Recognized in 2023 as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Iloilo City has a lot of must-check culinary offerings… though among the regularly mentioned are batchoy (yep, we’ve had that, too, via Netong’s) and pancit molo. The search for the latter led us to Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo, which – while offering what we were looking for – is actually more than just a resto, but a historical gem that just happens to also offer culinary gems.
So, how was the visit to Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo for us?
@outragemag Mixing history with #tsokolatedebatirol and #pancitmolo dring this #LGBT trip to #Iloilo ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
Una, the place is quite far from the city, huh! It is accessible naman, since jeepneys travel to the area, and – for those with budget – Grab can take you there, too. But that we had a hard time getting a taxi to return downtown should tell you how far this place is.
Ikalawa, the actual place is historical. Designed by the first parish priest of Molo, Anselmo Avanceña, the house was built in 1865 for Don Fernando Avanceña and his wife Eulalia Abaja. Declared in 2015 as an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines, it is now a museum with a resto.
Ikatlo, the house can be toured for a fee.
For ₱150, you will be mandated to watch a video telling you of the history of the place, before being allowed to check the house itself. This tour will end in the resto, where you will be served with tsokolate de batirol and a bowl of ugoy-ugoy (a kind of layered biscuit topped with sugar). This is unli, so you can drink as much as you want.
For ₱220, you can add pancit molo to the food to be served to you.
Ika-apat, kumusta ang food?
Prepared while we watched, the tsokolate de batirol was richly thick, though it was also milky and somewhat sweetish. Hindi nakakasawa.
The biscuits were good, ideal accompaniment to the tsokolate de batirol. They were crisp and yet, while disintegrating, weren’t powdery.
The pancit molo was 50-50 for us. On one hand, the dumplings were prepared well naman, with enough meat wrapped in not-easily-disintegrating wrappers. But on the other hand, the soup was quite salty; and that’s coming from us who are okay with salty food.
If there’s a must-try in this place, it’s their papaya slices and juice. Supposedly grown in a farm in nearby Guimaras, they are so sweet you’d think they were sugared.
Is Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo worth visiting? Yep… for the history, some of the food, and so on. Though if we’re talking pancit molo, baka sa iba na lang.
And so, while thankful to Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo for the history and culinary lessons, off we go in search of more lafangan venues…
Camiña Balay nga Bato in Iloilo is located at 20 Osmeña Street, Brgy. Sta. Felomina Arevalo, Iloilo City For more information, contact 0947 891 1467, or email lolarufina1865@gmail.com.
