Tutubi just loves unplanned trips even just changing his usual route driving around town. It's at hidden corners and not the usual streets where he's "discovered" hidden gems of places, restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries and food trip places, one of which is this bakery selling toasted siopao from Naga City, Camarines Sur somewhere near UP Teachers Village in Quezon City.

This is a long-pending post. Tutubi was only reminded only when Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho featured this "delicacy"...err...bicol specialty on her GMA magazine show.

still hot toasted siopao showing pork asado filling

How to make toasted siopao? Toasted Siopao recipe is straightforward:

Toasted siopao, unlike regular siopao that comes in bola-bola or asado variants, is made from wheat flour thus the bread-like texture. Asado pork filling, sourced from Bicol, is stuffed then the dough with filling is baked until toasted and brown-colored.

Price is PhP8/piece

Where to buy toasted siopao in Manila:

TatyStar Bakery:

#45 Anonas Extension, Brgy Sikatuna, Quezon City
Telephone Number: +63.2.386.9604

Door 1 Dahlia Ave., West Fairview, Quezon City
Telephone Number: +63.2.466.0750

#61 CK Bldg. Visayas Ave., Brgy Vasra, Quezon City
Telephone Number: +63.2.466.1325

Remarks: No delivery and not yet ready for franchising.

3N Bakery
Alabang fronting Star Mall, 1780 Muntinlupa City
Telephone Number: 0917 809 2659
Store hours: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

with branches in Pilar, Las Pinas, R. Tirona, J. Elizalde,
Presidents avenue in BF Homes Paranaque

Labels: Bicol Cuisine, Bicol Region, Camarines Sur, Frugal Food Find, Naga City

Are you sure you've been to Bicol? Sure, you've seen the really beautiful Mayon Volcano in Albay, swam with the butanding in Donsol, Sorsogon, stayed at CamSur, visited Caramoan and other now usual part of Bicol tour itinerary but probably you've missed other lesser known Bicol culinary treasures due to pre-occupation with Bicol "sightseeing tours." Besides the pili nut, have you sampled authentic Bicol Express? This sweat gland-inducing dish seems to be getting spicier as you head south. The equally great pinangat of Camalig, Albay, the less-known hinugom, kuyog, binut-ong, kinagang of Sorsogon plus other Bicol specialties like the sinantolan (different from Laguna and Quezon versions of the ginataang santol dish), the kinunot and other bicol dishes with primary ingredients of coconut milk and chili. This one may be too ubiquitous for you and probably served right under your nose when you got there. The pancit bato was introduced to Tutubi by a close friend from Daet during his first visit to Camarines Norte about 10 years ago. Pancit bato costs just PhP5 per serving then and yet it's so filling it can put to shame Chowking's similar serving costing 12 times as much. pancit bato servd to Tutubi by friends in Paracale In a visit to Paracale, Camarines Norte, he was again re-acquainted with the frugal food find in Bicol, again at P5 per serving but less in serving size after 10 years. Why was it called pansit/pancit bato? It's not made of stone/rocks nor stone used to cook/make them. The noodles were actually made in the town of Bato, Camarines Sur and made from rice cassava (kamoteng kahoy) Tutubi has a future post on regional variants of pancit in the Philippines, a collection of stories and pictures for his "pancit tour of the Philippines" :P

Labels: Bicol Cuisine, Bicol Region, Camarines Sur, Filipino Food

First, the Frech were captivated by Caramoan who shot the hugely popular Koh Lanta; then came the Bulgarians with their own version of Survivor; and now the desert-dwelling Israelis came to these shores and even named their own season Survivor Philippines.

herewith is the video teaser of Israel's Survivor Philippines

Teaser Video Survivor Philippines Israel (in Hebrew but with English subtitles)

Filipinos won't be able to see the Survivor series here but you'll be able to watch the Survivor Philippines Online streaming or torrents downloads :P

Related post:
"French Survivor" Koh Lanta Caramoan

Labels: Bicol Region, Camarines Sur, Survivor

In his perpetual search of unspoiled beaches, "off the beaten track" destinations and pristine spots in the Philippines, Tutubi has been secretly planning to a much raved about place by backpackers and landscape photographers with their images of picture-perpect Caramoan Peninsula in the Bicol province of Camarines Sur. His plan was halted and probably re-scheduled for next year due to a news item by the Philippine Daily Inquirer about the ongoing location shoot of Survivor-France held in a highly secretive deal that involved declaring the famous Gota Beach as closed due to massive development and construction. Even Camarines Sur's official website had the same declaration that the place is currently closed.


Video Teaser of Koh Lanta Caramoan on You Tube

Of cordoning off of tourist spots, there has been buzz lately generated by fellow travelers about the closure of Kayangan Lake in Coron, Calamian Islands, Palawan to give way to the shoot of GMA Kapuso's Dyesebel (the nth incarnation of the classic komiks mermaid character by Mars Ravelo) aggravated by power-tripping Coast Guard personnel who shooed tourists away.

Regarding Koh Lanta (Survivor France), the show shot episodes in Koh Lanta, a resort island in southern Thailand, then another season in Palawan that wowed French televiewers. This prompted bookings by French vacationers to Palawan.

Tutubi wants to showcase the Philippines by featuring destinations in the country; he wants to visit the places before they're overrun by the usual tourists and turn the place into another tourist-infested and cacophonic spot like Boracay. With the exposure it's getting now and the development of the place, once Gota beach re-opens in June of this year, expect more people to check the place out and the opening of beach resorts, inns and homestay accommodations. This is good for Bicol tourism but bad for Tutubi. If that happens, Tutubi will just go island-hopping to find his own secluded beach.

Hope people of Caramoan gets to develop sustainable eco-tourism and not destructive over-development of their pristine place.

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For pictures of Caramoan Peninsula, you may have to wait when Tutubi gets there :P

How to get to Caramoan Peninsula:

From manila, you may book flights to Naga City, or commute by an 8-hour bus trip (terminals on EDSA Cubao or Paranaque City near MRT Taft Avenue station). From Naga City, ride a sabang-bound bus for two hours followed by another 2-hour ride, this time by banca (boat) to Quijalo (with two trips daily in the morning). Gota beach, the most popular of Caramoan's pristine beaches is accesible via jeepney ride to Centro (poblacion) followed by a tricycle ride. To to Island-hopping, you may hire boats to take you to various islands nearby.

A friend of Tutubi who knew the place suggested looking for the barangay captain in case you need driving directions and secure parking.

Tags: Koh Lanta, Survivor France, Survivor Bulgaria, Survivor Israel

Labels: Bicol Region, Camarines Sur, Caramoan