‘A TASTING MENU’: Ilonggos React to Fine Dining Take on Batchoy

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

When one thinks of Iloilo, La Paz Batchoy often comes to mind. However, Ilonggos recently expressed mixed reactions when a fine dining restaurant in Makati City presented the iconic noodle soup in an unconventional way.

Hapag, a restaurant in Rockwell known for reimagining Filipino cuisine, faced criticism after sharing an image of its Batchoy rendition on December 16.

The dish was served in a wide terracotta bowl, featuring a precisely arranged mound of noodles, green onions, fried garlic, crushed chicharrón, and slices of pork liver at the center.

Accompanying the dish were a blue ceramic teapot, likely holding the broth, and a sourdough puto (steamed rice cake) in a cup.

“At Hapag, our goal was to recreate that richness and pack it into a bowl half the size—encapsulating the best moments of a Batchoy in just a few spoonfuls. While locals traditionally pair batchoy with Mountain Dew and puto, ours is served with sourdough puto, perfect for dipping into the broth after the noodles are finished,” Hapag’s caption read.

The restaurant, known for its creative takes on Filipino cuisine, explained its team had experienced Batchoy in its birthplace, La Paz Public Market, and explored other local eateries to refine their version.

However, many Ilonggos criticized the minimalist serving, contrasting it with the generous portions at iconic Batchoy spots like Netong’s, Popoy’s, and Deco’s in Iloilo.

“[Please] be careful when trying to deconstruct signature dishes such as Batchoy. Batchoy is very much tied with Ilonggo culture and identity. If the reactions of every Ilonggo above are negative, it’s because we feel disrespected by the lack of understanding and reckless treatment of a cultural representation,” one Facebook user commented.

“Hapag, please don’t insult our delicacy, just to gain more views, shares and customers! We Ilonggos prefer eating batchoy in big bowls full of ingredients, in markets and elsewhere, not in fancy restaurants, served like this and with expensive prices!” another user added.

Another user appealed: “ Please don’t gentrify our delicacy, book a flight to Iloilo y’all support a budding economy and a city rich in culture and flavors, come to the city of gastronomy.”

Others called for supporting Iloilo’s local economy by experiencing Batchoy in its authentic setting.

Ilonggo heritage chef Tibong Jardeleza Jr., author of Flavors of Iloilo, defended Hapag’s presentation, saying that the dish’s integrity remained intact.

“It was presented just like Batchoy. It is appropriate,” he told Daily Guardian on Wednesday, December 18.

Jardeleza also pointed out that the chefs of Hapag were previous judges of Tabu-an, an annual culinary competition that celebrates and preserves Ilonggo heritage cuisine and traditional cooking methods in Western Visayas.

“It is appropriate. What’s good about it is they are not tweaking it, they are really getting the flavor and they visited me in Iloilo before they presented,” he emphasized.

“They asked for advice on what is the exact process of preparing the Batcho. They would always ask because they respect our culture,” he added.

He also pointed out that what Hapag presented is just a “tasting menu,” where guests are served a series of small, carefully crafted dishes.

A tasting menu features multiple courses, often ranging from six to 20, of small portions designed to showcase the chef’s creativity and skill. Each dish is part of a progression that tells a story or highlights a theme.

Based on its website, Hapag’s 13-course tasting menu, priced at P7,000 per person, highlights dishes inspired by Western Visayas, including Batchoy at Puto, Inasal, Kinilaw, Tambo, Piaya, Batwan Sorbetes, and Napoleones, among others.

“In the gastronomy world, there are things now that are being done that might not be familiar with others. In the culinary world now, the style-like style of presenting the food is made only how we present it and never the flavor. You do not sacrifice the flavor,” Jardeleza stressed.

The basic ingredients for a Batchoy is miki noodles, pork offal (liver, intestines), crushed chicharrón (pork cracklings), scallions, and a rich, savory broth made from pork or beef bones, often topped with egg.