The yummiest restaurants in Albay

Exploring the Bicol region, Team “Ang Pinaka” headed to the city of Albay and took a grand tour of the different homegrown restaurants in the area. From traditional dishes like Bicol Express to innovative recipes like pili and sili ice cream, Albay sure is fast becoming a haven for foodies out there.

Traditional meals and recipes with a twist

1st Colonial Grill
Villa Amada Building, Rizal St. Sagpon, Daraga, Albay



The 1st Colonial Grill made their mark in Albay with their tinapa rice (P199), a meal in itself with a mix of fried rice, tinapa flakes, salted egg, tomatoes, and bits of green mangoes.

But it was their pili and sili ice cream that made 1st Colonial Grill a fixture in the Albay restaurant scene.

If you’re the experimental type, try the sili ice cream (P79). The milky flavor of the ice cream is punctuated with a sudden hint of spiciness. Also try the tinutungang ice cream (P79) and enjoy the sweet and smoky flavor of the scorched niyog, truly an innovative recipe by 1st Colonial Grill.

For more classic Albyano dishes, 1st Colonial Grill also offers pinangat, the Bicolano version of laing;, and the tinutungang manok (P239), chicken cooked with smoked coconut milk. The 1st Colonial Grill, as a matter of fact, is one of the few restaurants in Albay that offer this decades old recipe.

Balay Cena Una
F. Lotivio St. Bgy. Bagumbayan, Daraga, Albay



Balay Cena Una is a play on the word “sinauna” or first, a fitting name for the restaurant and its Filipino-Spanish-inspired interiors. But it’s not all about being traditional at Balay Cena Una. Adding character to the interiors are quirky trinkets and figurines displayed on shelves such as nutcrackers, owls, and toy cars.

This combination of old and new world is also reflected on Balay Cenu Una’s innovative Bicolano dishes, like Team “Ang Pinaka’s” favorite: crispy Bicol Express (P200). We know of Bicol Express as pork stewed in coconut milk and chili. Balay Cenu Una, however, did away with the traditional method of preparing bicol express by deep-frying a slab of pork chop and putting the sili bits and coconut cream inside emptied chili. Additional points for plating for this dish!

Balay Cena Una’s kinunot na pasa-pasa (P130) is also a must-try, if you’re into traditional recipes with a twist. The restaurant uses fish meat for this dish instead of using stingray meat. In terms of taste, you won’t notice the difference. Same flavor but environmentally safer!

For desserts, make sure to order the pili cheesecake (P92). Hints of buttery flavor from the pili nut is a welcome addition to the already rich flavor of the cheesecake. For a chocolate-based dessert, try the pili opera cake (P92), a chocolate chiffon cake filled with crunchy bits of pili nuts.

Graceland
Peñaranda St., Legazpi City



Graceland started out in the 1970s as a humble turo-turo in a garage with only four tables. Now, the restaurant is one of the prominent fast food chains in Albay.

Bestselling items from Graceland’s menu are their fresh lumpia topped with caramel syrup (P67); salo-salo pancit guisado with meatballs and lechon kawali (P165); lechon Bicol express (P125); and Bicol special, a rice meal with pork chop and pinangat on the side (P125).

Pares King
F. Aquende Dr,, Legazpi City



For affordable Filipino and Bicolano lutong-bahay meals, Pares King is the place to be. Locals and tourists alike flock to Pares King for their creamy kare-kare (P110), laing tinapa (P30), crispy pata (P295), and one-of-a-kind Bicol express tinapa (P40), a dish the restaurant has actually patented.

Small Talk
Doña Aurora St, Legazpi



Small Talk offers Bicolano dishes with a twist. Crowd favorites from their menu include their pasta-based meals: pili basil pasta (P120), pasta Mayon (P105) pasta pinangat (P110) and Bicol express pasta (P105).

Small Talk is also famous for their spicy Mayon stuffed pizza (P265) and their Red Hot Lava ice cream dessert (P240).

Chinese cuisine in the land of sili

Chef Lu Teahouse
Magallanes St. Angsian bldg., 4500 Legazpi, Legazpi, Albay, Bicol



At Chef Lu Teahouse, you can have unli siomai, dumplings, pansit, and other Chinese cuisine goodness for only P170.

