PINAKBET FARM
Utong (small sitaw),
kabatiti (patola, snake gourd), sabong kalabasa (squash flowers, squash, siling
duwag (non-hot green chilis) and parya (ampalaya, bitter gourd) all came in
unison to proclaim: “Eat me for lunch.”
The known Pinakbet dish in the Philippines has an
Ilocano version. And during our stay in
Vigan City, we were lead to the municipality of Caoayan, on a large hectare of
land where a pavilion made of native materials sits near the river and where the
ingredients for pinakbet are
harbored.
This is Pinakbet Farm.
For an authentic Filipino
dining experience complementing the rural landscape and the fresh air, diners
are required to eat with their bare hands.
We then checked the area as
soon as we were settled to take the front seats since we were told that there
will be a cultural show after dining.
The nearby fishpond that
runs through a river is open to visitors who would like to experience fishing. The vicinity is likewise surrounded by water
lilies, where we were able to witness workers pulling some to be used as raw
materials in making export-worthy slippers and bags.
After a few minutes, lunch
was served in a picnic style with banana leaves as service plates. For a reasonable price, diners can feast on
grilled tilapia, chicken and pork, with the main entrée, pinakbet served on bamboo containers. A seaweed salad was part of the culinary
treat as well.
 |
| Ilocos Balicutia |
 |
| seaweed salad |
Pinakbet is a dish I am not accustomed to and will never eat when served
with other choices in the likes of chicken and pork. The bitter gourd is what I
hate most in this mix-of-vegetable dish.
 |
| Pinakbet served on a bamboo container |
And so I tried. The verdict?
Apart from bagnet that adds a
contrasting taste to the bitter gourd, the bitterness was quite tolerable and
the mix of all the other vegetables complements each other, without one
ingredient’s taste being dominant. It’s
an equal participation of all the vegetables to make up one outstanding
cuisine, I so confess.
Pinakbet is not hard to love. As
of writing, pinakbet served at the Pinakbet Farm is truly one of the best I’ve
tried, without exaggeration.
After the servings were all
gone into our stomachs, we were then entertained by the staff in a form of a
cultural presentation. The show
presented the way of life in Ilocos Region and the transition from courtship to
marriage of an ordinary couple in the form of song and dance numbers. The song’s lyrics reflect the Philippine
northern region’s virtues of patience, perseverance, industry and resilience.
Twelve set of songs, mostly
in Ilocano dialect, were portrayed commencing with no other than the Pinakbet Song. Other songs were: Ti Ayat Ti Maysa Nga Ubing (The Love of Youth), Manang Biday,
Pamulinawen, Hello Love, Abalayan, Isem (Smile), Dungdongwen Kanto, Dance
Sequence, Pada-padakam, Awitin Ko at Isasayaw Mo, and Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok
Ko.
In a more interactive dining
experience, diners can participate in the cultural show as well. To the tune of Isem (smile), part of the wedding ritual is showcased, where the
newly-wed dance to the song and encourages relatives and friends to share in
their future by giving them something to start with, preferably financial
support. At this point, guests can pin
paper bills to either of the couple.
 |
| Mayor Germy and the locally-made shawl |
We were joined in this pinakbet experience by the Mayor of
Caoayan, Hon. Germy Goulart and our host for this event, Jose “Bonito” Singson
Jr. The kind mayor shared to us their plans and vision for the municipality in
reference to promoting tourism and local products to all visitors, and even
awareness campaign within the local residents.
It is not every day that I get to eat pinakbet with the head of the town, which makes the experience even
more memorable.
 |
| Photo by: Demi Braque |
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