REGION 7 (Central Visayas Cuisines)

Region 7 consists of four provinces – Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor

MAIN DISHES
1. LECHON

 Lechon is a pork dish in several

regions of the world, most
specifically Spain and its former
colonial possessions throughout
the world. The word lechon
originated from the Spanish
term lechon; that refers to a
suckling pig that is roasted.
 Where it originated. The first lechon was made in Cebu in the 1920s,
and the first-ever lechonero’s came from Talisay, Cebu. You can say that
this is the reason why a mere mention of the word Lechon always directs
to Cebu—because it is the home of the best Lechon.
 They are cooked on a bamboo spit over charcoal for a few hours with
constant (traditionally manual) turning. The pig is roasted on all sides for
several hours until done. The process of cooking and basting usually
results in making the pork skin crisp and is a distinctive feature of the dish.

2. SUTUKIL

 Sutukil is a local wordplay on

“Sugba” (grill), “Tula” (stew), and
“Kilawin” (to cook in vinegar).
Basically, the concept of this is
that you get to pick one fish for
example and have it cooked in
three different ways. Tourists
have grown very fond of this
local style because it allows
them to sample the different
styles all at the same time.
One must-try is the kinilaw, the local version of sashimi! The best part is that since they
are cooked by locals, these dishes will not be commercialized, and tourists are able to
taste the best of what Cebuano cooking has to offer.
3. SHRIMP

Shrimp and prawn are important
types of seafood that are
consumed worldwide. In biological
terms, shrimp and prawns belong
to different
suborders of Decapoda, however
they are very similar in
appearance and in
commercial farming and fisheries
, the terms are often used
interchangeably. However, recent aquaculture literature increasingly uses
the term "prawn" only for the freshwater forms of palaemonids and
"shrimp" for the marine penaeids.

4. BARBECUE
 Barbecue (also barbeque, BBQ
s a cooking method and
apparatus. , to grill is to cook
meat relatively quickly using the
direct heat imparted by a
charcoal or propane fire, while
barbecue is similar to baking and
is a much slower method utilizing
the indirect heat imparted by the
smoke of a wood-fueled fire, often
requiring an extended period of
several hours.

5. CHORIZO DE CEBU

 There’s something special with

how we Cebuano’s flavor our
chorizo (or as those from the north
would call it, Longaniza).  Our
version of chorizo is stuffed inside
a natural casing and has a sweet
and spicy flavor. There’s also a
higher fat content in the mixture
compared to other recipes. Unlike
Spanish chorizo, which is often
 cured or smoked, we prepare ours by pan frying it in a little oil or grilling it.
Chorizo is often sold in barbeque stalls and restaurants all over the island.

6. CHINESE NGOHIONG

 Another ode to our strong ties to

Chinese culture, ngohiong is a
spring roll type of dish that non-
Cebuano’s would often refer to as
Lumpia. Its name could have
simply originated from ngohiong (or
ngohiong-hun), which simply refers
to five-spice powder, an ingredient
that gives it its distinct taste. It’s
made with ubod, or palm heart,
wrapped in a thin lumpia wrapper. It’s then dipped into a light batter and
fried to perfection. It comes with a spicy dipping sauce or with a soy and
vinegar sauce.

7. HUMBA

 Humba is a sweet pork

dish that resembles the
famous pork adobo  in
terms of appearance.
This is popular in the
southern parts of the
Philippines and is
considered as one of the
delicacies of the region.
Pork belly, pork hocks,
and pork ham are the 3 most common pig parts used to make this
delightful masterpiece.

8. SANGKUTSA

 Sangkutsa is chicken
cooked in coconut cream.
Much like ginataang
manok but with a less
green vegetables.
APPETIZERS

1. GINABOT

 Ginabot – the Cebuano

version of Manila’s
Chicharong Bulaklak – has
been a mainstay in the
metro’s street food scene,
for decades. Tasty, salty
and superbly crispy, this
crunchy road specialty is an
exotic dish made of deep-
fried swine intestines, and
paired with a flavorful and spicy sauce of vinegar, onions and red chili.
Served in pungko-pungko (squat in English) stalls alongside the streets in
Cebu, Ginabot is best enjoyed with a few pieces of puso (hanging rice)
and a bunch of other street food, such as ngohiong (a local version of
spring rolls), chicken, pork, chorizo and hotdog.

2. TUSLOB BUWA

 Tuslob buwa is truly one of

the hottest culinary crazes to
ever hit the metro. In fact, it’s
so popular and tasty that
even the metro’s wealthy
socialites and local
celebrities have gone loco
over this one-of-a-kind street
food in Cebu. And though
this street specialty has been
in the city’s culinary circuit for the past 12 years, it has been on a
remarkable resurgence lately, thanks to an onslaught of new tuslob buwa
eateries.

