Philippine House Lizard Learns to Eat Rice Lightning-Fast

We all know that house lizards eat insects, and house lizards in The Philippines (known as butiki) are no exception. But there was this particular lizard that we had at the old house we used to stay in that preferred rice. We had noticed how it would linger be our table after having a meal and then right afterwards, it would scour the table for scraps of food, often rice and would grab what it can with lightning speed and then hide behind the oven toaster. It would then stealthily peek out again for another bite. It was a good thing it made a habit of waiting at the table to get his share of our meal because it was such a fascinating thing to witness.

So we thought it would be great if we could capture what it does on video and that's exactly what we did using an old Samsung digital camera. We were amazed at how the lizard, which we had named "Bart" was able to "stalk" a clump of steamed rice and grab a few grains with lightning speed. He was so fast that the frame rate of the camera was unable to capture the exact moment it bit into the rice! It was like he had the super speed of a biting snake (maybe even faster) You can watch the video and see for yourself how it played out. I hope you enjoy it.

BUY on AMAZON: 

Alamat Ng Butiki - The Legend of the House Lizard (Modernong Alamat - Modern Legend) Paperback by Rene O. Villanueva; illustrated by Joel O. Chua

Batchoy Noodle Soup Is for Tourists to Taste in The Philippines

American and British tourists should get a taste of batchoy in the Philippines.

One of the noodle soup dishes popular in the Philippines as a merienda meal is batchoy, a noodle soup which includes slivers of braised pork meat with crunchy skin, liver, and shrimp steeped in a salt, pepper and egg noodle broth flavored with sauteed garlic and onions. It's simple but flavorful with a perfect blend of ingredients that tease the taste buds with every sip of the hot broth. It's an oriental in style but distinctly Filipino. Batchoy, is a dish that Western tourists (Americans, British, etc.) should taste and experience because it's unlike the usual noodle dishes from other Asian countries.

Batchoy originated in the Visayas region. According to Wikipedia, it was first made in La Paz in the province of Iloilo by someone named Federico Guillergan, Sr. in 1938. Whether he's the sole originator, it's hard to say, but what did happen was batchoy became Iloilo's signature dish and is now popular all over the country. It's particularly more enjoyable during the rainy season when piping hot batchoy can be a warm companion.

Inside the Eskina batchoy restaurant in the Sta. Lucia mall.

Pictured here are bowls of hot batchoy served at the Eskina Ilonggo Manukan Seafoods at Batchoy restaurant at the Sta. Lucia mall along Marcos Highway in Cainta, Rizal. Since opening, this restaurant has become one of the more popular merienda or mid-afternoon snack establishments to go to when people are craving for a fix of batchoy noodle soup. If you're an American or British tourist, looking to experience Filipino cuisine, don't forget to get a taste of batchoy. This is just one of the restaurants that specializes in batchoy.

Lucky Me Supreme Instant Noodles La Paz Batchoy 65g Pack of 8

Kubo ni Ka Ipe: A Quaint QC Restaurant with a Creeping Plant Growing on the Nipa Ceiling

There is a quaint and small restaurant in or near Teacher's Village in Quezon City. It's called Kainan sa Kubo ni Ka Ipe. It's near Kalayaan Avenue and Malingap Street - 89 Malumanay st., to be exact, and it's interesting because it's got a creeping vine growing on the ceiling (see pictures on the left and below). It's said that the plant just crept inside and started to grow and it's now the main attraction of the eatery. It's got a nipa roof and wooden furniture which gives it an airy and refreshing nayon ambiance, especially with the wind chimes, seashell chandeliers, and big windows. It definitely has a rustic Filipino charm that's adorable.

The Kubo ni Ka Ipe is run by Nida Najera and was borne from her efforts catering food to her tenants. This led to the establishment, and turned space in her residence into something useful. The standard menu has the usual Filipino toppings like the "silogs" (rice meals with egg), but they also have house specialties like the dinuguan. Lunch "turo-turo" meals are also available. The restaurant caters to nearby offices and bilao pancit orders are popular for corporate events. Once you see the vine on the ceiling (left' below), you will really be impressed. Yes, it's the conversation piece on every table and you'll likely look at it more than the History Channel show on the television set in the corner.

If you're in the area, you might want to check out Kainan sa Kubo ni Ka Ipe with your friends, stay for a while and soak in the Filipino eating experience.You might even be able to identify the plant, if you're into botany or agriculture.

 

Manila Travel Guide (Philippines Insider Guides Book 3)