The Lucky Cook: Filipino recipes of a househusband

Pork Binagoongan

My recipe for today is simple, sumptuous, savory and sulit (affordable). Pork binagoongan is simply pork cooked in shrimp paste. This is a native Filipino dish that most of my kababayan loves to eat. Tender pork cuts that was cured by the salty shrimp paste and hot chili fingers. You must prepare a plenty amount of rice when this is your ulam for the day. Shrimp paste are widely used in Filipino cuisine, it is most often used as flavor enhancer for vegetables, meats and seafoods. It's mostly known as a dip for unripe mango's and the best partner for kare-kare (peanut stew). You can prepare and cook this dish for 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 kilo pork (cut into bite size)

2 medium onion (julliened)

5 cloves garlic (minced)

3 pcs tomato (julliened)

1 cup shrimp paste

2 tbsp vinegar

5 pcs chili fingers (chopped)

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

oil

Instructions

1. In a large pan, heat oil then saute garlic and onions until golden brown.
2. Add the tomatoes and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked.
3. Put the pork and stir properly then add water. Simmer until the pork is tender. Add water as necessary.
4. Pour the shrimp paste and vinegar then cook for a minute.
5. Add the chili fingers.
6. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

Just got Lucky!

Last week my wife and I dine in at Tajimaya Charcoal Grill. It is located in SM Mall of Asia in Pasay. This Japanese restaurant offers yakiniku style of dining. "Yakiniku" is a Japanese word that means "grilled meat". This Japanese style of cooking bite-sized meat, seafood and vegetables over charcoal. The customers will order different types of raw meat and veggies which are brought to the table with built in grill. Most of their ingredients were from Japan.

The grill was not like other yakiniku style restaurant here in Manila because they use charcoal which gives you more smoky flavor. Most yakiniku styke restaurant here use electric grill.

We ordered this set which cost 580 pesos per head + 12% vat. It's and eat all you can yakiniku set, they will be the one who will serve the ingredients right at your table. You don't need to go back and forth for the things that you want to cook. They will quickly refill if you request but single serving was enough for both of us. It includes one serving of rice and bottomless ice tea. As a freebie you will receive a side dish or a salad. We opted for the salad, it consist of lettuce and Japanese vinaigrette. My wife love this one.

The ingredients are cooked by the diners on a grill built into the table throughout the duration of the meal, several pieces at a time.Usual ingredients are beef, pork, chicken, seafood and veggies.

beef

chicken

pork

cuttlefish

japanese hotdog

shrimp

The ingredients are then dipped in sauces, you can create your own sauce for this one. It is best eaten with a cup of Japanese rice, they also serve an abundant serving of romaine lettuce which you can dip and then wrap the meat.

They also change and refill the charcoal once there was no enough flame to cook the meat. Each of you will also have tongs for cooking. They uses charcoal but it's a smokeless grill. You will still smell the aroma of the food while cooking that will makes you savor more of this grilled goodness. My wife live in Japan for 2 years that is why she like and love this kind of dining ambiance.

Most of the time she's in charge of the cooking and yours truly in indulging. We will surely go back here since we enjoyed our dining experience.

Tajimaya Charcoal Grill

SM Mall of Asia

2nd Level, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines

Phone Number
(+63 2) 556-8929

Operating Hours
Monday to Sunday 10:30am to 11:00pm

You can never go wrong with Lechon! This is what most Filipino's say when eating lechon. Even foreigner's and tourist loves to eat this indulging piece of pork meat cooked slowly in charcoal. With its crispy skin your mouth will burst in every bite and with its tender meat you will never stop to eat. This recipe was very simple all you just need is to have lechon. Lechon Paksiw is lechon meat cooked in lechon sauce with a kick of vinegar and some spices. It is very easy to cook and you can prepare this within 10-15 minutes. You can try this one specially on birthdays and holidays.

