Sunday, December 1, 2013

Buto't Balat

The last time I was in Iloilo was when I delivered a keynote lecture for a symposium organized by the Metro Iloilo - Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC). That was almost 3 years ago when I was still Director of our research and extension center at UP Diliman. When we went out for dinner, my staff led us to a new restaurant near the still unfinished Plazuela de Iloilo. We had a nice dinner there and I remembered the restaurant when we recently were walking around Plazuela and trying to decide where to have our dinner. Only a few minutes walk from the Plazuela, we easily got a seat on that weekday evening.

Entrance - I didn't notice the child seated near the walkway to the restaurant when I took the photo
I found the lamps at the restaurant amusing and likely interesting to the wife
Located near the waterways, there was surprisingly no mosquitoes or other insects. The restaurant management did a good job on this and is surely a plus for their customers.
I think this photo pretty much captures the ambiance of the place. It's great for dates and for barkada nights out. It can also be a good place for clandestine meetings like those talking business over dinner.
We ordered mostly grilled food including the very delightful managat (mangrove jack). We also had soup from the head of the managat mixed with vegetables.
Buto't Balat is located beside the Plazuela Iloilo and a short walk from the Diversion Road. It can get quite crowded during weekends but on weekdays, especially early dinner, its not difficult to get a good table.
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