One of the biggest reasons I enjoy visiting Bicol is its rich and spicy traditional cuisine that definitely stand out in the Filipino culinary landscape. Besides its historical, religious and natural attractions, Naga City – the progressive gateway to this region – is fast becoming a foodie’s destination that not only offers classic Bicolano dishes like bicol express, laing and pinangat but also transforms them into deliciously creative cuisine. Here are five the best Bicolano dishes with a twist you can try in the city!
Crispy Pinangat by Woodstone Kitchen & Bar
Pinangat is tied gabi (taro) leaves simmered in coconut and chilis. The version of this dish in Naga City has minced pork and shrimp inside. Woodstone Kitchen deconstructs this traditional dish by breading, deep-frying and serving it with a coconut cream sauce to create their best-selling dish, crispy pinangat.
Woodstone Kitchen & Bar, Balatas Road (Basilica Road), Naga City; Tel. +63 9106778811
Bicol Express Linguine by White Bean Café
Perhaps the Bicol’s most iconic dish that intriguingly carries the name of a former railway service to the region, bicol express is a spicy concoction of minced pork in chilis, shrimp paste, and coconut milk. White Bean Café uses this spicy dish to flavor al dente linguine pasta which rivals the bicol express pasta of Small Talk, the popular café in Legazpi City.
White Bean Café, 1/F Naga Land Hotel, Elias Angeles St, Naga City; +63 54 4732111
Laing Quesadilla by White Bean Café
The humble laing gets a Mexican twist with this other winning dish by White Bean Café – the laing quesadilla. Similar to pinangat, laing is made of loose taro leaves cooked in chilis and coconut milk. The spicy laing really complements the cheese filling, creating a perfect afternoon snack or side dish to a heavy lunch or dinner.
White Bean Café, 1/F Naga Land Hotel, Elias Angeles St, Naga City; +63 54 4732111
Laing Cordon Bleu by Red Platter
Just like White Bean’s quesadilla, the laing cordon bleu of Red Platter – located right along Naga City’s “food street” of Magsaysay Avenue – takes the taro leaves dish to another level by stuffing it in a breaded schnitzel – Bicol’s answer to the Continental staple, chicken cordon blue, which orginated in Switzerland. They also serve traditional Bicolano dishes like bicol express and pinangat.
Red Platter, Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City; Tel. +63 54 472 9933
Milky Pili by Flavours
True to its name, unique and balanced flavors are what I love about Flavours, a restaurant located near the Bicol Central Terminal. While not exactly a dish, milky pili transforms something very Bicolano like the pili nut – the world’s rarest nut, only commercially harvested in the Bicol Region – into something special like a pili-flavored milkshake! It’s light and frothy and served in moderate portions, so you’ll definitely be ordering a second or more.
Flavours, CBD II Avenue, Naga City; Tel. +63 54 472 8350
All images taken with the all-new Starmobile Knight Elite. Special thanks to Naga Excursions, the tourism brand of Naga City.
