Aklanon flavors
Inubarang Manok
A signature Aklanon dish — native chicken simmered with ubad (the tender heart of the banana stalk) in fresh coconut milk, with lemongrass, ginger, and chilli. The banana pith soaks up the rich, faintly sweet broth while staying lightly crunchy.
About this dish
Inubaran (or inubarang manok) is one of the most treasured dishes of Aklan, the mainland province to which Boracay belongs, and a centrepiece of fiestas and family gatherings. Its defining ingredient is ubad — the pale, tender core of the banana pseudostem — which is sliced thin, salted, and squeezed to remove its astringency before being simmered with free-range native chicken in fresh coconut milk (gata). Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and chilli round out a broth that turns rich and faintly sweet, while the ubad stays gently crunchy and soaks up the flavour like a vegetable sponge. It reflects the resourceful, coconut-and-banana-rich cooking of the Aklanon countryside, where little of the plant goes to waste. Rarely seen on tourist menus and almost never outside the province, inubaran is the dish to seek out for a genuine taste of Boracay's home region.
Allergen information
Preparation methods may vary by restaurant. Always confirm with staff if you have severe allergies.
Where to try
Aklanon restaurants on Boracay and in Kalibo (the provincial capital)