Rodic's tapsilog!

Tapa! Sinangag! Itlog! 

TAPSILOG!

In my culinary adventures, nothing beats Rodic's tapsilog as a breakfast (or even anytime) meal.  I first encountered Rodic's tapsilog as an 8 year old listening to my uncle's stories of their bar review classes at UP Law. Little did I know that 8 years later, I'd be in the same campus, walking the same halls (of the UP Shopping Center) and partaking in the same dishes!

I was in Manila the past couple of days to interview for a German/Schengen visa, and with my spare time, decided to traipse around my old stomping grounds in UP Diliman.  Of course, food would be on top of my list, and boy, did we do food!  Rodic's tapsilog was one of the highlights of the visit.  

This is a type of tapa that I still have to learn how to make. It's all savory and sweet shredded goodness! And the way they cook the sunny-side up eggs are perfect!  I'll have to replicate this somehow.  Any ideas?

Drool.

arroz con pollo!

Due to the dearth of international food in Dumaguete (especially Latin American cuisine), I have been forced to make do with what I have.  Yesterday, I had a hankering for Colombian-style arroz con pollo (literally chicken with rice).  My favorite Colombian restaurant in NYC, La Pollera Colorada, in Sunnyside, served a great arroz con pollo that hasn't been surpassed by any of the other Latin American restaurants I've been to in the US (and trust me, I've been to a lot!).

So, I made up my mind and came up with my version of arroz con pollo.  It was a little difficult finding turmeric and cumin in the city.  Thank goodness Fortune Mart had it. :-)  And luckily, I was able to find most of the other stuff I needed at the supermarket.

As for the dish, the flavors were true to its origins (yep, definitely no soy sauce!), and I have to say, I'm impressed with what I made.  All I could ever add is that vinegar condiment and the platanos that La Pollera Colorada serves it with, and I should have been set!  But this is Dumaguete, I'll take any foreign flavors I can get!

Kaon ta! (Let's eat! in Cebuano)