La Union

DINING AND DRINKING IN LA UNION

• River Farm Seafood Restaurant The only floating restaurant in La Union can be found along the Baroro River in Barangay Baroro in Bacnotan, right under the bridge. There are cabanas that can sit around 10 people in a long table with the view of San Gabriel Mountain, which is already part of Ilocos Sur. Their specialties include inihaw na tilapia that costs P60, kilawin na tuna or blue marlin at around P150. Other must-try dishes include the veritable Ilocano dish pinakbet at P160, the River Farm hot pot with assorted seafood like tuna, shrimps, crabs, squids and vegetables in sinigang broth at P290. They also have what’s called the "River Farm medley", which is an assortment of grilled tilapia, bangus and liempo with steamed okra and seaweeds at P270. Prawns and lobsters must be ordered one day ahead to make sure of its availability.

Location: Km282, Barangay Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union Mobile: +63908/ 998 7132, +63921/ 433 9131 Email: ces_craftsmen@yahoo.com.ph

River Farm Seafood  Restaurant

• Halo Halo DE  Iloko For all-day dining, serving such dishes as the typical sinigang na baboy, pinakbet, kamote tops in bagoong sauce, to the innovative like the Ilocano express where the famous local mainstay, bagnet, is cooked in coconut milk and chili ala Bicol express. During the surfing season, surfers come in groups to sample the pork binagoongan. Also try the dinakdakan, which is cooked like sisig with minced pork cheeks, ears and brains and come with soy sauce dip. The Halo-Halo, with typical sweetened sweet potato, boiled banana, yam, sago added with yema, corn flakes, coconut, ice and milk, is the signature dish, and always in great demand.

Location: Branch 1 is on Corner P. Burgos and Zandueta Streets, San Fernando City; Halo Halo de Iloko 2 Modernorte is along National Highway, Barangay Carlatan (in front of Shell gas station), La Union Tel: +6372/ 700 2030, 603 1430; mobile: +63919/ 388 3145 Email: reivax69@yahoo.com

Halo Halo De Iloko

• Lola Nanny’s Surf Retreat & Restaurant Located right in the middle of Urbiztondo Beach, this homey restaurant/resort with an eclectic décor, is owned and operated by the well-known Lola Nanny, Luke's mom. Her specialties are meat pies, chicken cordon bleu at P210, open burger at P160, and Korean ribs at P190. If Lola Nanny’s not around to personally cook your meal, her assistant cook and all around girl Emar is there to happily serve you. Open from 7am until dawn during surf season but closes at 8pm on off season. Room rates start at P500.

Location: Barangay Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union Mobile: +63915/ 418 4034 Email: buskay613@yahoo.com

Chicken Cordon Blue

• S.O.U.L Café a Luke favorite. "I really love S.O.U.L. Café in Rosario. I love the aroma of coffee as soon as you enter the place and you can also smell the herbs. Since I always drive from La Union to Manila, I always stop by S.O.U.L. Café. They’ve got a lot of dishes there like rib eye and the osso buck."

Location: Camp One, Rosario, La Union Tel: +6372/ 712 1190

S.O.U.L Cafe'

Photo and Article Source: Inflight Magazine (Seair)