Ingredients

1 kilo Lechon Cebu/ Lechon(diced)

2 medium onion (julliened)

5 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 cup lechon sauce/ mang tomas

2 tbsp vinegar

3 pcs dried bayleaf

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot put the lechon and lechon sauce and simmer for 3 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and onions and stir. Wait until the garlic and onions to soften.
3. Pour the vinegar and add the bayleaf.
4. Sprinkle some salt and pepper.

Just got Lucky!

US? No, we're here in Laoag. This American boulevard inspired restaurant is located in the beautiful city of Laoag. Macy's Diner offers a wide variety of food from traditional Filipino dishes and American favorites.

The bar was designed just like the usual food stores in the US. You will see road signage and the traditional tables and chairs. We ordered humungous clubhouse sandwich and longsilog but we forgot to take some pictures because we're already hungry that time. Here are some other details of the place.

The ceiling has names of famous landmarks in the US and some well-known artist and singers.

new york, times square, hollywood blvd.

my wife checking some Elvis Presley pictures

There also a tarpaulin of tourist attractions in Ilocos which is good to promote the rich culture of Ilokano's.

Macy's Diner

Gen. Segundo Avenue, Laoag City

077 770 3551

Laoag is our second stop for a 3D/2N Ilocos escapade. It was a 2 hour bus ride from Pagudpud to reach the city. At 10 AM we checked in at our hotel first which is La Ellana Hotel, it is located among the busy street of the city. You will find many cheap hotels along these street.

Before going to Paoay Church we opted to take lunch first at Saramsam Cafe. You can check our dining experience here

To reach Paoay Church you will need to ride a trike and tell the driver to drop you at Paoay Terminal. You'll see the jeep sign Laoag-Batac-Paoay. You will need to travel for 30-45 minutes.

my wife and I at Paoay Church

Paoay church is a well-known tourist destination in Laoag. Many local movies are shoot here because of the beautiful scenery. The church was old but well-maintained. There are many pasalubong stores in front of the church. We roam around the church and find ourselves hungry again, luckily there's Herencia Cafe.

Herencia Cafe

After a quick snack we rented a trike going to Malacañang Palace of the North. When we arrive at the place it already 4 PM and the guard told us that they are only open until 4:30 PM. Instead we tell the tricycle driver to bring us to Paoay Lake, we can visit this place once we go back here in Laoag.

Paoay Lake

We call it a day and there's more to come the next day.

Goodnight Laoag

In the morning we also visited Laoag City Hall, St. William’s Cathedral and Sinking Bell Tower. After roaming around the city we take a breakfast at Macy's Diner.

After taking our breakfast we rush to our hotel and prepare for a trip to Vigan. Here we come Vigan!

Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant is an authentic Ilocano restaurant that is located in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Most of their dishes are fusion of traditional Ilocano and Italian cuisine. The place was like an old traditional house with antic furniture. This restaurant is well-known for its dishes like dinuguan and pinakbet pizza, poqui-poqui and the famoust bagnet. Here's what we got.

dinuguan pizza and bagnet

Dinuguan pizza was a usual pizza topped with dinuguan (pork blood stew) and bagnet was also pork that was fried twice using lard. Bagnet came with KBL (kamatis. bagoong, lasona) as a dip My wife also ordered a serving of longanisa pasta.

ilocano food treat!

They also sell pasalubongs like chichacorn, taro chips, banig bags, sukang iloko, sugarcane wine (basi), malungay chips.

pasalubong treat!

dining area

Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant
N. Corpuz Building, Rizal cor. Hizon Streets
Barangay 7-A, Laoag City

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Kapuluan Vista Resort is the perfect place for a romantic and relaxing way to experience Pagudpud and a resort that makes you closer to nature. You will be captivated by the warm welcome of the resort staff and the prestige design and architecture of the place.

Kapuluan Vista Resort is located at Blue Lagoon beach in the Municipality of Pagudpud. You will easily find the resort because it was on the farthest part of the beach. This resort is a hit for surfers because huge waves will welcome you when you go to their beachfront, you can also rent surfing gears here.

