The brainchild of Sariaya, Quezon native and DOT-certified tour guide Ms. Tina Diasanta-Decal, Kulinarya Tagala is a Southern Tagalog foodtrip and arts-and-culture excursion that has become steadily popular these past two years in the Philippines through word-of-mouth, reviews from The Manila Bulletin’s former food columnist Michaela Fenix and online raves in weblogs www.anton.blogs.com and www.gmapinoytv.igma.tv/karma (view these URLs for more info regarding this unique tour!).
These are just some of the most interesting people and best places and food I was able to experience in my Kulinarya Tagala tour as organized by the Museum Foundation of the Philippines last April 21, 2007. Hope you enjoy looking through these photographs my sister Lea and I took on that day.
And if you're also interested in doing your own Kulinarya Tagala tour, please make sure you contact tour guide Tina Decal ASAP:
MS. TINA DECAL
Fantasia Tours, Inc.
Mobile No.: (0927) 563-0989
Landline Nos.: (02) 526-7545 | (02) 536-2766 | (02) 779-3595
To help you out, I've included below the addresses of and contact numbers for the places included in our Kulinarya Tagala tour. By all means, use these to make decisions about your OWN Kulinarya Tagala itinerary. Cheers to good eats and good traveling, everyone!
KUSINA SALUD
Brgy. Sta Cruz, San Pablo City, Laguna
(049) 246-6878, 246-6877
email: kusinasalud@yahoo.com
CARLITO'S WORKSHOP
Carlito Ortega's cellphone # 0919-837 7755 or (049) 5620351
(Open on Saturdays. For the rest of the week, please call to give prior notice.)
KAMAYAN SA PALAISDAAN
Brgy. Dapdap, Tayabas, Quezon
(042) 793-3654
DEALO KOFFEE KLATCH
La Doña Ana Restaurant
Lucban, Quezon
(042) 540-4220
UGU BIGYAN'S POTTER'S GARDEN
Tiaong, Quezon
Lunch: reservations only
(042) 545-9141, 545-8689
DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM
(02) 524-1969/ 524-1528
 | |  | | Doorway to the world of eclectic art (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Barkada corner for kuwentuhan, kainan and inuman! (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Intimate nook (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Another balmy corner (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Even the receptionist and cashier's area is artfully decorated! (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Intricate lattice work by a sweeping wooden hagdan (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Our Museum Foundation group dined on this table near the Buddha Fountain (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Sneakin' a peek at one of the staff prepping our almusal (Kusina Salud)
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| | | | Paco Salad, one of Kusina Salud 's unique best-sellers
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| | | | See, even Buddha is happy with the food, ambience and people of Kusina Salud!
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| | | | With lots of jokes, renowned brass sculptor Carlito Ortega gave us one heck of a crash course on Human Anatomy (Carlito's Workshop)
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| | | | Buckling down to the business of welding metal (Carlito's Workshop)
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| | | | Museum Foundation Director Tricia Limon trying her hand at this fun, alternative occupation! (Carlito's Workshop)
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| | | | A view of Tayabas, Quezon's Kamayan sa Palaisdaan from the elevated nipa hut we dined in
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| | | | More views of the Palaisdaan (Kamayan sa Palaisdaan)
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| | | | Apparently, peeing wasn't prohibited here (Kamayan sa Palaisdaan)
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| | | | A historical testament placed on the facade of La Casa de Dona Ana to explain its roots
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| | | | La Casa de Dona Ana and Dealo Koffee Klatch owner Mrs. Mila Dealo welcomes us to her home (Dealo Koffee Klatch)
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| | | | Mila Dealo shows us how luscious Lucban longganisas are made (Dealo Koffee Klatch)
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| | | | Colorful kiping or rice galapong treats (Dealo Koffee Klatch)
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| | | | Some of prolific potter Ugu Bigyan's most beautiful creations on display at Potter's Garden, his gallery-cum-home in Tiaong, Quezon
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| | | | My favorite Ugu dish, Kulawu, is an appetizer made from banana heart and charcoal-smoked grated coconut milk (Ugu Bigyan's Potter's Garden)
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| | | | This pancit habhab was swimming in its own slightly sweet sauce with another tart soy-vinegar one you mix in before you finally eat the pancit (Ugu Bigyan's Potter's Garden)
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| | | | Yummy suman squares with its panocha and grated coconut dips (Ugu Bigyan's Potter's Garden)
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| | | | Tour guide Tina Decal explaining the Tagayan ritual of drinking lambanog (Ugu Bigyan's Potter's Garden)
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| | | | Pakinabangan Po (Make good use of it!) is also MY toast to our entire Kulinarya Tagala experience (Ugu Bigyan's Potter's Garden)
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 | hmmm this is good for appetizer :) |
| wow this is yummy too...kakagutom, hihihi. |
 |  wow this is yummy too...kakagutom, hihihi.  Haha, you're right, it really WAS yummy, @Et!
Actually, when I tasted Ugu's Kulawu, I whispered to my sister Lea who was seated just beside me to my left: "I think I've just DIED and gone to heaven!".
To the rest, I just casually asked, "Can I just MARRY a man who knows how to cook Kulawu?". All my friends laughed and teased Ugu that I was making him an "indecent proposal". Haha! It's good that Ugu didn't ask me to leave the premises, then, else I would've missed out on the lovely Pancit Habhab and Suman with panocha and grated coconut dips. Now THAT would've been a really sad story, hehehe! ;)
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| Wow!!! i can't really imagine how savouring it is!!! i will text my tita if she knows the Kulawu, hehehe. |
| my tita lived in Sn Pablo...sure i will try it when i visit there. swear talaga nagutom ako :=) yes, @Et, please do visit Kusina Salud in San Pablo, Laguna. it's so worth it, the food's great and the property, a lovely provincial ancestral house tucked away in a thicket of trees and plants, is really a balm to the spirit (because of the calm atmosphere of the place) and the physical senses (the house easily lets in soothing breezes because of its open-air structure). Five thumbs up sya sa akin! ;)
And even if Kusina Salud doesn't offer overnight stays, one can still linger as long and try out as many dishes as as she likes there (actually, this would be a great treat for one's self). That's what I plan to do when I come back there, hehehe. Oh, and yeah, it WAS my intention to make people's mouths water with this photo album, hahaha! ;) |
 | I heard a lot about Kusina Salud, one of my step daughter lives in San Pablo and that the food are really delish!! Thanks for sharing all this culinary info! |
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