Balaw-balaw

One of the first things I did upon returning to the Philippines from my two-year hiatus in Europe was to eat in the Balaw-balaw Restaurant in Angono, Rizal. It's probably the most famous restaurant-cum-art gallery in the Philippines, where you can grab our most peculiar native delicacies (such as worms, crickets and frogs).

But the thing I love the most in this restaurant is the fact that it's a veritable repository of fine art in the Philippines, since its late founder, Perdigon Vocalan, was a distinguished artist himself.



And art runs in the veins of the Vocalans apparently, since one of the Vocalan boys, Andre, has taken the road less traveled as well. I know that for a fact since Andre was a classmate of mine in a Humanities class in the UP, and he never ceased to wow the class with his creation (he actually took to class one of his sculptures made from an old chair). Many years later, he took me around their restaurant and wowed me further with his family's art collection.



For more information about the food (they accept catering), the art gallery and the art seminars that Balaw-balaw has to offer, please call them at (+632)651-0110.