BICOL's PINANGAT: My Pasalubong Recommendation

I consider Bicol as one of the best provinces I have been to in the country. In my experience, the people were so nice, the beaches were so good (see where I stayed in Donsol here), and the food was really unforgettable!!!

Indeed Bicolano Cuisine are freaking delicious! From coconut milk (gata)-based dishes to unique desserts (try Pili and Sili Ice Cream), almost everything is a must try.

Pili Ice Cream is the bomb!

So after the whole Bicol trip, I looked for something to take back to Manila to share the goodness of Bicol  to my friends and loved ones.

You can buy different pasalubong items in Ibalong Pasalubong Center located in Legazpi Grand Terminal. But if you want to take home a delicacy like I did, I recommend Bicol's Pinangat. It's Manila's version of Laing, made from gabi leaves,  dried fish, shrimp paste and maybe some coconut milk. You can buy it in local restaurants along Camalig, Albay but if you already happen to be in the terminal, you can go to SM Supermarket. They sell famous Dad's Special Pinangat in chilled packaging, perfect for transporting. They sell each pack for Php 45. I recommend getting the spicy flavor.

Pinangat sold for Php 45

Travel from Legazpi to Manila took 12 hours so prolonging the life of this dish was very critical. In order to keep it chilled, I bought a cooler box for  Php 150 and put some ice in it. Tube ice were conveniently placed beside the Pinangat's chiller.

Tube Ice

The icebox had to be sealed securely to make sure that the ice water would not spill during the trip. Thankfully the staff from the supermarket helped me seal it using packaging tape. (Bicolano's are sooo nice!)

Right after I went home, I immediately checked the package and still found some ice on top.
I put the Pinangat in the fridge and left one pack to be heated for dinner.

Cres Snack Inn: Legazpi, Albay's Budget Friendly Food Haven:

Located along Rizal Avenue, Cres Snack Inn is probably one of the underrated restaurants in Legazpi Albay, probably because it did not appear in my searches when I googled best places to eat in the province. It may look like an ordinary Carinderia or "turo-turo" but they serve one of the best Bicolano dishes I've ever tasted. 

Cres Snack Inn along Rizal Avenue, Legazpi City, Albay, Bicol

Here, you can order food by half, so you can try two or more of their dishes. I personally tried their Bicol Express (of course!) and Laing. Both were tolerably spicy and really delicious.

Price ranges from 50 to 100 plus pesos per order. We were seven that time, each of us ordered  two plates of food in half serving with one rice and our bill was only 665 pesos. That's less than 100 pesos per person.

Different dishes to choose from, Bicolano food etcetera

Laing of course!

 Special thanks to our Bicolano friends for recommending Cres Snack Inn!

Our lunch at Big Buddha Greenbelt, Makati

Just had lunch at Big Buddha located an the 2nd floor of Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center Makati. Just right after the Cinema in G3, you will find a row of restaurants and Big Buddha is at the end of that row.

The ambiance of the place was nice, the service was not so bad either 

Big Buddha serves mainly Chinese dishes, but they also serve other Asian Cuisine as well. For a group of 3, we ordered three dishes:

• Fried Crispy Chicken
• Beef Broccoli
• Fish Fillet with Taosi Sauce

We ordered one plate of Yang Chow Rice, to share and bottomless Red and Lemon Iced Tea for Drinks.

We chewed on these crackers while waiting for our order to come.
Big Buddha also served us their House Tea

from L-r: Fried Crispy Chicken, Beef Broccoli and Yang Chang Rice

The rice wasn't enough for three persons so we ordered 2 plain rice for 60php each, a bit expensive for a small cup of rice I think.

Among the three dishes, I liked the Fish fillet the most, although I am not sure if that's really the name of the dish. The chicken and broccoli were also delicious but there were other restaurants I knew that served these dishes better.

I think this is the Fish Fillet with Taosi Sauce, it also has mushrooms and tofu in it