If you’ve tried batchoy the way many locals in Iloilo prepare it, hahanap-hanapin mo siya. And this is how this non-pretentious restaurant in Bacoor, Cavite came to our attention. Passing by some highway in the middle of the night, we came across Old Recipe, which boasts to sell “original” (open and close quotation) Ilonggo food, including batchoy.
@outragemag The #LGBT search for #Ilonggo ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
As FYI: This is supposedly an old resto, opening in 1988, though at first as Ilongga House. The name change happened in 2018, though the resto owned by Rufino Gallo must be doing something right since it now has a handful of branches.
The branch we went to was… nothing grand, even if it can seat around 80 pax. Old tables, old seats, and so on. You get the drift.
The staff was at least friendly; they even provided the info I sought for this quick review.
But the wait time was sobra. And to think we just ordered batchoy (the supreme sells for ₱198, and if you add extras, you pay ₱15 for an egg and ₱18 for chicharon or bawang), as well as pansit molo (₱168 for solo size). They have a sizable menu; this is one of those restos that has too much to choose from.
But to be extremely blunt, the food wasn’t great.
For the batchoy, you don’t get a lot of noodles and sahog. And it was too watery so that the batchoy taste was just not there. The pansit molo, at least, had okay broth; but the pork dumplings tasted like they just came out of the freezer.
This isn’t the Ilonggo resto I – personally – can see myself regularly going to. But I understand if others may like it, whether for after-inuman sabaw, or for those wanting to try Ilonggo offerings particularly if they live nearby. To each his or her own, sabi nga.
So off we go pa rin, as we look for more lafang venues.
OLD RECIPE is located at Greenfields Commercial Bldg., Mambog IV, Bacoor, Cavite.
