Food Ventures in Legaspi - "10 Years in the Making - Bicol Trip" by Atty. Diana Delfin

Way back in college (about more than 10 years ago), my closest college friends and I had long planned to go on a Bicol Trip since one of my friends is from Bulan, Sorsogon. We already came up with an itinerary, that which includes seeing the Mayon Volcano in Legaspi City, then thereafter travel way to the southern part most of the Bicol Region, Bulan, Sorsogon. We were all excited just thinking about this trip. However, as just college students back then, who were full of plans but without the means to go on with these plans, our Bicol trip remained an unfulfilled plan.

Look how juvenile and innocent we were back then! J

Though my friends and I had our own separate lives after college and law school, we always make it to a point to at least meet once in a while. And so, at one point of our fun conversation (reminiscing on our college years), we thought of making our Bicol Trip happen. We were all thinking that since we already had all of the means and that we were no longer getting any younger, we really had to go on to this Bicol trip (as if it was a part of the group’s bucket list).

After more than 10 years and all of the plans we made, we finally made our Bicol Trip happened (though 2 of our closest friends were not able to join), just as how we imagined it way back in college.

First stop—Legaspi City! 

Of course, we will not pass up the opportunity of stopping over and appreciating the beauty of the famous Mount Mayon.

My friend (from Bicol) said that only with those pure/kind hearts will the Mount Mayon show its full view (for first timers). We were thinking who among us Mount Mayon did not want to see its full view J.

Here are among the places we had fun at Legaspi City:

Ligñon Hill Nature Park

Japanese Tunnel (an L-shaped tunnel used as an arsenal by the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War, which is located in Brgy. EM's Barrio South in the Albay District.)

 

After the fun and tiring touring experience around Legaspi City, we had to fill our stomachs with Bicol’s delicacies/famous dishes. We asked around the place, and one local said the Waway’s Restaurant offers the best Bicolano dishes with an eat-all-you-can/buffet promo. And so, off we go --hurriedly and excitedly!

Waway’s Restaurant

The food served at Waway’s Restaurant is basically spicy (as what Bicolano dishes are known for). Their pinangat and kinunot are to die for, and which I consider now as my favorite Bicolano dishes.

  Pinangat

 

Kinunot

Out of my curiosity and as I find Kinunot delicious, I asked how it was cooked from my Bicolana friend. She said Kinunot is very simple and easy to cook. Here are her simple tips on cooking Kinunot:

1. Cook the tuna in water in quantity just enough to cook it, minced garlic, sliced onion, a dash of powdered blackpepper and vinegar.

2.  When the tuna is cooked, remove from the fire and mash it.  Add sliced labuyo and coconut cream or gata.  When the coconut cream has simmered, add the leaves of the moringa or malunggay.  Cook until 75% of the gata is absorbed by the tuna.

3.  Season with salt.

My Bicolana friend suggested that Kinunot is best eaten with lantang pili and kuyog.  

After our Legaspi City tour, we went straight down to Sorsogon and met our friend. We had much more fun-catching up, going around her hometown (Bulan, Sorsogon) and fulfilled our plans – 10 years in the making. 

SOURCES: 

Photo Credits to Karen Marquez, Isabel Quipse

http://ph.images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2oKiaH1H1BURlsAJuq1Rwx.

http://ph.images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2oKiaCKIFBUQwcAHsG1Rwx.;_ylu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legazpi,_Albay