At nightfall, stalls are sprouting out like mushrooms in the street outside of Don Benito Hospital or West Visayas State University Medical Center. The street is turned into a grilling hub as stalls of “sulugbahan”, a Hiligaynon term for the grill, starts to fire their grills and produces an enticing aroma which will surely turn your heads and take a look of what they are selling.
The grill hub at Don Benito is famous because of the distinct Filipino taste that they infuse in their cooking. They are known for making sauces that elevate the flavor of the grilled meat. The stalls offer a variety of grilled foods. They offer marinated meat, chicken innards and processed foods like hotdogs and chorizos. My personal favorites are the chicken skins and tocino.
Most of the vendors here have been selling barbeques at the grill hub for years and it has been their source of living since then. It started with just a few stalls in order to cater to the needs of hospital personnel and patient’s guardian who are looking for affordable meals. It soon expanded because of the growing demand and to accommodate their regular customers and they are also accepting bulk orders for events and parties.
Take time to turn your head as you might catch the goodness an Ilonggo can offer.
Featured image source: Rhick Lars Vladimer Albay