 So, what’s tuslob buwa? In local dialect, tuslob buwa simply means “to
dip in bubbles”. But, don’t let its literal term scare you, as you won’t be
eating a dish in a basin of soap bubbles. Instead, with this exotic street
 food dish in Cebu, you’ll be dipping puso in a rather bubbly dip made up of
unions, pig brain, shrimp paste, oil, fish sauce and an array of flavorings.

3. SIOMAI

 No list of Cebu’s best street

food is complete without the
inclusion of the well-known
comfort food – siomai.
Inspired from the traditional
Chinese dumpling Shaomai,
this sumptuous Dim Sum
staple has made its way to
Barangay Tisa (the street
food epicenter in Cebu), and the rest of the metro’s buzzing streets,
making it a favorite street food dish for hungry Pinoy’s. For a taste of
nirvana, drizzle it in Tisa’s trademark sauce of calamansi (calamondin),
soy sauce and chili pepper.

SOUP/STEWS

1. POCHERO

 Some other Filipinos might

know of this dish by its other
name, Bulalo. But as it is
now, Cebuanos have made
it their own by incorporating
their own local flavour.
There are several
restaurants in Cebu which
have become institutions for
their Pochero dish.
 You can even try the
sizzling version, which is served with gravy rather than soup, but features
the same rich taste.

2. LANSIAO

 Also known as the infamous

Soup No. 5, lansiao is an
 aphrodisiac soup made from bull’s testes. A dish inherited from Chinese
immigrants; this Cebuano delicacy derived its name from the Hokkien
translation of the phrase “male’s genitals."
 Similar to many Filipino soups, it involves cooking the aforementioned
main ingredient in a broth and filling it with aromatics, such
as tanglad (lemongrass), onions, garlic, ginger, and more.

3. UTAN

 Easy to prepare and

packed with healthy
vegetables, utan is a
famous Filipino soup
which originated in
Visayan Islands. This
clear vegetable soup
was originally a poor
man’s dish, which
included any
vegetables that were at hand. Nowadays, it can also include a wide
variety of root vegetables and leafy greens which are merely cooked in
salted water.

 Occasionally, this nutritious soup can be enriched with chunks of meat or

pieces of fried fish. Even though it originated as a frugal dish, today it is
regarded as an extremely healthy soup that is typically prepared in many
Filipino households.

4. BINAS-OY

 Binas-oy is originated
from siquijor a pork
stew with slices of
chayote and seasoned
with ginger and garlic.
Some versions include
pork liver as ingredient.
LOCAL/NATIVE CAKES AND DESSERTS

1. KALAMAY

 Kalamay, also
spelled Calamay which
means "sugar", is a sticky
sweet delicacy that is popular
in many regions of
the Philippines. It is made
of coconut milk, brown sugar,
and ground glutinous rice.
They can also be flavored
with margarine, peanut butter, or vanilla.Kalamay can be eaten alone but
is usually used as a sweetener for a number of Filipino desserts and
beverages. It is similar to the Chinese Nian gao (also known as tikoy in the
Philippines) but is sweeter and more viscous.

2. OTAP

 Eating otap without creating a

mess is almost impossible. The
darn pastry is just so flaky and
sugary, it crumbles as soon as
you lay a finger on it. And when
you take a bite, it breaks into
fragments as easily as your
previous relationship. But unlike
your ex, the taste is worth the
mess.

 Otap is very common and is a staple at pasalubong shops not just in

Cebu but in many parts of the Visayas. Like most pastries, it is made from
flour, sugar, and shortening. Although it is very hard and brittle on first
touch, it easily melts inside the mouth, leaving sweet lingering traces as
you reach for more. And the mess continues.

3. PINTOS SA “BOGO”

 Pintos was originally made from

the city of Bogo. It is their
special delicacy which is made
of ground corn, cheese and
coconut strips, and wrapped
 with corn husk. Every 26th of May, Bogo city celebrates Pintos festival as
a thanks giving for their major source of income which is their corn
plantations.

4. DRIED MANGOES

 Guimaras may be most famous

for its sweetest mangoes but
Cebu takes the cake for its dried
version. Although tropical,
mangoes are popular all around
the globe but its poor shelf life
may have been what pushed
people to dry it. Cebu has
perfected the art of drying
mangoes that it has become a
major exporter. Unlike its fresh counterpart, dried mangoes are chewy
and hard but they retain the sweetness and fruity flavor.

