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By 
9:30:00 PM
It was a night to remember. Right in the middle
of town, a plaza was transformed into an event’s place to showcase the
extraordinary products of Eastern Visayas. An invitation for tourists both
foreign and local to visit and enjoy the bounty of the land.
Here, a presentation of different food items led
to a gathering of purveyors and local artists in the industry. Giving an
emphasis to BAYBAY CITY and ORMOC CITY, each saw it fit to promote their crafts
and specialties.
Graced by the presence of different government officials
from BAYBAY CITY, ORMOC CITY, and the Department of Tourism, the event was an
off shoot of the recently concluded MADRID FUSHION MANILA . Each one
contributed and collaborated to introduce and promote the different products of
the area.
To start things off, LEYTE
as a whole sent on over DRIED PUSIT or SQUID. A perfect starter, these
crunchy small bites are. Some are sweetened while others goes well with vinegar
on the side.
Just beside it, MORON was also served. Somewhat close to
suman, these are sticky rice pudding wrapped in banana leaves. Others would
also enjoy the BINAGOL. Made with taro or gabi, it is mixed with some glutinous
rice and served with a special peanut sauce. Remember to flip it upside down to
get the sauce on top.
According to ESTRELLA PANGILINAN of the Ormoc Festival and
Cultural Foundation, Ormocanon dishes are a fusion of flavors from all over the
country. It is a mix of Hispanic and American influences that produces a rich
and flavorful taste. 
Right off the bat, NATIVE PORK LECHON was brought out. The pigs
used are very special to Leyte. They are black, thick skinned, and have long
snouts. Surprisingly, the lechon isn’t as oily as you would experience with
other roasted pigs from the country. Their version can stand on its own in room
temperature without it’s fat coagulating. According to Jet Serafica, the person
behind this amazing dish, you won’t need soap to wash your hands after eating
this healthier lechon version. 
When asked, Department of Tourism’s very own
BING LUMBRE mentioned that food from Eastern Visayas has an affinity towards
coconut. Differentiating itself from Bicol, as theirs is not as spicy. Rather,
it is rich, sweet, and savory. A few dishes were presented that could seem
similar but quite unique. HINATUKAN NGA MANOK or Chicken boiled in coconut milk
alongside LAWOT LAWOT or mixed
vegatables and their very own LUMO or stewed carabao meat in coconut milk were
all present in the event.
Another specialty, would be the HUMBA. Pork belly is cooked
in soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. One would think that it is similar to
adobo yet, it isn’t. Their version is also mixed with salted black beans, fried
peanuts salt and even uses ORMOC’S very own pineapples. BAY LEAF CATERING gave
it a little twist by using a brand of softdrink just to sweeten it up.
Speaking of, ORMOC’S PINEAPPLES were also the
star of the show. Known for their incredible sweetness, the core is also so
soft that you could eat it. Since there is an abundance of pineapples, they are
also made into pies that everyone would love and enjoy.
Surprisingly, local establishments have caught up with the
salted egg craze as well. One even delivers these very addicting snacks. Others
from the ORMOC LOCAL PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION presented takes on sweet endings
like cakes, ice creams, and even tarts. Special mention has to go with DINDO’S
ICE CREAM. As a local fruit vendor, he uses the fruits he sells to create a
delicious and healthy ice cream blend.
Aside from the gathering of these amazing dishes, BAYBAY
CITY made sure that they were properly represented as well. Known for having
different root crops, they have these amazing CASSAVA CHIPS right there for the
taking.
EARLIER in the day, BAYBAY CITY prepared a scrumptious feast
to compliment its focus on cassava. Here, we were introduced to CASSAVA or
locally known as KABKAB.
Traditionally, these were flattened out to a big flat sheet.
It is partnered with their very own mix of blackstrap molasses. Usually, you
would see this to be on the light brown transparent side but the sugar that
they create it from makes it quite different and distinctively BAYBAY.
Different restaurants and establishments made
use of the KABKAB and turned it into something more up to date. We could find
it partnered with different dips and sauces. D’KORETOR ASIAN RESTO made it into
tuna, chicken, or vegie taco form. Ciudad partnered it with French Onion Dip.
For a more local flavor, PEDRO’S CAFÉ had it as “BINAYBAYON TACO”, a fun mix of
different vegetables and spices to put on top of the KABKAB. As such, we could
conclude that the KABKAB is very versatile that it could work with anything you
partner it with.
One of the most famous dishes in BAYBAY CITY though would be
their very own grilled chicken. A concoction of different herbs and spices
makes the flavor of this grilled dish. They are very proud of this and as a
visitor you should try it out as well.
Another surprise would be their version of the HALO HALO. It
is only here that one could see the HALO HALO created with different fruits and
vegetables.
The night ended with different song, dance, and fire
exhibition numbers from the locals. It
was a festive experience.
EASTERN VISAYAS is a place that would definitely be on the
map when it comes to food. For a Manila guy like me, I didn’t expect that the
dishes they serve were quite delicious. It’s something that you rarely see in
the metro. More than just food, wait for my future posts where I feature
different activities in Ormoc and Baybay.
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