If you're craving for an authentic Italian dish, and you find yourself in Ilocos on a Northern Luzon road trip, fret no more as I let you in on a little secret.
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| home made spinach ravioli |
Badoc, the first town of Ilocos Norte, is home to Mino's Italian Restaurant. This Italian married an Ilocana and converted their porch into a mini-restaurant serving real Italian food.
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| home-restaurant |
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| dining area can seat up to 20 customers |
It's not fancy. But it's real Italian food, and very affordable. He serves a variety of pizza (nothing beyond P300), pasta (spaghetti, cannelloni, ravioli, and lasagna), and budget sandwiches. Pizzas are made fresh, only upon ordering. Signore Mino himself makes the dough for the pizza and the pasta noodles.
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| the menu |
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| from the dining area, you can take a peek into his kitchen |
Because he runs the restaurant himself (except for one server who helps him out), Mino's is not open the entire day. He has a broken schedule, and you better make sure you are there in his shop times. When we went there once craving for real pizza, and arrived just 5 minutes after, he declined and insisted that he's already closed. Well, you gotta give the man a break.
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| you gotta take note of his restaurant hours |
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| Signore Mino himself, in his kitchen |
We're always full when we leave Mino's, the only thing missing to end the meal is a cup of espresso. I hope S. Mino will have his broken espresso machine fixed soon.
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| pepperoni pizza |
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| mushroom ravioli |
So the next time you find yourself in Ilocos and you're looking for real Italian food, ditch the commercial Greenwich and Shakey's, try Mino's for some real Italian-Ilocano gastronomic trip.
How to go to Mino's:
If you're coming from Manila (or anywhere in the south), you should pass by the Badoc boundary marker and continue on the National Highway. Turn left on the main street after that. After a few blocks, you'll see a tiny sign that says "Mino's Italian Restaurant". Make a right and go straight until you see the corner house-restaurant .
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The Badoc boundary marker.
Pass by this and continue on the highway. |
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map to Mino's Italian Restaurant in
Badoc, Ilocos Norte |
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