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Supper
Starsof
Bicolandia
The region famous as the birthplace of movie
stars and beauty queens is just as heralded for its
cuisine. Here
,
s a list of what you shouldn
,
t miss.
Story by Mariano Garchitorena.
Photos by Lester Ledesma
ON THE EASTERN
stretch of the
Philippines is a collection of South-East
Luzon provinces that face the Pacific
Ocean, all of which stand bravely
against a year’s onslaught of typhoons
that brew in the Pacific and barrel
into the country. These provinces —
Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay,
Sorsogon, and the two island provinces
of Catanduanes and Masbate — are
culturally bound together as Bicolandia.
It is, more often than not, represented by
its proudest tourist spot: the perfect cone
of Mayon Volcano in Albay.
Before it came to be known as a
destination for rugged adventure sports
in Camarines Sur,
butanding
spotting
in Sorsogon, and as the hometown of
local screen legend Nora Aunor and
recent Miss Philippines Venus Raj, all
of Bicolandia had long been famous
for its food — from the chili-laden Bicol
Express to the savory salad of taro
leaves called
laing.
But there’s more to Bicol cuisine
than these two dishes. To guide us
through a culinary adventure through
Bicolandia, we enlisted one of its
native sons, Noel Perdigon. Now based
in Singapore, he runs 7,107 Flavors
Restaurant
(6 Raffles Boulevard,
#02-02 Marina Square, Singapore; tel:
+65 6334 7107) —
a
showcase of the
best of Philippine food, including the
Bicol region’s. The restaurant’s head
chef, Ronel Hingpit, whipped up nine
of Bicolandia’s most iconic dishes that
you can try both in Singapore, or at
many different restaurants as you travel
through the region.
09LKH Smile
Ser 4
Kandingga
The
kandingga
is the Tagalog
bopis’
drier and
darker cousin. Purists insist on using only the
lungs of the
kanding
or goat (hence the name),
which are sautéed with tomatoes, onions,
lada
and
kangkong
(swamp cabbage). Try it at
Waway’s Restaurant, Peñaranda Ext. St, Bonot,
Legazpi City, Albay; tel: +63 (52) 480 8415.
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