Desiring to eat good Chicken Binakol will no longer drag you to fine Filipino Restaurants in Iloilo City but also along the highways of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo. Now, you can find an appetizing Chicken Binakol soup at the second branch of Chico Shade, a native restaurant featuring Filipino snack dishes such as Halo-halo, Bihon, Canton and now, Chicken Binakol.
The name Chico Shade was derived from the first location of the restaurant, where it is settled under the shade of a Chico tree. With its first branch strategically tucked near the plaza of Sta. Barbara, Chico Shade now opened its second branch along the highway, creating a more convenient way for their clientele to reach them.
Going towards and from the Iloilo Airport will let you easily catch a glimpse of the new restaurant with its huge red sign outside. You can even be more enticed with its relaxing shade and wooden tables and chairs, capturing a native and open ambiance, ideal for the hot weather. Several individual wooden cottages are also available for a more exclusive dining.
Although Chico Shade is somehow limited with its bill of fare especially when it comes to their main dishes, icy treats suitable for the hot weather are mostly available, with options ranging from Halo-halo flavors to different frozen drinks. They even offer various selections of Nestle Ice Cream.
Chico Shade offers several Halo-halo versions that are mostly varying in their ingredients and sizes. Prices for Halo-halo range from P25 to P69. They offer native Halo-halo with lots of native ingredients including sweetened banana, adding more sweetness to it. The sweetened bananas are actually very delicious and ideal after a good meal of steamed rice and binakol.
Trio Halo-halo (P59)
Buko Halo-halo (P69)
The Trio Halo-halo (P59) includes more ingredients with the addition of leche flan, sago, corn flakes, banana and heart-shaped gulaman. The trio version also includes three scoops of plain ice cream hence the name. Their version of Buko Halo-halo (P69) also includes the same profuse ingredients with their trio however, placed on a buko and served with a single scoop of ice cream.
What makes their Halo-halo unique is the deliberate placement of the ice so it will not easily melt as compared to other regular versions where it is already watery even before getting halfway through. Shaved ice is placed on top of the ingredients, making you enjoy your it even more.
Icy Blue
Another frozen must-try is the Icy Blue, a very sweet and syrupy drink that kids would surely love to indulge. This cold treat was actually inspired from the famous Ice Kachang or Ais Kachang of Singapore however using only syrup instead of milk. The taste is so good and refreshing plus it even leaves a blue evidence on your lips and tongue.
Sago’t Gulaman (P25)
Kulabo (P45)
Ice Scrambble (P15)
Freeze (P35)
Other frozen treats at Chico Shade includes Sago’t Gulaman (P25), Kulabo (P45), Ice Scramble (P15), Melon Shake (P20), Frozen Candies (P10), Mais con Hielo (P20) and the refreshing Butong (P35).
On to their main dishes, Chico Shade offers a limited selection of snacks ranging from Bihon, Batchoy, Square Buns, Siomai, Barkada Fries and Canton. Their best-selling dish is Bihon, which is priced at P65, good for two people. You can also have Canton for P70, good for two people, or an all-time Ilonggo favorite, Batchoy, which is at P50. Bread lovers would love to taste a Chico Shade’s Clubhouse Sandwich version called the Square Buns (P39) and their hotdog on bun Chic’n Dog (P35). Snack time will also be complete with an order of Barkada Fries (P55) and Soimai (P30) per order.
Siomai (P30)
Native Chicken Binakol (P125)
A recent addition in the Chico Shade’s menu is the Ilonggo cuisine’s top of the line Chicken Binakol, a chicken soup dish that includes coconut meat and water as primary ingredients. It also includes dices of potato and carrots, along small cuts of chicken and coconut meat, indeed delicious and very comforting. Each order of Chicken Binakol is priced at P125, good for two people and best paired with rice (P15/cup).
Bikers who take the Sta. Barbara highway route can even enjoy a 10% discount on any buko products at Chico Shade.
Chico Shade Restaurant
Highway, Cabugao Sur, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo
Operating Hours: 9am to 7pm daily
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chico.shade
