Tessie’s sumptuous feast of traditional Boholano cuisine

Wake-uppers:

Scene: The 14 contingents for the 2nd Cobra International Dragon Boat Competition in Dauis, Bohol.

Seen: Spotted in Bohol last week was Journey’s lead singer Arnel Pineda. Now sporting short hair, Arnel was mobbed by fans at the Loboc River.

Scene: From Fiel Angeli Araoarao-Gabin, City Information Officer, on Saulog festival: The City Government of Tagbilaran and the Cathedral Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker are embarking on collaborative efforts for this year’s celebration of the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1 dubbed “Pit Senor San Jose! Viva San Jose! Viva Tagbilaran!” Starting last Monday, April 22 with the daily novena at 4:30 p.m., followed by a holy mass at 5:30 p.m.  at the Cathedral and the nightly activities at 7:30 p.m. at the Tagbilaran Port, the activities are aimed at reviving, preserving and promoting the city’s significant tradition and unique cultural heritage, in cognizance with Executive Order No. 2 Series of 2013 which created the City Council for Culture and the Arts.

On April 29, from 2 to 6 p.m., the statues of Saint Joseph, Mother Mary and Santo Nino comprising the Holy Family will be featured during the fluvial procession from Manga Port to Sitio Ubos, Poblacion I.

On April 30, the first-ever “Saulog Tagbilaran,” a religion-based cultural activity, bringing to the fore the life of Saint Joseph, the City’s patron saint, as a loving father and devoted worker and the local devotees’ way of paying homage and thanksgiving. The streetdancing also intends to drumbeat the 250th anniversary of the Cathedral Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker in 2017. The 9 contingents - Bool, Booy, Cabawan, Cogon, Manga, Mansasa, Poblacion I, Poblacion 2 and Ubujan - shall assemble along the Old City Hall at 12 noon. The streetdancing shall kick off at 1:00 p.m., turning left at C. Gallares Street, turning right at B. Inting Street, proceeding right to CPG Avenue along City Square, turning right at J.S. Torralba near Plaza Rizal, making a left turn at E. Sarmiento fronting the Cathedral, turning left at J. A. Clarin Street leading towards the Tagbilaran City Hall Compound.

Hapit na jud ang fiesta sa Tagbilaran (May 1), the opening salvo of the month-long fiesta season of Bohol.

Scene: From erstwhile Tubigon’s Queen of All Media Raymund Delgado: Anyag 2008 Clarice Radoc has a very huge chance of winning the crown however her tight schedule couldnt warrant the requirements and demands of joining a provincial pageant. As of Anyag 2011 Lori Geisha Cabrera , we are still subjecting her to some further enhancing trainings that would further bring out the best in her and mold her to become more competitive in the provincial level. Since the previous year when I was connected with the University of San Jose Recoletos as a full time professor , I only focus on handling one committee in Anyag and that is the Committee on Seminars, Trainings and Workshops to bring out the best in all our candidates and reserve beauty queens and I do see the value of a good education as a foundation for success in any endeavors. Even, Miss Teen Bohol 2012 Thea Rizaldo was molded by the A-List Beauty and Personality Academy, which is the basic education arm of the Anyag sa Tubigon.

Until this present moment in time, we at Anyag envisions of producing globally competitive and empowered beauty queens which would not only excel in the municipal level but also at the national and international levels. Though I’m no longer connected with the Local Government Unit of Tubigon I still take an active role and part in the committee since I do see that this is my way of giving back to the community who gave me my identity as a Tubignon.

(Note: The Anyag sa Tubigon 2013 is on May 10 with special guest Daniel Padilla. Tickets are at Php300 (Blue), Php500 (Orange) and Php 1,000 (Fuschia). Visit or call Tubigon Tourism Office at (038) 508-8496.)

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The flamboyant chef and food connoisseur Anthony Bourdain of No Reservations food tripping in America made me relish in my head those gustatory adventures I went through vacationing in the US.

Like music, food does bring people together. My bonding moments with friends in the US revolve around anything edible-- that there are plenty to eat and thank God for-- and you can’t feel the economy is down.

Here’s the tip: To enjoy your stay in the land of milk and honey that is America, never convert. I stopped whining about how I have to shell out $2 for a bottle of cranberry juice or Hershey’s chocolate when I can get it here for a reasonable price.

