Tiya Ising's Filipino Restaurant - An Interesting Find

Third time's the charm - I made a couple of versions of this entry earlier, but both got "accidentally deleted." I'm hoping that this one gets published without incident, otherwise I'm gonna move on to the next entry haha.

It was a really hot afternoon and the gang was looking for someplace cool to eat. It was a challenging task to get out of a comfortably air-conditioned room and drive around under the heat of the sun. Some recommendations were thrown in the air, but I wanted something that would motivate me to move. Then I remembered hearing whispers about this new (?) resto near my high school. Luckily, my brother also suggested the same restaurant ("you have to see what they did with their flooring!") and so we ended up in Tiya Ising's.

The place itself had a nice ambiance. They were aiming for the old fashioned/style look and were able to achieve it for the most part. There were portraits and even some old clothes from the "baul" of Lola Itang (not sure how she's related to Tiya Ising though). There's also an interesting spot where kids can post their artwork (paper and crayons provided). It's a very casual place and a good spot to enjoy a decent meal and great conversation. The flooring? It was plain, and I had no idea why my brother had to bring it up in the first place. I just chose to ignore it.

Now on to the food. I immediately had the hots for the Kaldereta (P258). It did not meet the usual standards that I have for one of my favourite stews (lots of cheese, somewhat spicy); the dish that was served was on the sweet and salty side. I still ended up liking it, however. I loved that they didn't scrimp on the ingredients, and I liked the way the dish was cooked (reminded me of old-style cooking I guess). "Sarsa pa lang, ulam na" as they would say. I would go back to this place if only for the Kaldereta.

The Ginger Baby Spareribs (P258), on the other hand, was too sweet for my liking. While the meat was tender enough to "melt on my mouth," I thought that the dish did not go well with the other items that we ordered. I suppose some people would like it as a standalone dish (with a side of rice). I would likely skip it the next time I eat here.

I didn't care much about the Tortang Talong (P155). It did come in a nice presentation but I personally found it too plain. I wish we didn't order it anymore. I probably would have liked the Spicy Chopsuey better.

When I asked about the restaurant's specialty, they told me it was the Kare-Kare (P258). It was unfortunately out of stock (I hate it when that happens) so I never got the chance to taste it. Oh well, I have a million more trips for Palawan coming, so I have no doubt that I will be able to try it out in the  near future. And yes, they have free wifi.

Tiya Ising's is located in Rizal Ave corner Roxas St., Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines.

Best Western's Anibong Restaurant - Nothing Too Exciting

I was looking for a "new place" to dine in the city where I grew up, and Anibong Restaurant in Best Western Plus Hotel caught my attention. It was new, it looked posh, and I haven't heard a lot of reviews about it. Perfect for a family dinner, I thought.

The place itself is nice an spacious. The ambiance is perfect for a family event or perhaps even a romantic dinner - quiet, well lit and cozy. It looked expensive, but a look at the menu would reveal reasonable prices (with the exception of the steaks of course). I was ready to dig in on some really good food.

The first sign of bad tidings to come - the waiter told us that the Kare Kare (P300) had no ox tripe and the Beef Rendang (P390) was not available. While we ended up ordering the "Liempo Kare Kare," it didn't live up to the expectations. It lacked the "ooomph" that only tripe can bring to the dish. The alamang, however, was really good.

And then there was the Grilled King Prawns (P590). While they were indeed majestic, there were only three of them - which meant each one cost around P200. Nothing special about the prawns themselves, but the sauce really caught my attention. I made the mistake of putting a lot of it on my prawn before reading what it was - tamarind paste. Needless to say, it was too sour for my liking.

The Western Style Fried Cicken (P290) was okay - a bit on the bland side but with sauce sidings to compensate. Not a fried chicken fan, so I guess some people may like this one.

I personally think that nothing can beat my Dad's Tokwa't Baboy, so it hardly seems fair for me to comment about the Crispy Tofu and Pork Crackling (P220). I guess it tasted okay.

Once again, Baby's Choice won the night. When I asked around, almost everyone was in agreement that the best dish was the Mashed Potato. A close second would be the Pasta Carbonara (P220).

Overall, I suppose it was a "normal" dining experience - nothing too interesting, not much to talk about. I still had a great time though - the Baby was extra active and was even "flirting" with the waitress. Family time is the best.

Anibong Restaurant is located in Best Western Plus The Ivywall Hotel, Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Painted Table (Canvas Hotel) - What Happened Last Night??

It was my first night back in Palawan, and I was looking forward to dinner. Will Dad cook something yummy? Will we dine out and try one of the newer restos in the city? But I guess the night was all planned out, because my brother knew exactly where he was driving towards - Painted Table Restaurant in Canvas Hotel.

It was a good choice, mind you. Good enough to make a prodigal son feel missed. We've dined here as a family before, and I remember raving about how good the food was. Friends have shared the same sentiments. I was ready to eat my heart out.

When the food arrived, one of the first questions that popped in our minds was "did they hire a new chef?" Taking it to the next level, my mom actually asked the waitress if they made any changes to the kitchen staff. She said no. The reason we asked? The food wasn't as good as it was the last time we were there. 

The Nilagang Baka (P270) would have been the perfect dish to warm up a person recovering from illness (that's me). I was looking forward to it. But the soup was mediocre at best. It did not have the "lasa" that can only be achieved by hours of slow cooking. The only one who enjoyed it was the baby - who is notorious for loving (as in really loving) bland soup. 

The Crispy Pork Binagoongan (P360) was a bit better, and I'm downplaying my comments about it only because we requested to have the bagoong separated from everything else. Never touch a chef's masterpiece, and don't take it against him/her if things don't work out after you do.

And then there was the Slow Stewed Beef Curry (P365). I personally thought the taste was ok despite the unbelievably thin sauce. But the deal breaker? The meat was tough. I think they forced cooked this batch just to meet a deadline.

The Buffalo Chicken Wings (210) was the dish that saved the day. It was a good as I remembered, and I loved every bite. I'm glad I ordered it on the last second - otherwise dinner would have been a complete disaster.

It was still a happy family dinner at the end of the day, and we only paid a little over a thousand pesos thanks to a certain someone's overused senior citizen card. A steal considering the ambiance, location and the quality of food. I'm still hoping that last night was a fluke - perhaps the chef was absent or maybe they just ran out of gasul. I don't want to give up on this place, and I hope my next visit will be a better one.

Insert: A pahabol comment from my ever discriminating brother - "it's the kind of food that only babies will like." And you thought I was harsh.

Painted Table Restaurant is located in Canvas Botique Hotel, Puerto Princesa North Road, Barangay San Miguel, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.