I Survived! --Bale Dutung's Porky Treats - 8 January 2011

Before leaving for the US, Bubbles and I were fortunate to have been able to travel to a few places, including Boracay. One of the places we were lucky to have been given time was Bale Dutung in Angeles, Pampanga, home of the world-famous Filipino architect-turned-chef Claude Tayag.

Bale Dutung, whose name is Kapampangang for "Wooden House," is a famous Filipino restaurant in Pampanga. This is by-reservation basis only, so you need to call up Claude or Mary Ann Tayag to be able to eat here.

Bale Dutung was made more famous by Anthony Bourdain, who feature Claude Tayag, Pampanga, and this restaurant in his show "No Reservations." Thanks to Petite and Concep's rave reviews of the place when they ate here last year, we decided to spend one of the post-wedding weekends with Bubbles' and my family here at Bale Dutung. 

Bale Dutung has a very "homey," warm and cozy atmosphere. It feels like you're just in your very own dining table, eating with your beloved relatives. This is because the hosts, Claude and Maryann makes you feel at home at their very own house! Maryann personally welcomes guests, guides them to their seats, and personally gives them the welcome drinks juice with "muscovado ice." This hands-on treatment is part of the entire package. 

There are three menu options to choose from at Bale Dutung. First is the traditional Kapampangan menu, which showcases hit Pampanga delicacies like the sisig and kare-kare. Another is the Anthony Bourdain menu, where the guests get to experience the Filipino dishes that were eaten by Anthony Bourdain when Claude hosted him at Bale. The third and our chosen menu, is the tasty, porky, cholesterol-packed 5-ways Lechon menu. Diet and health worries are put on the sidelines for this menu, as we will be placed under a flavorful, delightful, happy lineup of porky food, all meat based on the traditional national food, Pork Lechon. 

What is Pork Lechon?!

Lechon, Litson, or Lichon, however way you want it spelled, is the juicy, tasty pork evenly roasted with flame or coal, by regularly turning over the pork using a long bamboo stick and putting seasoning on the skin to give it the right crisp. Lechon is the Philippines' national food and was branded by Anthony Bourdain as the world's greatest pig. 

The Lechon menu in Bale Dutung is a serving of 5 different ways of cooking lechon. The 5-ways lechon, plus a flurry of tasty appetizers and capped with native coffee and sweet native dessert, make up the Lechon menu. 

WARNING: This is not simply a lunch treat. This is an overall dining experience. The usual time spent for a Bale Dutung dining is around 4 hours, so if you're planning a job interview or an airport pickup after eating, forget it, you might miss it. And make sure the kids that you bring are also food enthusiasts, or better yet, ask them to bring their favorite PSP game just to make sure.

Starters

I haven't taken pictures of the first-ever appetizer served to us: crackers with 3 kinds dip. Just by eating this, I am already satisfied. But of course, this is just 2% of the experience. :) 

We started off with Pako salad. Pako is an edible type of fern famous for its uniquely tasty and juicy leaves. 

Afterwards, Maryann will introduce the Lumpiang Ubod sa Oriental Sauce appetizer. She branded this as one of her favorites because given that she's not much of a vegetable eater, Claude made sure that she would eat the lumpiang ubod even if it's all veggies inside. Lumpiang ubod is fried egg roll with vegetable and bamboo shoot fillings.

Maryann then served Chicken Inasal with Talangka Rice. And that is NOT part of the main course yet, despite it having a serving of rice. After this, I am already starting to get full. 

Chicken Inasal is an original Bacolod delicacy, but of course grilled food is a universal way of preparing food, so they adapted it and paired it with a Pampango-famous Talangka Rice (Crab fat Rice). 

We have not finished digesting the Chicken Inasal yet when Maryann got back to our place and gave us a briefing of the next delicious appetizer: Hito (Catfish) wrapped in balo-balo leaf. The taste was very good! This is another veggie-filled food that I appreciated. Like Maryann, I am not a big fan of veggies myself, but these veggies made me rethink my favorites.

The last of the starters is another adapted food from our Japanese brothers and sisters. They served the Talangka sushi, sushi, with a Filipinized flavor. They topped the usual tuna sushi (rice, nori, tuna) with crab fat, and the Japanese delicacy was never the same. Whew! Appetizer lineup is over! And now, the main dishes. 

5-Ways Lechon

Note: All of these 5 dishes are made from the original roasted pig, Lechon!

#1: The Lechon Tortilla

The Five ways lechon started with the Lechon tortilla, an adaptation of the Mexican dish. The big difference from the usual tortilla is that it is stuffed with the yummy roasted pork flakes! The Lechon was made into flakes, and made a little crunchier to make it fit for the tortilla dish. 