Food tripping in the US. Yours truly with (clockwise) Lorenzo and Richel Galaura, Mikey and his Thai friend Kevin and Alot and Babat Bagotchay.

The King’s Buffet in Hollywood was the first restaurant I had bonding moment with a Boholano family. Lorenzo Galaura (from Jagna town), his wife Richel and daughter Loraine invited me for a dinner. Lorenzo is a nurse and a tennis enthusiast. At 13, Loraine, who stands 5”5”, is an A+ student in a private school in LA and a potential beauty queen in the future. After dinner, the Galaura family brought me to The Grove for another bonding moment.

My real bonding with US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal was the Thai (Thai Restaurant in Hollywood) and Korean (Haus of Desserts) cuisines. Since Mikey has a Thai friend, he loves to introduce Thai food that when TV/concert-producer Amy Almirol had to see us, we ended at the Thai restaurant in downtown LA).

My bonding with RN and make-up artist Rey Reformina was the Chinese cuisine. He brought me to Regent Chinese restaurant near the famous Union Station.

My bonding food with Jocelyn Oppus, Babat Malacay and Jinky Jane Labrador were Burger King, Jollibee, McDonalds and The Pantry. When hunger strikes you on the road, turn to Jollibee Drive Thru.

The send-off dinner with Miss BodyShots International 2013 Janelle Logrono, Lorenzo and Richel Galaura, Alot and Babat Bagotchay, Mikey and Rey was held at the at the Ganda Thai Restaurant.

After my vacation, I’m gaining weight. I need to go on a diet…so I thought…   

As promised, we showed up with “empty stomachs” early Tuesday noon at Loboc Riverwatch (the “Floating Resto to the Stars,” you will know why when you will visit their booth at the Loboc River Complex) of Tessie Labunog-Sumampong. “We” included Liza Macalandag of Lifestyle Bohol, my nephew Jhelmar Jala and yours truly.

The next time you visit the famous Loboc River (the River of Life), you can indulge yourself in authentic Boholano cuisine at the Loboc Riverwatch. It is the only floating restaurant which offers a wide array of mouth-watering traditional Boholano cuisine.  

As most people must know by now, years ago Tessie was hired to manage a floating restaurant. When she was given the opportunity to run her own floating restaurant, Tessie’s imagination was activated. Voila, a few weeks later she put up her own floating restaurant, the Loboc Riverwatch.

Tessie and her Loboc Riverwatch team cooked “borrowed” foods. They served the same menu with other floating restaurants. So, Tessie gave it a try last April when guests started asking for Boholano cuisine and it has been doing good business since then.

Tessie Labunog-Sumampong

“Most of the restaurants here do not serve the Boholano cuisine, it's time to show to them what we have,” said Tessie. “I am not afraid of change. I make it sure I am always open to new challenges and ready for discoveries.”

On Tessie’s menu: Pancit bisaya, piniritong manok, humbang baboy, kusahos,  lauja, manok hinalang, humbang nangka, ensaladang talong, guso salad, spicy crab, escabeche, inon-on, shrimps and crabs, puto cheese,  manga with uyap, native kakanin, cathy’s cuchinta, bibingka’s special, fruits in season and dol-dol.

And the visitors embraced her Bol-anon cuisine with gusto.

The classic Filipino pork dish, the humba (Visayan answer to adobo from the North) and the kusahos  de Loboc (sun dried carabeef strips) are the best sellers.

 “Whether cooking food or managing the floating restaurant, everything should be done with love and passion,” said Tessie.

Tessie’s Boholano cuisine at the floating restaurant is at P350 per person (just add 50 pesos for the municipal fee) and it is “eat all you can.” The price is worth it because she never scrimps on ingredients.

Try to imagine: They serve a buffet lunch. The musician is very entertaining. The river cruise is relaxing.

Riding at Loboc Riverwatch will also double as charity work for you since she helps public schools in Loboc (Bartolome Doria Elem. School and Tambis Elem. School in Calunasan Norte).

And so how do I rate that Boholano cuisine of Tessie’s Loboc Riverwatch? It’s, burp, filling.

The mouth-watering traditional Boholano cuisine at the Loboc Riverwatch Floating Restaurant, the Floating Resto to the Stars.

(Note: Loboc Riverwatch: Tel. No: (038) - 537–9460, (038) -537–9460; Mobile: +63918 - 510 – 4032/ +63917- 306–0010/+63917-382–2254; Email: lobocriverwatch@gmail.com)

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