Three years ago, we came to Ilocos with a list: bagnet, longganisa, empanada, and the cobblestone streets of Vigan. We ate well and went home thinking we understood the region. This time, we’re going deeper.
Erwan Heussaff returns to Ilocos to explore the flavors, ingredients, and people that reveal another side of Ilocano food. From traditional pinakbet and the region’s distinctive love for bitterness, to KBL or kamatis, bagoong, and lasona, this journey looks beyond the dishes most visitors already know.
Along the way, we meet home cooks, chefs, farmers, and locals who are choosing to learn, document, and preserve the traditions around them. This isn’t just another checklist of what to eat in Ilocos. It’s a return to a place we realized we still had a lot to learn about.
Special thanks to:
JC Dayo
Mauro Corrales Jr.
Glenn de Peralta
Emmeline Verzosa
Leonora Malabed – Toledo
Chef Pamela Palma Aragoza
Dr. Abercio Rotor
LOCATIONS:
Apo Nena's Bed and Breakfast
MacArthur Hwy, Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Villa Angela Heritage House
26 Calle Quirino, Barangay VI, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Lagasca's Native Delicacies
38 Quirino Blvd., Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Saturnino Mandac's House
La Preciosa Restaurant
Brgy 2, F. Julian Street, Arabella Events Place, Laoag City
Lita's Empanada
San Julian Norte, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
JNB Snack House