#2: The Lechon Sinigang

Pork Sinigang has been a favorite of every Filipino home. It competes with Adobo as the all-time favorite way of cooking pork in the Philippines. I am a self-confessed fan of my wife's sinigang! What if we turn some of the Lechon meat into sinigang? The answer is for you to figure out! As for me, I have experienced the sinigang zeal, the sinigang of sinigangs in Bale Dutung. 

Sinigang is the Filipino version of the Hot and Sour soup. It is a mixture of vegetables and pork cooked in either sampaloc, kamias, or tomatoes. If the Thais have their Tom Yum Soup, we have our very own Sinigang.

#3: Lechon Skin in Liver Sauce

Pork Lechon is famous for its tasty, ultra-crispy skin. As for the 5-ways lechon, this is my favorite part, where Claude gets to cut the Lechon's skin, and people just binge away! You can already feel the crispiness of the skin just by looking at how Claude easily cuts away the skin from the Lechon. Yum! How's your nape, buddy? :) 

The liver sauce makes the skin even tastier. This is our sweet version of the American Gravy. 

#4: Inihaw na Tadyang ng Lechon with Ensaladang Talong (Grilled Spareribs with Eggplant Salsa (?!))

There's no better way to eat the Lechon's ribs but to reheat it by grilling, partner it with the healthy eggplant ensalada. The contrast in flavor gives you the emphasis of both food, which will make you want some more. By this time, I am now full, but I just couldn't stop eating. One tip in this experience is the pacing. After all, this is a 4-hour lunch. 

#5: Sisig Lechon

The original Pampanga delicacy, the Pork Sisig is also one of the many favorite Filipino delights. People would go to Pampanga just to dine in karinderyas (eateries) with Sisig. Lechon sisig is the grand finale of the 5-ways lechon. 

As mentioned by Claude in his briefing of the 5th way, Sisig originated in Pampanga, but has been adapted by many Filipino races, and often substituted one ingredient from another. The original sisig offers chopped pork ears, skin, liver and meat filled with pork brain. In the absence of pork brain in some places, some Pinoys resort to using substitutes, like egg or mayonnaise. In Bale Dutung, Claude cooks the bare sisig lechon, and  you have the choice to make it authentic by applying pork brain filling, which I did! The sisig is never the same without the pork brain, but of course, this needs to be taken moderately. Attention, 50 years old and up. :)

Dessert

For dessert, Claude and Maryann served old-fashioned coffee, plus a plate of Paradiso, an original homemade dessert made of coconut, yam, egg and fresh milk. 

The 4-hour experience is capped with Claude and Maryann's tour of their house, which is located in the 2nd floor of the restaurant. Being an architect as his original profession, Claude applied his architectural expertise in designing a house that truly represents the Filipino culture. And his penchant for antique art gives his home more of the rustic atmosphere, relaxing inside out. 

Bale Dutung is truly a memorable experience for every person who gets to try it out. Anyone who loves food must try this out, not only for its good food, but because it gives our culture much more meaning, it reinvents the Filipino food character and brings it at par with the packaging of our Asian neighbors; With restaurants like Bale, we can aptly brag our hometown food, not just for its taste, but for its overall gastronomic value. 

Claude and Maryann Tayag, Mabuhay kayo! I pray that people like you who appreciate the value of Filipino food would spread around the nation, and if possible around the world. I hope that next time, a similar Bale Dutung will be put up in Cebu, Negros, Davao, Bohol, Ilocos, and many other places! 

I also hope that Filipinos put up decent-looking Filipino-delicacy stores around the world. Ahem, Virginia! 

Some photos of the 5-ways lechon survivors*: 

*All photos taken with Canon Powershot A590is

Quinito: Yummy!

The Apostol Ladies

Claude with the Lechoneros

Senior Survivor: He Gets to take home the shirt

The Ultimate Survivors

The Reyeses

The Acostas

Joaquin and Dondon

The Newlyweds with Claude

Bub and Pet with Claude and Maryann

The Duloses with Claude and Maryann

Autograph signing with Mommy Es

Roger and Friends - They surely know how to have fun!

My brother and his good pal Paulo a.k.a. Raker and Roger and their group of teenage hilarious undergraduates are into the youtube entertainment industry! If you want a plain doze of endorphins in your system, don't hesitate to add these youthful comedic amateurs in your profile. Just wait till they get their groove and will soon be one with the likes of Moymoy Palaboy and Kuya Jobert!

Ika nga, "Kung san ka masaya, teh. Supurtahan taka." Kaya Supurtahan ko itong kapatid ko at ang tropang Roger and Friends.

Here's one of their funny antics. A spoof of Lucky Me's Nam-nam. Just by the sound of the soundtrack, it tells that you need very minimal action to spoof it. It is a spoof in itself.



