Sizzling Pork And Longsilog At Sweet Box

My longsilog at Sweet Box.

Couple of weeks ago, a new food hub opened up in Ibaan. Called Sweet Box, the place features sweet tasting and elegantly fashioned cakes, cup cakes and brownies of different flavors. But aside from these, they also offer a long line of cuisines from burgers to full meal perfect for snacks, lunch and dinner. And this afternoon, for the second time, we were again led by our screaming tummies for lunch there.

My company had sizzling pork with mixed veggies, while I ordered longsilog which is a combination of longanisa, fried egg and fried rice (sinangag). The latter is garnished with a slice of tomatoe and cucumber. And yes, we ordered the same thing the first time gave it a try at Sweet Box.

And how did it go?

Well, the sizzling pork I think made it to our expectations. I myself took a bite of it. I’m not sure what it is, but the sauce on top of the grilled or fried pork is so good I would sip them out off my spoon. And the pork? I love it. It’s soft and tender. Hardly any force is needed to cut it into pieces.

Sizzling pork on sizzling plate.

I have to commend also Sweet Shop’s soup. I think they used beef on it. And it sure tastes like beef. Admittedly, I quite frustrated with other food shops’ soup. They’re either using bones and boiled for hundred if times already or uses tons of “seasoning” at least to taste like beef or pork. But in Sweet Box, I think they’re using real beef meet.

Now, for my longsilog.

For longanisa. Check. I like it. For fried egg. Check. Not all burned out. The egg’s white yoke, although fried, remained white without crunchy, over-cooked part around it. Honestly, I prefer a sunny-side-up fried egg. They gave me a well-done one. But it’s not their fault. It’s on me. I should have told them.

How about the sinangag or fried rice? Hmnnnn… I think they can do better with the fried rice. Maybe my mouth is looking for something that is not there. But over all, we are still giving “thumbs up” for Sweet Box. And we’ll keep on coming back!

So I’m inviting you guys to give it a try.

(Sweet Box is located at the ground floor of Paña Building, Ibaan, Batangas,  the back of van terminal. They’are also adjacent to what is popularly known as “isawan sa bayan”.)

 

The soup.

Sisig

Maybe of Ilocano origin, but this cuisine is perfect for beers! To prepare, slightly grill pork’s skin with some meat, or better yet, use pork head’s skin, then have it on hot pan. Put on some spices. Mix a little bit. And you got your sisig. Finally, put one fresh egg while its still simmering.

For other version sisig, instead of grilling or frying them, the skin is boiled until tender, then cut into dice. Aside from spices, others add mayonaise instead of fresh egg.

It can be prepared in any way you want it to be. Just don’t forget bottle of beers when you’re done preparing it.

Grilled Tulingan

We had this when we had our Christmas party. Their taste still linger in her tongue.

Over Grilled

Grilling with wandering mind gets this in return.

Over grilled chicken.

Over grilled pork.

Grilled Friday

August 9, 2013

Friday. I didn’t thought I’ll be having one great grilled day today. But I did! And I had it at Santiago St., Poblacion, Ibaan, Batangas. Thanks to Miñas family for wonderful lunch.

I just finished taking photos of Ibaan organic farmers’ activity when I felt some dryness with my throat. I need some cold water. And I ran to Miñas residence. And there they are, getting things ready. We had grilled tambakol, grilled pork and ginisang balatong.

Here’s how they look like.

Have the fish, tambakol, marinated for an hour with kalamansi, salt, and black pepper powder.

After marinating, start grilling.

This should be your end product.

Also marinate these strips of pork meat. Have it like the adobo way. Then go grilling all the way.

And then, our veggie. No other than ginisang balatong.

Ginisang balatong.

For ginisang balatong, you just need to start by softening the balatong until they go half-crashed. Saute garlic and onion. Pour down balatong, let it simmer for couple of minutes. Then add young chili leaves and green chili fruit for a little stingy kick.

Ibaan Exotic Street Foods

These can be seen in different parts of the country being two of the best street foods to date. Ibaan also got their own version of them. We have here grilled chicken head and chicken neck.

They’re perfect with spicy vinegar. But before grilling them, they are boiled until tender and were cleaned thoroughly. And it they would even taste better when marinated.

Chicken heads.

Chicken necks.

Crispy Chicharong Bulaklak

This is just a plain, deep fried chicharong bulaklak, using the young intestine part of the pig.

 

Snacks From The Street

They’re variably called “street foods”, but not necessarily exotic ones. They’re usually find themselves in family gatherings. But because of their “bite size”, they are being sold as snacks, more during 3:00 pm, at the streets. And people coming from work, school, or just passers by love them. We have steamed and fried siomai, hotdogs and cheese sticks.

Cheese sticks.

Fried siomai.

Hotdogs.

Steamed siomai.\

Ginataang Suso

These are river snails (is that really how you call it?) or popularly known as suso. Use coconut milk in cooking this cuisine, plus spices. But before doing that, after catching the from river, keep them in water for 2 – 3 days. That is to allow them to cleanse themselves naturally. Water needs to be changed regularly.

After cleansing process, cut off the pointed part. It allows air to pass through the shell. Why? Because eating these requires sucking out what’s inside their shell.

Grilled Squid

This is the smaller version of octopus. And suits well into one’s mouth when grilled. You can clean up whatever is inside of it, then have it stuffed with grilled meat or just tomatoes and onions.

Grilled squid or pusit.