Rhia's Kitchen : Foodie's Adventures down The Rabbit Hole

You won't find any rabbit with a pocket watch running around nor you fall down a hole into a room with many locked doors of all sizes.

And this is not a rabbit strew but Ossobuco - a specialty from Milan, Italy of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. Ossobuco is Italian for "bone with a hole" referring to the marrow hole at the center of the shank (from Wikipedia).

It is among the many specialties of The Rabbit Hole located at Goldberry Lite Hotel along Mapa Street in Iloilo City. And between the hotel and the restaurant is a small opening that makes one literally pass through a "rabbit-hole".

A restaurant, cafe and bar in one, The Rabbit Hole Iloilo also serves as the main dining outlets of the hotel specializing in Filipino and fusion cuisine.

Here's an appetizing glimpse of some of its best-sellers.

A perfect starter to whet your appetites is the KANI MANGO SALAD. Made with strips of crabsticks and cucumber in a Japanese dressing topped with nori and mango slices - a perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors!

The crust alone of these pizzas already told me that it will be delicious with a resounding crunch! And I was right. Whether you'd choose the SAUSAGE or the MARGHERITA pizza, burst of flavours from the cheese, tomato sauces and the toppings perfectly complements that "home-made" goodness of the crust.

If there's pizza, then there must be some pasta. How about some CARBONARA composed of linguine pasta in classic cream with bacon, egg and Parmesan?

Enjoy the bounty of the sea with the SEAFOOD PLATTER. A trio combination of of shrimps, squid and fish - battered and fried to delicious crispness complemented with an appetizing tartar sauce dip.

Unleash the carnivore in you as delectable meat dishes come your way starting with the PORCHETTA. An Italian culinary tradition, this dish is a savoury, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast stuffed with herbs that gave birth to the Filipino lechon belly craze.

Speaking of Filipino, a staple on every menu is the CRISPY PATA. Everybody's familiar with the resounding crunch of this deep fried pork knuckles complete with the meaty and fatty portion - made more appetizing in a soy-vinegar-spices dip. Need I say more?

What's a DINER-STYLE FRIED CHICKEN? It's brined and marinated chicken deep-fried until golden brown served on a bed of bacon gravy and drizzled with spiced honey.

No introductions need for BABY BACK RIBS! Just a loud lip smacking for every forkful of this savoury pork dish -with peaches and potato fries on the side.

Care for some dessert? Try the MANGO PANNA COTTA with its rich milk and cream custard and fresh sweet mangoes.

Also check out the LECHE FLAN inspired by creme brulee. To enjoy its creamy sweetness, you just have to break off the hardened caramelized sugar or in my case, just tip it off on one side.

Last but certainly not the least, is COOKIE SKILLET ALA MODE. Its a big chocolate chip cookie cooked and served in a skillet topped with Vanilla ice cream!