Eats all here at Iloilo Business Park
Festive Walk Parade, which showcases artisan coffee shops, homegrown restaurants, bistros, and pubs that redefine nightlife and leisure experience in Iloilo City. Photos by WALTER BOLLOZOS
MANILA, Philippines - Have you been to Iloilo City lately? I was just there and I’m pretty amazed at how the old airport in Mandurriao magically transforms into the most happening place on Panay Island.
Gone are the chicken wires that separate the main road and the runway, also the
local establishments like the Kapehan sa Airport, turo-turo and batchoy stalls where people while their time away before boarding or waiting for their loved ones to arrive.
Today, as much as it cherishes its rich past, the 72-hectare property is now home to Iloilo Business Park township — or what the locals call Megaworld City — a master-planned mixed-use development community project in Mandurriao District that’s considered as the vibrant future township of exciting possibilities.
One of its main attractions is the Festive Walk Parade, which showcases artisan coffee shops, homegrown restaurants, bistros, and pubs that redefine nightlife and leisure experience in Iloilo City.
Walking around here, it’s easy to see why people have chosen to eat, drink and be merry in this 22-meter wide promenade that never sleeps.
Here are the reasons why Festive Walk Parade has become the coolest place to be and be seen in.
• Organic batchoy and craft beers at Farm To Table. A visit to Iloilo isn’t complete without a fill of the city’s iconic batchoy. At Farm To Table, chef Pauline Banusing takes the dish a notch higher by using organic pork (from local suppliers) and absolutely no MSG. The secret lies in the broth. “I simmer the pork bones for six hours to give the broth that rich umami taste. I also put ginamos (fermented shrimps) and a pinch of sugar,” explains chef Pauline. Sticking to its advocacy of helping farmers and local producers, Farm To Table also carries craft beers sourced from various parts of the country. There’s Boracay Blonde (light), guava and strawberry-flavored brews, among others. “My husband Augusto is into craft beers, inspired by his travels abroad. We have suppliers who craft beer flavors exclusively for us,” shares the lady chef.
• Selfie on your coffee at 13th Street Espresso. A haven for coffee enthusiasts, 13th Street Espresso serves specialty coffee the hand-drip way, a manual-coffee making method that’s becoming popular among coffee lovers and baristas alike. “Hand drip highlights the unique character of the coffee. We use high-roasted beans from Ethiopia, Kenya and local beans from the Balukatay Coffee Farmers Association (Bacofa),” explains barista Russell Gift. Soon, customers can enjoy Selfie Coffee with their selfies printed on their favorite brew. An image is configured on a program and transmitted to a machine that utilizes edible ink to print images displayed on the computer.
• Indulge in Dulgies. Dulgies is a cafe and desserts shop that sells homemade baked goodies. Must-try is the Tres Leches (three milks bread), a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk: evap, condensed, and heavy cream. Perfect with a good cup of brewed coffee, this cake is fresh, light, and not too sweet so you’ll keep going back for more.
• Sip and read at Book Latte. Touted as the first library, lounge, and cafe in Iloilo, Book Latte lets you borrow/read a book, curl up on the comfy sofa while enjoying brewed coffee using organic beans and healthy juices. But you have to be a member to enjoy all that. The cafe has over 1,000 books — classic, popular fiction, motivational, romance and business — magazines, learning materials to choose from. Here’s how to be a member. Just fill out a membership form and show a valid ID. Annual membership rates apply.
• Ride n’ Roll. Riding a bike is a great way to stay fit. Did you know that 15 minutes of cycling, to and from work, will help you burn 11 pounds of fat in a year? And that 30 minutes of cycling a day reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke by 35 percent. This Sunday, gather your friends and get your bikes ready for a healthy dose of fun in the Ride N’ Roll Sunday Bike Ride at Festival Walk. Half of the service road is closed off everySunday from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. to give way to Ilonggo bike enthusiasts. Ride N’ Roll happens Sundays of June to December.
• It’s (fitness) party time! If you’re going to “party,” have fun and hit the yoga mat as much as you can! Join the yoga classes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 a.m. at the second floor of Festive Walk Parade. There’s also a free Zumba session every Wednesdayand Friday. Keep off the pounds over the weekend through boxing at the ground floor of Festive Walk Parade from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
