A Taste of Visayas at Kulinarya Festival

With the ongoing tie-up campaign of Bayview Park Hotel and the Department of Tourism in strengthening the Philippine Tourism through a month-long Kulinarya Festival, our “Home by the Bay” offers sumptuous Visayan dishes in its second week of festivities of their own.

Chef Gilbert Soriano gladly serves cuisines that are famous in the Western Visayas. A local Visayan himself, Chef Gilbert admitted that he felt back home when was preparing the dishes. Visayas is known for its mangroves, coral reefs and vast marine life in terms of fish species and thus making it the seafood capital of the country, as mentioned by Chef Gilbert.

Proving the freshness of fishes in the island of Panay, Chef Gilbert prepared Tinolang Sapsap that I find it very similar to the Pinangat na Isda that my mother cooks at home. My mother was born in Aklan and so Visayan food is very familiar to me and upon seeing the Nilagpang na Labanos (raw radish with fresh cucumber, onions and tomatoes mixed in vinegar and spiced with black pepper ) I started eating ravenously.

Influenced by the Spaniards, the provinces of Visayas adapted the famous Paella from Spain and with the Rice Paella that Bayview offered this week, it is a winner with its freshest seafood toppings.

Since our country is known for Adobo, Chef Gilbert served his own Visayan version of Pork Adobo blended with red wine. It has a different taste than the usual Adobo with salty taste made by the soy sauce, and this one also taste very good. Of course, the same thing with his Kaldereta Ilonggo Style that he added boiled eggs and the taste is a little bit sweet because of the raisins. I say both dishes are a must in every Pinoy foodie.

Not to forget of course are the Pancit and Chopsuey that we Filipinos loved from the Chinese people. Chef Gilbert’s own version of course, filled the Pancit Bihon and Chopsuey with fresh seafoods such as clams, squid and prawns. So delicious!!!

And last but not the least, the famous Piaia and cashews that are famous sweet delicacies in the central part of the country. I almost wanted to get all the cashews at the buffet table had not Ms. Precy Mendoza mentioned that she also loves cashew nuts (giggles!).

Well friends, do not miss these kind of superb cuisines at Bayview Park Hotel Manila because you will miss some parts of your life, surely. Only Php450.00 per head and call 526 1555 for reservations.