how to make 'bot-ong'

Bot-ong is an Ilonggo  rice-based delicacy most commonly served during All Soul's Day. It is a type of suman.

Ingredients:  glutinous rice, coconut milk, salt and water

How to cook:  Soak glutinous rice in water for an hour or until the rice grains are swollen.  Drain.  Add salt and coconut milk and mix well. Wrap in banana leaves as follows in the photos below.

Arrange the wrapped bot-ong in a large pot covered with water and boil for 2 hours or until cooked.

Serve with some sugar to sweeten along with your cup of coffee.

C's Cafe at L'Fisher Hotel

At the launching of C's Cafe's French pastries by Chef Denis Laumone, one fine day in June, we were treated to a plateful  of assorted breads.  You'll know which one is my favorite as you read on.

Chef Pancho, Pastry Chef Denis, Leslie with reporters from the Negros Daily Bulletin.

And the tour guides were seated with the Editor of Visayan Daily Star.

 The characteristic of a baguette is its pointed end.

 This was unanimously our table's favorite offering.

 This one is another favorite!

C's Cafe is located beside L'Fisher Hotel along Lacson St., Bacolod City.

Open from 7am to 11pm.

Virgie's Homemade Products

When visiting Bacolod, Virgie's is among those must-go places.  If you are a sucker for pasalubong, this is the place for you.  From piaya to pastillas de mangga to tarts to barquillos to galletas to all the delicacies that Bacolod and Negros have to offer, you can get it all here.  They also have a section for dried mangoes from Cebu.  

It is always best to pre-order your napoleones and pick it up on the day you depart Bacolod.

Pastillas de Mangga is a best seller.

At the nook, you can find T-shirts, key chains and other souvenir items made by Azatri

At the far end, you will find the dried fish and the squid rings.

Operating hours:  9am to 630pm daily
How to get there:  Taking Lacson St., heading South from the Capitol Lagoon, turn left when you reach San Sebastian St.  You will know it will be approaching the street when you see rows of fruit stand of the left side and the Trinity Church on the right. Virgie's is one block away on the left.
Contact Nos. 434-1788; 434-1588

Saigon Cafe

This is the first restaurant that serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine in Bacolod City.  Sylvia, the cook-owner-manager, was trained in Ho chi Minh City aka Saigon.  Though the dining area is just in a garage in a residential area in Bata Subd., the place is always full.  It's good that they are now open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.  When they first started early this year, they open only on Wednesdays to Sundays starting at 5pm.

The cilantro, basil and mint are added into the soup.

Each one of us ordered a bowl of soup not knowing that it could serve 2 persons already!

 Their coffee is served in  special way.  The coffee drips into the glass with condensed milk.

The it is poured in a glass filled with crushed ice.  Then you can enjoy your Vietnamese coffee.

It is just a makeshift in a garage with gravel as its flooring.  So cool!

To reserve a table, pls call 708-9036.

How to get there:  Going to Bata is taking the right turn when you reach Pepsi Cola Plant.  Turn left when you reach the sign which says, Negros Occ Golf Club aka Marapara Golf Club.  Take the first turn to the left.  Further down on the right you will find a bamboo fence.  That's it!   Sometimes the brother of Sylvia will lead you to park properly.  

Lechon Festival in Brgy. Cabug

Barangay Cabug celebrated its 7th Lechon Festival January 6, 2013.  It's interesting to see lechon (roasted pig) dressed in colorful costumes and paraded to their plaza.

Schoolchildren, dressed in lechon-inspired costumes, join the parade and performed their dances.

Since this is an election year, most of the candidates running for elective positions made their presence felt in occasions similar to this.  It's good my shirt is green so it did not give me a hint of any political color.

At the end of the parade, guests gathered at this very long table to feast on the  rice and lechon lade in front of you in what is called the 'boodle fight'.

How to get there:
Take the Circumferential Road and proceed South.  The concrete roads end at Brgy. Cabug.

Vintage Glasses Museum

A new place to visit in Bacolod City.  This is the vintage glasses collection of Tomas Casiano.  Having worked in the US of A for more than 30 years, he has added more to his  glasses collection into what we see now in his museum at Sum-ag, Bacolod City.  When he decided to retire, he would send his collection in balikbayan boxes to his home for two years.  Each piece carefully wrapped and packed in their respective boxes.

Having worked as a floral arranger for 9  Beverly Homes mansions each week, he has acquired an eye for beauty.  He built this museum in just about four months.  You may visit his place by appointment only.

How to get there:

While traversing the National Road along Brgy. Sum-ag, turn left at the Abuanan Road.  Take another left turn and that's his house on the left just before the corner.  You would see red and green flags on his perimeter gate.  Take another left turn to go to the museum.  You wouldn't miss it!

If you have done your best effort and still missed it, email viajenegrense@gmail.com.