If I were to choose one province that could perhaps match my own Pampanga’s opulence (pardon my bias) when it comes to matters of the table and hospitality, I’d say it is Negros Occidental.
I first noticed that Negrense flair when I was a guest of Lyn Gamboa of Silay City, way back in the early ’90s. I was traveling at that time with a bunch of foodies (the word wasn’t in vogue yet then): Doreen Gamboa Fernandez, Larry J. Cruz, Lory Tan (formerly of Bookmark and WWF), Robert Kuan (founder of Chowking), etc. Lyn feted us like there was notomorrow, and we were waddling our way to the airport three days later. And it was the same VIP treatment for succeeding visits.
Initially, I thought Lyn’s warm reception of our group was due to her being married to Doreen’s brother Neil. Or, it must have been the Kapampangan in her, I second-guessed. After all, she’s a Besa originally from Tarlac City, first cousin of Amy Besa of Purple Yam fame. But in hindsight, she’s become a Negrense through and through, having live there since 1961. This indefatigable lady has been at the forefront in setting up the Balay Negrense, The Negros Museum, The Association of Negros Producers, not to mention the 18-year-running Adobo Competition, which I have been invited twice to judge in its early years.
Sarsa’s new take on Pinoy street food
It was in 2009 when Tita Lyn first introduced me to this young chef, JP Anglo, then a fresh graduate from an Australian culinary school. He had just opened two restaurants in Bacolod City: Mu Shu and Mai Po. Chef Jayps, as he is fondly called, defines his style of cooking as “modern”: mixing home flavors and local ingredients with Asian and Western techniques he has learned in culinary schools in Manila and Australia.
What literally bowled me over was his version of the Pancit Molo soup. It has a clear broth made from native chicken, flavored with that Ilonggo thing with achuete and fried garlic, with its wontons filled with chunks of prawns and pork, topped with slices of soft tender Hainanese chicken breast and more peeled prawns thrown in. A truly sumptuous offering, a galaxy away from the usual mushy wontons served in Iloilo City and elsewhere.
Chef Jayps, together with his sister Tracie Anglo Dizon, opened Sarsa Restaurant four years ago at the BGC, Taguig City. Quite recently, the adventurous surfer chef continues his culinary derring-do with the launch of some 10 new dishes at his Rockwell branch, Makati City, his interpretations of Filipino street food. Chef Jayps just keeps raising the bar on Pinoy cuisine, with that obvious Negrense flair and youthful energy.
Sarsa is located at BGC, Rockwell, Legaspi Village, Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and UP Town Center.
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Chasing Flavors
A day after trying Sarsa’s new dishes, I flew to Bacolod City to shoot several segments for my TV show Chasing Flavors (now showing the first six episodes on the Lifestyle Network, channel 52 on SKYcable). My TV crew of five and I experienced the same Negrense style of hospitality during the three days we were there. It was like a homecoming of sorts for me.
First off is Vicente “Enting” Lobaton. He is known as the kinilaw expert, the chief resource person in Doreen Fernandez’s seminal book Kinilaw. I first met him during that trip with Doreen in the 1990s, where he did kinilaw for us al fresco in the Carbine Reef off Sagay City. This time around at his Bacolod City branch, he outdid himself. Not only did he prepare for us five kinds of kinilaw, assorted seaweeds, three kinds of boiled shells and grilled fish, but he also roasted a whole native pig for us. It was stuffed with that inimitable Ilonggo batuan sour fruit and its leaves, lemongrass, garlic, salt and pepper. Needless to say, we were as stuffed as the lechon served us. It was a reception fit for royalty by any standards.
Enting’s Special of Sagay: Bacolod City – Tent 2, Villa Angela Market Place, Circumferential Road, Brgy. Villamonte. Tel.(034) 432-2192.
Sagay City – Cueva corner Duran Streets. Tel: (034) 488-0378.
Next on our agenda was El Ideal Bake Shop, the oldest existing bakery in the province. The present site is still the original ancestral home of the founder Cesar Lacson-Locsin, built in the 1920s. His granddaughter and present owner,Maritess Sanchez, shared with us the bakery’s history and went all-out in serving us most of their iconic products. They use muscovado sugar in many of their delicacies, including Bacolod’s iconic pastry, the piaya, which was prepared in front of us.
Speaking of muscovado, we were fortunate to shoot its production at the Baldomero-Maria Milling Corp. with its artisanal, organic Muscovado Gold. Its owner, Tata Poblador, is a third-generation Negrense, being an Alunan on her mother side. By the way, muscovado stems from the Portuguese açúcar mascavado or separated sugar.
Last but not least on our Bacolod visit was a sampling of chef Guido Nijssen’s deli meat and cheese products at the Museum Café. The Dutch chef takes pride in using locally sourced produce, all from within the Negros Island. He says they are far superior to any imported ingredients.
Museum Café: Gatuslao Street, Bacolod City Tel: +63-916-908-6641
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32nd Negros Trade Fair Theme: Food for Thought
The Negros Trade Fair is proudly the country’s longest-running provincial trade fair held annually in Metro Manila since 1985. Now in its 32nd year, the trade fair continues to present the best of Negros products and services from the Association of Negros Producers’ (ANP).
The trade fair showcases Negros products such as natural and organic food, garments, fashion accessories, furniture, décor, house ware, agriculture and tourism.
This year’s theme “Food For Thought” will highlight the best Negrense chefs and the best locally sourced ingredients.
The 32nd Negros Trade Fair is ongoing until Oct. 1, at the Glorietta Activity Center, Makati City.