Experiencing Kalilangan Festival 2010- Day 2

For our second day in GenSan, our hosts Orman and Avel chose to show us more of the best-kept secrets of their region.   So while the rest of General Santos City enjoyed the many events lined up for that day, February 25, our group was treated to a quick exploration of Region XII.

We were informed by Avel and Orman that our group was invited to have lunch with their good friend, Francis Sablon of Zion Travel. Francis, we were told, was waiting for us in Tupi. I didn’t ask where exactly in Tupi we were heading, because my visits to GenSan taught me this:  The Manansala siblings like to surprise their guests.  And the surprises are part and parcel of the whole GenSan experience.

Lunch with Zion Travel's Francis Sablon (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

So when we got to Nadies Chicken Hauz in Tupi, South Cotabato, I was nearly bouncing off my seat in excitement.  Why wouldn’t I be?  I LOVE grilled chicken and I have heard so much about Nadies Chicken Hauz’ popular chicken barbecue!

I don’t know how the owners of Nadies Chicken Hauz do it but in my book, they serve the most succulent and best-tasting chicken I have ever tried. The secret must be in the grilling technique or in the annatto seeds in the marinade that they use. Needless to say,   I enjoyed lunch so much that day.  I swear  I have never consumed that many grilled chicken parts in my whole life before.

Best-tasting grilled chicken in an unassuming setting!

Francis Sablon knows SOCSKSARGEN like the back of his hand so he brought us to Blooming Petals, a cut-flower plantation in Cebuano, Tupi.   Blooming Petals is one of the stops included in Zion Travel’s Ancient South Tour Package and Francis is doing a great job in helping promote Tupi’s vast flower plantations.

Chrysanthemums in full bloom: Flowers of happiness... (photo by Chattee Lara)

After Blooming Petals, we went to Brgy. Sarabia (Bo. 8), Koronadal City for Apareja’s Buko Halo-Halo.  The  place was packed when we got there so it took a while before our orders were served.

But it was well worth the wait because  nothing beats cooling oneself  on a sweltering hot afternoon with buko halo-halo made only with the freshest ingredients!  And like a salve to our parched throats, Apareja’s buko halo-halo refreshed us for the rest of the day’s activities.  I have tried buko halo-halo lots of times before but none of it came close to this one.

The perfect antidote to the scorching heat... (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After that day tour to Tupi and Koronadal, we went back to GenSan to meet Ria.  She wasn’t able to join us earlier so we bombarded her with stories about how fun and enjoyable the day was for us.  We had a few hours to spend before dinner so we stayed at BluGre- Robinson’s Place to have coffee and attend to some online tasks.

Pre-dinner Coffee and Wifi at BluGre... (photo by Ria A. Jose)

Next, we went to Ice Crops Express- still at Robinson’s Place GenSan, upon Orman’s invitation.  There, my companions feasted on Ice Crops’ cheesy bacon melt with gusto. I wasn’t exactly hungry but the cheesy bacon melt looked so appetizing that watching my friends dig into their share made me want some of it, no… make that ALL OF IT!

Too bad I can't have bacon this year...*sniff* (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

I had some of the fluffy, gawd-it-tastes -so-good bun, cheese, and mushrooms.  My innards certainly clamored  for some of the meat.  And my stomach growled…Baaaccooon! Baaaccoon! but willpower managed to win me over.  Still, I chastised myself mentally for declaring 2010 a No Beef, No Pork year.

My body is nowhere near sending me real hunger signals yet when it was time to leave to have dinner at  O-ohlang Fishing Resto Seafoods and Grill.  There, we met our hosts Baby and Paris Ayon and Sam Akutsu.

O-oh Lang Fishing Resto: Serving the best seafood is their business (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

O-oh Lang Fishing Resto Seafoods and Grill is a Filipino restaurant located within NCCC Compound, National Highway, General Santos City.  The restaurant’s specializes in seafood-based dishes so diners will surely love their Karagatan Soup, Seafood Casserole, Nilasing na Olang, Steamed Kuracha with Garlic, and Pinaputok na Hipon just as we had.  I personally loved their Seafood Casserole and of course, their signature milkshakes.

The exotic kuracha, made even more flavorful by O-oh Lang's special recipe... (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

Seafood Casserole: Guaranteed to please even the most picky!

After thanking our gracious hosts for the scrumptious dinner, we went back to Robinson’s Place GenSan for the usual after-dinner dose of coffee and WiFi at Coffee Club 101- Robinson’s Place GenSan.   Coffee Club 101 is by far one of the most tastefully-decorated coffee shops I’ve been to.  And considering that this one is housed within a mall, the place is spacious!  Coffee Club 101 is truly a combination of quality service, comfort, and style.

While we were there, Lyle and Avel worked on some tech stuff for Avel’s blog while us girls opted to make the most out of the coffee shop’s wonderfully-lit interiors.  Dulce played photographer for the night while I, along with Chattee and Ria, were the very willing models.

Excuse the asian poses, because we can be quite outrageous when we're in GenSan...lols (photo by Chattee Lara)