there’s a must-try in this place, it’s their papaya slices and juice. Supposedly grown in a farm in nearby Guimaras, they are so sweet you’d think they were sugared.

Is Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo worth visiting? Yep… for the history, some of the food, and so on. Though if we’re talking pancit molo, baka sa iba na lang.

And so, while thankful to Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo for the history and culinary lessons, off we go in search of more lafangan venues…

Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo is located at 20 Osmeña Street, Brgy. Sta. Felomina Arevalo, Iloilo City For more information, contact 0947 891 1467, or email lolarufina1865@gmail.com.

The Grab driver told us that the “downtown” area of Iloilo City has moved, from the older city center not too far from the city hall and provincial capitol, to the commercial area of Mandurriao. This shift means many of the older attractions are ignored, if not forgotten. And among these is Roberto’s, popular for selling siopao (hot buns) since 1978.

@outragemag Have you tried the supposedly best #siopao in #Iloilo? We #LGBT ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

With good word of mouth (and not just from the Grab driver, but also from the hotel’s staff, bank security guard, and so on), we checked the maker of, supposedly, the city’s “largest best-tasting siopao”. And kumusta ang experience namin?

Una, the place is easy to find. Locals know about this place, so – if you ask – you will be guided accordingly. Not that this is needed, actually, since the place is located in the historic street of Calle Real, a.k.a. J.M. Basa Street, which tourists tend to pass through if checking the older parts of Iloilo.

Ikalawa, the resto is old, complete with old furniture, those old mirrors, old photos and tarpaulins pasted on various parts of the resto, and so on. I doubt people visit for the glam, however.

Ikatlo, they have a karinderya system. Here, you are supposed to queue to order, and then find your own table/seat. The place can get full, so that take-out orders are common.

Ika-apat, the workers are… impersonal. No engagement of customers happens here; just order and pay.

Ikalima, kumusta ang offerings?

1. There are four types of siopao: the ₱180 Queen, ₱150 King, ₱100 Jumbo and ₱60 Regular. Aside from the size (e.g. the Queen is the biggest, at least they’re not patriarchal), the fillings also vary. The Queen, for instance, has bacon, Chinese sausage, chicken-pork adobo, and egg; while, for the King, remove the bacon). Yes, the siopaos we got were bigger-than-usual. And the dough used was soft. But, taste-wise, they were… not exactly memorable. Malaki and malaman but unremarkable.
2. The ₱115 bihon was served in a plastic bag; you, yourself, had to transfer it to the Styrofoam provided. This one didn’t have a lot of sahog except for those pesky chicken bones. And, sadly, it was quite tasteless.
3. The ₱45 meatballs were surprising, tasting like skinless lumpiang Shanghai.

Long queues form in front of Roberto’s almost every day, with many just ordering the Queen siopao. We’re on the fence here, on whether this is deserved. Because we know Iloilo has other offerings that deserve just-as-much if not even more attention.

And so off we go in search of more lafangan venues…

Roberto’s is located at 61 J.M. Basa Street, Iloilo City.

Steaks aren’t Pinoy staple food, aminin na natin. And so it’s understandable that many may see thousand-peso priced items as impractical. But the popularity of steaks may also be the reason why there’s now a handful of not-that-expensive steak places that offer steaks for only around ₱400 to ₱500, including the likes of Escobar’s, Blake’s and Sizzling Plate. We can argue about the quality, but… the option to eat steaks cheaply is there na, thanks to these venues.

Steak to One is among the not-shabby affordable steak restos.

@outragemag Looking for affordable #steak? In #paranaque, we #LGBT checked the offerings of #steaktooneph ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the venue we checked is located in BF Homes in Parañaque City, which is this village that’s only conveniently accessible to those with private vehicles. Be prepared to be asked to leave IDs at the guard house.

Ikalawa, the actual place is okay naman; airy, not dilapidated furniture, malinis, and so on.

Ikatlo, the workers were okay rin; they were attentive without being intrusive. And – this is worth highlighting ha – mabilis ang service, so that you get your orders sooner than you expect.

Ika-apat, how was the food?

We grabbed two steaks: one is an item in their Pamatay Series, the ₱699 Local Ribeye that comes with a small serving of pasta (we chose marinara) and bone marrow; and the other is ₱499 Porterhouse that comes with two side dishes (we asked for French fries and two eggs cooked sunny side up).

Taste-wise, the steaks were okay, though more salt and pepper could have bettered them. The issue – if it can be considered that – is the approach to steaks of Steak to One. Particularly: as if to make their steaks look bigger than they are, you will be served with a wide but thinly-sliced piece of meat. Malapad na manipis. The implication is seen in the doneness of the meat – i.e. because the meat is too thin, it cooks too easily. You order medium rare but you’d end up getting well done.

The side dishes were okay naman – e.g. maasim-asim na pasta, crispy fries, and properly cooked eggs.

In a gist: you don’t have to empty your bank account to eat steaks since there are now a handful of venues that offer not-bad slabs of meat at affordable prices. Consider Steak to One among your options… of course after considering its limitations.

Off we go in search of more lafangan venues…

Steak to One – Parañaque is located at BF Homes, 200 Aguirre Ave, Parañaque City, Metro Manila. For more information, contact 0921 989 9203 or email since2016@steaktooneph.com.