Mabuhay Roger and Raker!

Subscribe at your own risk. The videos are habit-forming. :)
www.facebook.com/rogerandfriends
www.youtube.com/user/RogerRaker

Amen!

EDSA 25 at the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. is home to thousands of books from all over the world. It is the resting place of original signed copies of statutes, laws and resolutions from the U.S. Congress, which comes from across the street, the United States Capitol. It is also believed that underneath the two buildings is a passageway connecting the two buildings. But we'll not dwell into that.

Just last month, February 23-25, our home country celebrated 25 years of the EDSA People Power revolution. The mother of all peaceful revolutions. The inspiration of countries in Europe and the Middle East. It's been 25 years. See how time flies indeed.And to commemorate this, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. did their share to celebrate our 25 years of freedom from dictatorship and authoritarianism.

One of the activities lined up was a photo exhibit at the Southeast Asian Section of the Library of Congress. The photos were taken by Scottish-Australian photojournalist Alfred Hardy, who was present during the bloodless revolution in EDSA, and was witness to how the seemingly bloody revolt would turn into a sharing of roses and rosaries. The exhibit ran for about a week.

 

On its opening ceremony, Ambassador Willy Gaa, in his speech before the guests of the opening of the exhibit, expressed how monumental EDSA Revolution has become not just to the Filipinos, but to many nations around the world. This is why the spirit of EDSA should never be forgotten and the facts and figures behind the bloodless revolt should forever be in the minds and hearts of everyone.

The opening program was attended not only by Filipinos, but also by Americans who were either in the Philippines when EDSA 1 erupted, or they knew people who knew people who were involved in the revolution.

At present, we are once again faced with another revolution. This is the revolution of the disgruntled Filipino. Now is the time for the administration to show what they were voted for. Clean up the ranks, straighten the government, show professionalism, revive the morale of the Filipinos. If we can do this in the next five years, then, maybe, just maybe, we can soar with our neighbors Singapore and Malaysia. Let's bring back the Tiger in our economy. Let's use the spirit of EDSA and be inspired to go the distance!

Mabuhay ang diwa ng EDSA magpakailanman!

Boracay Bliss, January 10-12, 2011

Finally, after a flurry of failed or foiled plans to take a trip to this world-famous island, I was able to step on the powdery white sand of Boracay on January 10-12, 2011. This was our wedding gift from the Apostol sisters. Thanks very much guys!

My wish of getting in Boracay before we leave for DC came true a few days before my departure! :) I really wanted to get to this island so that I can fully perform my duties of promoting the beautiful sites of the Philippines. It will be quite ironic for me to be promoting the country's most beautiful white sand beach without having experienced going there. I could even imagine the conversations if ever I get to boast the Philippines...
Me: You should try going to the Philippines. We have plenty of beautiful beaches!
Foreigner: Yeah, I've heard a bit about Boracay Island and I heard it's really beautiful!
Me: Yeah, It's really beautiful! You should go there sometime!
Foreigner: Yeah, I will. have you been there?
Me: Hey, look, dinner is served. Let's eat, shall we (silence afterwards, then I end the conversation with a smile)?

Thank goodness this scenario will no longer happen because I can now boast the Boracay experience because I have been there! :) To my Filipino friends: For the Nth time, please don't shorten Boracay's name into Bora. As the municipal government fervently reminds us in its series of stickers and posters, "BORACAY IS NOT BORA." Respecting the name is followed with respecting the place. Amen to that!

I was lucky to be billeted in Station 1, the relatively peaceful and more quiet side of Boracay. We stayed at the Sea Wind Resort. The resort was beautiful and native-looking. I loved their slogan, "Boracay as it should be." Amen and Amen!

The powdery white sand is not an exaggeration. It really is powdery! But kikay ladies, don't try to put any of the sand in your faces. But of course it's a free country. :)

Most of the time, Bubbles and I would walk towards station 2 to eat and see the beautiful sights. We were amazed to see that the tourist population on this time of the year is higher on foreign tourists than local ones.




It's good to see that hawkers and vendors have good business, and they adjust to their market. When they see foreign tourists, they shout "Sir, you want to ride the banca, go snorkeling? how about massage, do you want massage?" And when they see local tourists, they shout in native language. When we passed by one of the restaurants, a masseuse shouted at me and said "Boss, masahe gusto mo?" And when she turned to Bubbles, she also offered her, "Ma'am do you want massage ma'am?" Ouch... Key learning is that our vendors are flexible with the type of people they meet and greet. Ouch again...

