00:00As we continue our journey to enjoy the delicious flavors of Tagaytay,
00:05we came across one of my favorite places here,
00:08the View Park Hotel where you can find the Siglo Calicasan Farm.
00:14It's very exciting for me to finally enter Siglo Calicasan.
00:19This is the most functioning farm of the View Park Hotel.
00:25And I just want to stress the idea that we have here for elevated gardens
00:33that are a map of the Philippines.
00:35Every part you see, like Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao,
00:40there are plants planted there that you can only see in those regions.
00:46So, it's cool, right?
00:49Bonsai Station.
00:50I'm interested because I tried to study.
00:54I tried to grow bonsai before.
00:58And it's an art because I think the return is high.
01:04So, for example, you invested your time in plants.
01:08You made bonsai in five years' time.
01:12You can make a good income from this.
01:17The fresh ingredients they get in Siglo Calicasan,
01:21along with other locally sourced ingredients from nearby towns,
01:25is the secret behind their delicious food offerings in Siglo Modern Filipino Restaurant.
01:32Here, you can travel around the country through the food they serve.
01:41Food explorers,
01:42join me as I travel to the different corners of the Philippines
01:45and taste the food we grow.
01:48Let's go on a food trip here in Siglo Modern Filipino.
01:58It's not limited to the knowledge of many.
02:02When Siglo started,
02:04my theory is that I was an executive chef in the other hotel.
02:09So, I'm very familiar with their offering.
02:13And what's really impressive was,
02:16in a way, we have the same vision,
02:19which is to promote Filipino cuisine.
02:23But here in Siglo Modern Filipino,
02:25what was the direction of your menu?
02:30Well, first, we have to start from the Filipino farmers.
02:35Yes, of course.
02:36We have to pay attention to where our food comes from.
02:41And that's where the whole concept of Siglo Modern Filipino started.
02:46How did you curate your offerings in your menu here in Siglo?
02:51Well, like our tagline,
02:53travel the Philippines through food.
02:56So, our R&D is still continuous.
02:59From different regions, from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao,
03:03just like what we have here on the table.
03:06And of course, we do have also the Siglo originals,
03:09which is our own concoction.
03:11Are you ready to travel?
03:12Yes, sir!
03:13Okay.
03:14First, we go to southern Luzon, which is the Bulalo.
03:19Bulalo is the beef shank,
03:22slowly cooked for almost 2 hours.
03:26Okay.
03:27It has the sweet corn and talinong.
03:31What I like about their soup is that it's very basic.
03:35As you can see, it's really beef oil.
03:40So, that in itself shows you their dedication to the true identity of the dish.
03:49One of the best Bulalos in Tagaytay, if not the best.
03:54Now, we go to the northern part of Luzon,
03:58which is the Insarabasab from Ilocos.
04:01It's a grilled pork belly soaked in our special vinegar
04:05with cucumber, calamansi, onions, and chilies.
04:10And the word Insarabasab, Chef,
04:13in your words, it means burning from an open fire.
04:22It's limited to wood.
04:24Their pork is grilled.
04:26Do you want to go to Visayas?
04:28Let's go!
04:29Okay.
04:30Next stop is the western Visayas,
04:33which is the fresh lumpiang ubod
04:35with the mixed veggies and wrapped in a malunggay and egg wrapper.
04:39So, you make this?
04:40Yes, Chef.
04:41Wow!
04:42It's made on the spot, Chef.
04:44Then topped with the peanut and garlic sauce.
04:47It's freshly picked from our Siglo Calicasan farm,
04:50behind the hotel.
04:52So, you also use a lot of ingredients there?
04:56Yes, Chef.
04:57In fact, 30% of our vegetables that are cooked in Siglo's kitchen
05:02are from our farm.
05:04So, it's possible that even in a restaurant,
05:10relying on a garden can sustain and serve.
05:16Yes.
05:22The first thing that hits my mouth is the wrapper.
05:26Yes.
05:27The texture is so good.
05:28The malunggay.
05:29The malunggay.
05:30When you bite it,
05:34you'll feel it popping in your head.
05:37The softness.
05:38Yes.
05:39Then the essence of the malunggay.
05:42The crunch of the vegetables.
05:45Then when you chew, the sauce mixes.
05:53Winner.
05:54From Eastern Visayas, in Cebu,
05:58we have the maruya or parako jelly.
06:02Parako jelly.
06:03It's fried in a clay pot topped with pineapple sauce.
06:11Okay.
06:12Okay.
06:13So, lastly,
06:14we have to go to Mindanao to get three stars in the sun.
06:18First is we have the West Eastern Mindanao,
06:23the beef kulma.
06:24Kulma. Okay.
06:25And beef ribs cooked in coconut milk,
06:27peanut butter, tomato sauce, curry, and chilies.
06:30When you explain it, it's confusing.
06:32But when you eat it, you'll understand.
06:34Ah, okay.
06:35I get it.
06:36The hit of peanut butter.
06:38The spices in it.
06:41It's fun.
06:44And it's fatty.
06:47For our last stop from Central Mindanao,
06:50the piaparan udang from Lanao del Sur.
