Bilao at Palayok - Palawan

After our City Tour of Puerto Princesa, we headed back to Puerto Pension to rest and refresh ourselves. We were obviously very tired because instead of taking a short nap, we ended up sleeping! LOL. When we woke up, it was already nearly 7PM. We took quick showers and fixed ourselves for our night out.

Our original itinerary listed Dang Marias as the restaurant to have our dinner in. When we asked the tricycle driver to bring us there, he said he was not familiar with the place. Jean, who had been there before, said she knew the place. So off we went. On and on. The driver kept on driving through the dark, bumpy roads of God-knows-where and Jean could not seem to remember exactly where Dang Marias is located. Alas, we admitted we were lost. When we finally reached the place, it's already closed! Yikes! So we headed back to the city.

Picking a restaurant wasn't much of a problem. We were too hungry to afford to be choosy or go somewhere far. Upon spotting its sign, I suggested Bilao at Palayok to my friends. They agreed.

As we went inside, I was charmed by its pond and its quaint interior. The place was full of people. I took this as a good sign as it meant the restaurant is popular.

Their menu was extensive. Angel ordered Sinigang. Jean's was Creamy Lengua. I ordered Buttered Garlic Crab. For my drinks, I tried their Jackfruit Shake.

When the waiter left, another waiter came in to set our table. I couldn't help but be charmed by their placemat which was made of bamboo.

While waiting for our orders, we looked around and took pictures. This hammock was a scene-stealer! We wanted to hangout there but it was always crowded with tourists. When my turn came, I'd rather take a pic than have my pic taken while I am on it.

Then our order came. F-O-O-D!

Angel's Sinigang was delivered first. Boy, what a huge serving! Not very fond of vegetables, I only tasted this dish and just asked for some "sabaw."

Then came Jean's Creamy Lengua which was really good. We ate it all up, even scraped the bilao to its last sauce. Te he!

My order of Buttered Garlic Crab was last to be served but it was really worth all the wait. It was really delicious and at a very reasonable price.

Their Jackfruit Shake was something new to me as that was the first time I encountered such a drink but after tasting it, it's something I'd recommend to anyone. It had just the right sweetness and the juicy aroma of jackfruit.

All in all, it was a great dinner. The food was reasonably priced, generous in servings (you can't find crab sold in Manila restaurants at Php180) and really very delicious.

So if you find yourself in Puerto Princesa, be sure to visit Bilao at Palayok. It's delicious food defined. In a palayok, that is.

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Definition of Terms:
Bilao - a tray made of bamboo.
Palayok - a clay pot used as the traditional food preparation container in the Philippines.