5. BUD-BUD / BUD-BUD KABOG sa “Sogod”

 Bud-bud kabog or “Budbud” is

the sister of puto maya. They
were cooked on a similar
process, the only difference is,
Budbud is more sweeter than
the puto maya and it is fully
wrapped with a banana leaf.
This is best served with hot
chocolate during merienda or
breakfast.

6. MASI / PEANUT RICE BALL sa

“Liloan”

 Of all delicacies masi is my

favorite among all. Just like
the other town in Cebu, Lilo-
an is also proud with their
bite-size sweet and chewy
peanut ball called Masi. It is
made of glutinous rice with a
sweet peanut paste filling. It is
 very delicious and affordable. Best for merienda, snack, or even
pasalubong. Approved!

7. BINGKA / BIBINGKA sa “Mandaue”

 Bibingka “bingka” is a
traditional delicacy together
with puto, bud-bud kabog,
bud-bud balanghoy, kutchinta
and masi. They are usually
eaten early morning or served
as breakfast by Cebuanos.
Bibingka is made of milled
glutinous rice, coconut milk,
margarine, and sugar then
steamed on a hot pot using
pre-cut banana leaf which add fragrance and taste to the bibingka.
Bibingka can also be made with balanghoy or cassava which is sweeter
than ordinary bibingka. These are usually sold outside the church or on
the terminal area together with some other delicacies.

8. BOCARILLO, BUKAYO, AMPAO sa “Carcar”

 Bocarillo and Bukayo are

both made of coconut meat.
The difference is bocarillo’s
strip is thicker than the
bukayo and it has different
colors formed like a flower,
while bukayo’s strip is thinner
and mold in circle. Both are
sweet and you’ll love its
chewy texture.

9. MASAREAL sa “Mandaue”

 Masareal is a native delicacy

originated in Mandaue City,
Cebu. It is made of peanut,
milk, and sugar. It is a
rectangular shape packed
on a white paper and sold to
different areas in Cebu and
 even to different parts of the Philippines. Highly recommended for
pasalubong or snack during travels.

10. PUTO

 There are two types of puto; the

puto which is made of flour and
the puto maya which is made of
sticky rice (pilit). You can savor
the taste of puto with its different
colors and toppings depending of
what flavor you want.
 The puto maya which is serve on
a plate or half wrapped in a
banana leaf paired with a hot
chocolate (sikwate) early in the
morning. Both putos are sold in
the market or in an early bird
carenderia that opens at dawn.

11. PUT-PUT / KUTCHINTA

 There are several delicacies in
Cebu and put-put is one of my
favorites. I love its mild-sweet
glutinous texture which is made of
flour, tapioca flour, atsuete
powder lye water, dark brown
sugar and a grated coconut for
the toppings. It looks simple yet
very palatable and I’m sure you’ll
never get enough of it too.
12. BUD-BUD BALANGHOY / SUMAN

 Suman or “Bud-bud balanghoy” is

one of my favorite native
delicacies because of its sweet
and chewy texture. Bud-bud
balanghoy is made of grated
cassava, coconut milk, and sugar.
This is also what cassava cake is
made of. If you get confuse with
bud-bud balanghoy and bud-bud
kabog, just ask the vendor since
both of them are wrapped with
banana leaves.

13. PAN BISAYA

 A humble baking shack in

Enrique Villanueva town in
Siquijor prides itself of its Pan
Bisaya, bread with a filling of
bucayo. In other parts of the
Philippines, this is called pan
de coco. The name of the
establishment that sell this
bread is called Lilybeth's Pan
Bisaya. The place looks like a
simple hut with the slightest
hint of being a commercial
place so it’s really easy to miss.

14. PEANUT KISSES

 This is a signature Boholano

recipe and only here you
can find cookies shaped like
a miniature Chocolate Hills
(the famous attraction of
Bohol) or Hershey Kisses. It
is basically made of high-
quality peanuts and eggs,
baked crisp to bring that
 nutty crunch in every bite. Every department stores and souvenir shops
have displays of these delicious pasalubongs.

15. BROA (LADY FINGERS)

 A cookie, native from

Baclayon, soft in texture that
literally melts in your mouth
once you take a bite. It is
light and crisp, perfect for
snacks with milk, coffee or
hot chocolate. It is also
recommended in making
Mango Refrigerator Cake.

16. TORTA

 Merienda time is torta time.

In Bohol you can taste one
of the best-tasting tortas in
the country. Torta means
“cake” in Spanish. It is soft,
fluffy, moist and easy to
swallow.