06:54So, piaparan udang,
06:56it's a shrimp cooked in coconut milk again
07:00with sambal paste, turmeric, and chilies,
07:03and burnt shredded coconut on top.
07:06So,
07:08Mm-hmm.
07:09Mm-hmm.
07:10That's the right way to eat it.
07:12The balance is good
07:14because it offers different flavor profiles.
07:18It's not just coconut milk.
07:20It's not just stir-fried.
07:24It has different culinary techniques.
07:26And I think that's a great way of promoting Filipino food.
07:34Aside from growing their own crops,
07:36another highlight of my visit to Siglo Calicasan Farm
07:39is their initiative to support local farmers.
07:43And you can see it in the food they serve here,
07:46like the farmer's salad that Chef Rachel shared with us.
07:51Food explorers,
07:52we're here at Siglo Calicasan
07:54to make a farmer's salad.
07:58The ingredients that we'll use for the farmer's salad
08:01are freshly picked from our farm.
08:05First, we'll mix the brown rice.
08:09Then,
08:11black rice.
08:14Adlai rice.
08:16Zincamas.
08:18Zucchini.
08:19Baby cucumber.
08:22Then, cassava.
08:25So that our salad will be crunchy.
08:29White cheese from Gentry.
08:32We support our local farmer's partner
08:35for their products.
08:38And then, our dressing from Gentry.
08:42Their fish sauce.
08:46We'll plate the lettuce
08:48and then the grains.
08:50At this point,
08:51we'll add the ingredients we mixed with the lettuce.
08:57Then, we have our highlight.
09:00The carrot.
09:06This is our farmer's salad.
09:09Only here at Siglo Calicasan.
09:12One of the main ingredients of their farmer's salad at Siglo Calicasan
09:16is the Adlai.
09:19And right here at Siglo Calicasan,
09:21they grow their own Adlai
09:24under the leadership of Sir Tom.
09:26In my conversation with Sir Tom,
09:28I discovered that we can grow and grow our own Adlai at home.
09:39Sir Thomas, we have what you're holding right now.
09:42It's one of the most unknown native species in the Philippines,
09:49our Adlai.
09:50It's getting popular now because of the health benefits
09:53that we're discovering for diabetics,
09:57apparently, I was informed recently that it's for cancer.
10:02Yes.
10:03There's a possibility that it can fight or prevent cancer.
10:08So, this is what it looks like.
10:11So, it really looks like rice.
10:13Yes, it looks like rice.
10:15For planting, you can use seeds.
10:18Direct sowing?
10:19Direct sowing.
10:20But if you want to make sure that all of our seeds will grow,
10:23you can do this.
10:24Here.
10:26We'll just get that.
10:29Then...
10:31It almost looks like rice.
10:34When it grows, it looks like rice.
10:39Yes.
10:40So, for the spacing,
10:42you can use two stakes to maximize the space.
10:46Okay.
10:47Unlike rice, you only need one stake when planting.
10:51Because Adlai, when it's alive,
10:54while it's growing, it has a lot of offspring.
10:57That's why it needs to be far away.
10:59How many months does it take to harvest?
11:01From seedling, it takes about six months to harvest.
11:05And in the continuation of our happy food trip in Siglo Modern Filipino Restaurant,
11:22Kuya Rico and I tried the original dishes of their restaurant,
11:27which, of course, is also made from the ingredients that they grow in Siglo Kalikasan.
11:33So, let's start with the Himalayan Chicken Wings with Assorted Bukit Chips.
11:40And the best way to eat it?
11:44There.
11:45I have a high tolerance for spice, but I can feel it.
11:49Yeah.
11:50This is what fights in your mouth in a good way.
11:54Next is our signature dish, which is the Pinadobong Lagitik.
11:58These are pork chunks that are marinated in Adobo.
12:06And after the lagitikan, we grill it.
12:12Huh?
12:14Okay.
12:15I'm pissed.
12:16Why?
12:17I didn't think about it.
12:19It's so annoying.
12:21Why did you put me first in this idea?
12:24You're good.
12:25Even if you're not a fan, there are a lot of you out there.
12:27Admit it.
12:28You don't like the combination of pineapple and vegetables.
12:32Try this.
12:33Okay, our last dish is the Pancit Birthday Cake.
12:37Pancit Birthday Cake.
12:38Pancit with Lumpiang Shanghai.
12:42Chef, I heard that the anniversary of Farm to Table is coming.
12:46I made you an anniversary cake for you.
12:49Woo!
12:50Patience.
12:51Yes, sir!
12:52Food Explorers, to all of our food adventurers out there,
12:59thank you.
13:00Thank you so much.
13:01Thank you so much.
13:03It's been four years, baby!
13:08To our staff and crew,
13:10we're always with you.
13:13Thank you so much.
13:15Food Explorers,
13:16to all of our food adventurers out there,
13:20let's go!
13:21Thank you so much, Kuya Rico.
13:23Thank you, sir.
13:25Our anniversary cake looks good.
13:29Yes, sir!
13:50Thank you, sir.
13:51Thank you, sir.
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14:14Thank you, sir.
14:15Thank you, sir.
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14:17Thank you, sir.
14:18Thank you, sir.
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