Bayleaf Hotel's Champorado

About two months ago, I was assigned to Bayleaf Hotel, ranked # 1 by TripadAdvisor for hotels in Manila, for work. If you are familiar with how whole day seminars are, these usually involve, at the very least, lunch and morning and afternoon snacks. This is one reason I'm having trouble doing battle with the bulge--but, well, I shouldn't really complain. Some meals are so excellent they end up featured in this blog.

I was about to ignore that afternoon's merienda--champorado--until I detected the strong, unmistakable whiff of tuyo (dried fish). Champorado is chocolate rice porridge, and is popular snack or breakfast item during the wet season. Evaporated milk is usually poured over champorado to make it creamier, and many households add a sprinkling of dried fish. I found the latter unusual, until I tried this one featured below. I love the mix of sweet, salty and creamy, not unlike Happy Lemon's cocoa with rock salt and cheese foam, but that is best reserved for a future post.

Bayleaf Hotel

Muralla corner Victoria Streets

Intramuros, Manila

(+63) 02 318-5000