All rooms at the resort are pleasant, clean, and reasonably priced, ranging from very inexpensive dormitory style to great value, first class private rooms, each with a loft and en-suite bathroom.We booked for a standard room for $50/ night. When we arrive at the place, the staff told us that we can stay on their Deluxe Room with Loft due to the non-availability of standard rooms "just got lucky".

The room was well designed, you will experience a traditional with modern architectural creation. The ceiling of the room was so high and reminds you that you're on a special place.There are also some fresh flowers on top of each bed.

loft

bathroom

Due to a long bus ride and an all day tour we take a short nap when we checked in our room.

When we woke up, we checked their bar and resto to have dinner.

bar

The furniture's here are perfectly designed for a nature-inspired place.

Our dinner for that night was Kahlua Pig for my wife and Adobo for me. Food is delicious and has a distinctive flavors which assures you that it is made from fresh ingredients. Most of the ingredients for the dishes comes from their own organic garden.

We enjoyed the rest of night by drinking some beer in our room and when morning arrives these beautiful sunrise greet us.

My wife and I also swim for a while on the pool.

It was definitely a good place to stay when you're in Pagudpud. Resaonable price, good service, well-maintained facilities, and makes you closer to nature. When we plan to go back and visit Pagudpud again we will definitely book Kapuluan Vista Resort. You can check their website here

Yes, it looks like Boracay but this white sand beach is located at the northern part of the Philippines. It is usually called the Boracay of the North "Pagudpud".

Pagudpud is our first stop for a 3D/2N Ilocos escapade. We spent a night to roam around Pagudpud.

Pagudpud Entrance

We went to Pagudpud by land on a 12 hour bus ride. You can reach Pagudpud by land or by plane via Laoag airport and a 2 hours bus ride..

Saud Beach

Saud beach was one of the two beaches in Pagudpud, there are many cheap hotels that is located in this beach. This beach is best for family and backpackers. Room rates here were merely form Php800 to Php1000 for 4 person. Unlike in Boracay there are no fastfood or fancy restaurants here. You can eat at your hotel or go to the market and make "paluto" style. There are vendors of fresh lobsters and fish that always roam along this beach, it is much cheaper than the ones on the market.

Maira-ira Beach/Blue Lagoon

We stayed at Kapuluan Vista Resort which is located at the Blue Lagoon. I will write a different post for our accommodation here. Blue Lagoon is a 15 minute tricycle ride from Saud beach. This beach best suites for couples and lovers. The wave here are much bigger than Saud that's why we are able to see many surfers here.

my wife and I enjoying the waves

Here are our tour in Pagudpud. We hires a local tour guide with a tricycle for Php1000. The exploration started in Cape Bojeador.


my wife on her way to the light house

view from the light house

There was no entrance fee for most of the tourist sites here but you can donate for the maintenance of the place.

Our next stop was the Kapurpurawan White Rock formation.

White Rock

You are going to have a 15 minute walk to reach this beautiful and huge rock formation.

my wife and manong tour guide

with my wife

view from the white rock

Our 3rd stop: Bangui Windmills

huge windmills

The windmills are perfectly located on the side beach where the wind was so strong. Most of Pagudpud's electricity was generated by these windmills.

enjoying fresh air from the north

4th stop was Patapat Viaduct

5th stop Agua Grande and Paraiso ni Anton

Our last stop was the Kapuluan Vista Resort which is located at Blue Lagoon. Along the way to the resort we are able to see this Tingmangtang Rock and Bantay Abot Cave.

Tingmangtang Rock

Bantay Abot Cave

view from Bantay Abot Cave

There is also a falls that was located in Pagudpud, it was the Kabigan Falls. We are not able to check that place because you are going to have a 30 minute trek to reach the place. Our next destination after Pagudpud was Laoag. Check my post for our Laoag tour here.