One good thing about Boracay is that it is like a beachside mall, where you get the perks of a mall, while enjoying the warm sun and the beautiful waves. You can even see a branch of the overpriced slippers of All Flip-Flops in  Station 2! We ate at Mañana for lunch and Don Vito for dinner on Day 1. We missed eating liempo at beachside so we decided to eat at Gerry's for lunch on Day 2. For dinner, we ate the great Ilonggo meal, La Paz Batchoy at Deco's in Station 3. All the places we've eaten at served great food! My favorite was Deco's original La Paz Batchoy. Solb!

Boracay is also a place for lovebirds who escape from their busy routines of work. Some couples, though, want to show to the world that they ARE couples by wearing the same piece of clothing. Kudos to couples who got the guts to were his and hers clothing! But what I don't understand is how they can wear his and hers JACKET in the hot weather of Boracay?! I must write this amazing information to Ripley's.






Good thing I was able to see Boracay in time. I just hope that when I come back, the beauty of the beach and the cleanliness of the island is restored even if there is garbage accumulated everyday. I hope that Boracay will remain to be the premiere island paradise even in the years to come.

There are still a lot of places to see in the Philippines. When I come back, my journey to the other 7,000 islands will continue.

Old Town Alexandria, VA

There's no better way to spend Valentine's Day than a date with your one and only? And this year, we did our first out-of-the-country date. Obviously because we ARE out of the country!!! We spent our first February 14 as a married couple in Old Town Alexandria. Not that we do celebrate Valentine's Day, but it was coincidental that that day she was free to go out that day. It was also fortunate for us because amidst the winter chill, February 14 in Virginia is extraordinarily warm. It was around 70degrees that day.

King Street Station (Blackberry Bold 9780)

Old Town Alexandria is just a few stations away from our place via Metro. After getting off at the King Street stop (also famous for the George Washington Masonic Memorial), you take a FREE trolley ride to tour the King Street. You can also decide to take a walk if you wish to experience the cobblestone sidewalks and the quaint feel. Should you decide to take the trolley, it will drive you to King Street, up until it reaches the harbor. You can sit and relax at the harbor, where you can see the beautiful view of the Potomac River and take pictures of ducks and seagulls.

Old Town Harbor (Canon Powershot A590is)

Bubbles and I stayed a few minutes at the harbor. After that, our stomachs called for our departure. We headed for King Street again to eat lunch. Old Town offers a number of restaurants, pubs, ice cream shops, antique stores (not for eating) and other places where people can shop and dine. We decided to dine in the Fish Market. Why Fish Market? We got intrigued by the Lobster Pasta in its menu. :)

Because it was Valentine's Day, most restaurants offer good-for-two packages for lunch and dinner. But we did chose not to take on those offers. So we ordered a different set of menu. We got the Neptune Salad and of course, the reason for us choosing this place, the Lobster Pasta. We split the orders so the pictures taken were just half of the size of the serving.

Neptune Salad

Lobster Pasta

The Neptune Salad was a treat and the Lobster Pasta was even better! The Neptune Salad's combination of vergetables and crab cakes were fantastic, while the Lobster Pasta's creamy sauce makes you want to ask for more. But of course, reality check would make you think twice as the cream base and the meat would definitely give you extra miles of running. :)

After lunch, we took a stroll at King Street and other side streets with old-style houses and roads. It was beautiful, the only thing lacking were horses in carriages and men in old civil war uniform.

Old Town Alexandria was witness to the American Civil War, and people and the government made sure that the structures and roads remain the same. We walked towards the visitor center, a house which was the oldest in Old Town.

We walked a few more streets and found a lot of picture-worthy structures and sights. :)

Cobblestones (Canon Powershot A590is)

River Tours (Canon Powershot A590is)

Old Gazette House

Restored Old House

My first time at Old Town was fun! Thanks to Bubbles for taking me here. We're definitely going back soon and will try the other restaurants and taverns.

Remember 031111

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake will go down in history as one of this generation's strongest, most devastating earthquakes. MY hear goes out to our Japanese brothers and sisters whose houses, livelihood, lives were destroyed by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the eastern waters on March 11. I pray that you will recover fast, that the world will conspire to bring you back on your feet, that this will be the last of the flurry of strong earthquakes of the century.

Just a month back, New Zealand's Christchurch area was struck with an equally destructive earthquake. I hope Japan's is the last of the wave...

Next problem is the radiation. I hope it get;s contained in time. And doomsayers, rumor-mongers, and stupid Twitter-writers, stop making unfounded, stupid, irresponsible comments on the internet, or via text messaging. The world is already in much stress. Don't make it worse. You should just stick to rumor stories on Charlie Sheen, KC and Piolo, or President Noy's love life! Stop making baseless stories (or even jokes!) on very serious matters like this.

The video below was from www.youtube.com, a footage from the media outfit Al-Jazeera.