by During our Great Ilocos Adventure, one of the stops that stood out to me wasn’t a centuries-old church or a beautiful piece of art. It was pinakbet pizza. Yes, you read that right. It was not just any pizza. It was pinakbet pizza!
After a quick tour of the famous Paoay Church (which was stunning, by the way!), our group crossed the street and found ourselves inside Kusina Valentin. The restaurant was a cozy and charming spot that served both Ilocano classics and unique twists on familiar dishes. One of those twists? Turning the humble pinakbet into a pizza!
Now, here’s the thing: I’ve never been a huge fan of vegetables. I mean, I eat them when I have to, but I’ve never craved them. So when I heard we were having pinakbet pizza, I was a little unsure. I imagined bitter ampalaya, stringy okra, and mushy squash all on top of a pizza crust. My taste buds were scared.
And true enough, it did look scary after the chef assembled it.
Take a look at the pinakbet pizza.
And this one was half pinakbet and half bagnet.
Since I was with my fellow Cebu bloggers (and also meeting bloggers from Manila and other parts of the country), I didn’t want to be the only one not trying it. So I took a slice.
And then I took another.
And another.
I ended up eating around five slices!
To my surprise, it was really good! The veggies were cooked just right, and the mix of flavors worked so well with the cheese and crust. I was also able to try the bagnet pizza. Both got the unmistakable Ilocano kick. And I never thought I’d say this, but I genuinely loved both of them.
It just goes to show that sometimes, all it takes is the right combination (and maybe a bit of cheese) to make you fall in love with something you’ve avoided for years.
So if you ever find yourself in Paoay, don’t miss Kusina Valentin. Try the pinakbet pizza. Even if you’re not into veggies, you might surprise yourself. Just like I did.
Until the next adventure!
LEY
