We started with appetizers of Lumpiang Ubod.(Heart of palm spring roll) She actually flew in the ingredients from Iloilo so as to keep them fresh. The lumpia was both sweet and crunchy. It didn’t need sauce anymore. Ilonggos usually eat these for merienda as is and with the wrappper so they can munch on it on the go.

We were served with fresh mango and kalamansi juice. The tangy-ness of the kalamansi though overpowered the mango and although there was still a hint of mango it was mostly kalamansi I tasted.

Along with the appetizers was the Lato Salad. Lato salad is a fresh seaweed served with tomatoes and a soysauce and vinegar dressing.

The soups came out next. They served the traditional Chicken Binakol in a coconut husk. It tasted like tinola only sweeter. I love this version of chicken binakol. (Maybe its my inert love for coconuts) It had coconut meat and you could clearly define the different flavors mixing and jiving.

They brought out the native shellfish of Iloilo called Diwal. It was prepared 2 different ways. One had some siling labuyo or Red Eye Chili and another was baked with garlic and cheese. I preferred the baked one with garlic and cheese as it resembled more what I was accustomed to.

It tasted similar to tahong but strangely looked like oyster mushrooms. They were good. They are also called Angel Wings because the shells when turned over resemble angel wings.

If Ilocanos have KBL in Ilocos which is ( Kamatis, Bagoong, Lasonan or Shallots), Ilonggos have their own version of KBL. Kadios, Baboy, and Langka is a kind of soup which is uniquely Ilonggo.

For the starch component of the meal we were served Aligue Rice. This is rice made with crab fat. This was really good.

The following fish dishes came out. Adobadong Alimusan as well as Managat. Adobadong Alimusan is mudfish cooked in coconut milk and annatto seeds. One has to be very careful in eating this fish because its bones are very large indeed.

Managat or Mangrove Jack on the other hand was split along its back and fried in garlic similar to our Bangus or Milkfish.

The Ilonggo Lechon was something different. The pig was stuffed with Milk, Tanglad (Lemongrass) and Sambal leaves. The milk made the already succulent meat even more succulent and the tanglad and sambal leaves left a hint of variety in terms of taste to the traditional lechon.

Of course, the well known La Paz Batchoy was present. It was served with a special puto. It was called Puto Manapla. It was more light and sticky as compared to the normal puto that you can buy at goldilocks.

For my favorite part of the meal, DESSERT!

Yema Cake by Chef Pauline. I was expecting that the cake would be too sweet because of all the yema. But it was just perfect. Not too sweet without losing the yema taste! It tasted like a sansrival cake only yema! This is a definite winner.

and lastly Butterscotch Gelato with Kalamay Hecti. This was simply both delicious to look at and delicious to eat.

Cafe Jeepney’s buffet is open for lunch from 12 noon to 2:30 PM, Monday to Sunday as well as dinner from 7PM to 10:30PM Monday to Saturday.

For every group of 4-buffet paying adults, a 5th person gets a FREE buffet meal. For reservations, please call 793-7000

Cheers & Happy Eating