During “Ang Pinaka’s” visit, owner and head chef Nathaniel Lu served the team staples of their buffet. First off was the turtle hot pot (P650), with real turtle meat and shell flavored with traditional Chinese herbs. Like with most exotic types of meat, turtle meat tastes like chicken.

For heavier meals, patatim (P380) and stuffed chicken (P450) are the must-try items. Chef Lu’s patatim, with the meat cooked using pressure cooker, is very tender. The sauce, meanwhile, is sweet and a bit peppery.

Sticky rice or malagkit serves as the filling of the stuffed chicken. The sticky rice, interestingly, tastes like adobo. This dish is a meal in itself, so if you want to maximize your P170, just take small chunks.

Chef Lu’s lohanchay (P350) is the perfect side dish. Make sure to pair the patatim and stuffed chicken with this dish. A Chinese meal, after all, isn’t complete without stir fried vegetables drenched in oyster sauce.

Boklan Food Center
4 Boklan Food Center, 66 Elizondo Street, Legazpi City



For no-frills, authentic Chinese cuisine in Albay, head on over to Boklan Food Center. Start off your meal with their lomi (P145). The soft texture of the noodles contrasts well with the crunchy vegetables. The already flavorful soup is also made richer by adding extra vinegar.

Team “Ang Pinaka” also recommends Boklan Food Center’s kikiam (P120) with its meaty filling and crunchy vegetable bits and Boklan chicken where the garlicky flavor seeps in the meat.

For seafood choices, try the sweet and sour lapu-lapu (P260) ---fresh from the waters of the Bicol region! ---and hot, crispy shrimp; ---the sweet and salty flavors of which is perfect with a cold bottle of beer. 

Western flavors

Bigg’s Diner
Ground Floor, Pacific Mall, Legazpi City 4500



They say you haven’t been to Bicol if you haven’t eaten at Bigg’s. Bigg’s Diner is a fastfood institution in the Bicol region, now with 14 outlets spread out in the five provinces of Bicol. It was put up in 1983 by three women entrepreneurs who wanted to bring Western flavors in the land of sili.

It’s a restaurant that fried chicken built. Locals and tourists alike flock Bigg’s Diner for their crispy chicken (P158) and cajun fried chicken, the size of which can put other popular fastfood fried chickens to shame. Flavor-wise, the crispy chicken has a zesty flavor. The spiciness of the cajun fried chicken (P169), meanwhile, appeals more to the Bicolanos’ taste palette. What’s impressive about Bigg’s Diner’s chickens though is that you can completely devour them without gravy or ketchup. The fried chickens are tasty in themselves!

Bigg’s Diner is also popular for their Tower burger (P280) and baby back ribs (P229). In between the buns is a daunting layer of hashbrown, quarter pounder patty, sunny side up eggs, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. As for the baby back ribs, the tender meat is mildly sweet and peppery, perfect to go with its side dish of sauteed buttered corn and carrots.

Cabway Snack Bar
Embarcadero de Legazpi, 4500 Legazpi City



Bicol express pasta, anyone?

At Cabway Snack Bar, get a taste of Bicolano-Italian fusion cuisine. Try their Bicol Express pasta (P185) and experience an explosion of flavors in your mouth as the creamy and spicy Bicol express contrasts with the sour flavors of pineapple chunks and tomatoes.

What won Team “Ang Pinaka” over though is the Italian nachos (P175) topped with melted cheese, olives, onions, and ground pork. The richness of the melted cheese will keep you reaching out for more of those nachos. One of our favorites as well is the dynamite stick (P165), or sili filled with melted cheese and ground pork.

For fusion dishes, try the pinangat lasagna roll (P195). The pinangat can be a bit overpowering, and the dish could use some tomatoes to balance out the creaminess of the pinangat. Play it safe with Cabway Snack Bar’s spareribs. Take a bite out of those tender and tangy ribs!

Gasthof
Albay Capitol Annex, Legazpi City



Gasthof restaurant traces its roots to the famous German restaurant of the same name in Boracay. Gasthof specializes in Bicolano and Western fusion cuisine. Specialties of the restaurant include their crispy Bicol express (P350), pork tenderloin with peppercorn sauce (P390), spicy coconut fried chicken (P350), and tilapia in fresh turmeric, coconut and lemongrass sauce (P250).

 
 –Bernice Sibucao/CM, GMA News