Dining Snippets: Boracay 2016 Special
While most people crowd Boracay during the sizzling summer months, my friends and I opted to sneak in a trip right smack in the middle of November. Sure, it rained every single day that we were there; but they usually won’t last longer than half an hour. The cloudy skies weren’t a match for the strong rays of the sun anyway (my friends and I STILL have yet to go back to our original skin tones despite it being three months already).
JEEPNEY STOP
BANGSILOG (P225)
The beautiful trade-off of waking up at 3am for a 6am flight is that you get to maximize your first day in the island. After a hassle-free airport transfer courtesy of our hotel, Two Seasons, we dropped our bags and looked for a hearty breakfast place to kick off the day. We stumbled upon Jeepney Stop, a simple-looking breakfast shack which promised big plates of classic morning staples. I opted for their Bangsilog, which came with a generous serving of beautifully smoked and perfectly marinated bangus. The fare was completed with a scoop of garlic rice, atchara, and two eggs.
Jeepney Stop
Date of Visit: November 12, 2016 with Tikay Yu and Mina Tionloc
BARLO
POTATO CHIPS (P160)
Since we had a hefty breakfast, we opted for a hybrid of a late lunch and a merienda in our hotel’s restaurant, BarLo. Of course, with Tikay and me around, potato chips are always a staple. We were greeted by a large serving of sub-seasoned homemade criss-cut chips which came with a blended mayonnaise. The chips failed to meet our expectations (I just wanted good old plain well-salted chips), but that didn’t stop us from devouring most of the basket anyway.
FOUR CHEESE PIZZA (P550)
BarLo’s house specialty comes in the form of their Four Cheese Pizza. Its blue cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan combination topping sounded like a sure hit; however, somehow it fell flat for me. It was mediocre at best. The crust was too crunchy that it tended to break in between bites; while the toppings seemed lackluster. Perhaps, we got a bit too hyped up about this dish?
OYSTER SISIG (P350)
Fortunately, its other house specialty is more noteworthy to talk about. Its Oyster Sisig definitely rivals Locavore Kitchen’s killer Sizzling Lechon and Oyster Sisig. This rich and exceptionally delicious treat doesn’t need to be assisted by lechon pieces for flavor and attitude. Pair this up with a bowl of garlic rice and you’re all set!
BarLo – Two Seasons Resort
Dates of Visit: November 12-15, 2016 with Tikay Yu, Mina Tionloc, Gwen Chuahiock and Howie Chuahiock
SMOKE HOUSE
Highly recommended by one of the locals, we decided to find our way around the far end of D’Talipapa area to dine in Smoke House. A carienderia-type of eatery, this actual hole in the wall is famous for its Bulalo. The pouring downpour served as the perfect backdrop for us to fully enjoy this famed dish.
BULALO (P180/P300)
The first sip was all it took to win us over. The broth contained the fullness of the flavor of actual beef; and was paired with tender beef pieces; making it a delight to devour.
SIZZLING BULALO (P350)
Crispy pata lovers (like me) will definitely enjoy their Sizzling Bulalo. Each chunk of meat was insanely crunchy and addictive to eat! Caution though as guilt will quickly sink in once the grease and fat hits your system!
BEEF AND MUSHROOM (P170)
Smoke House also has a number of rice sets such as the Beef and Mushroom. The beef strips were a bit too tough; but seeing as how the strips filled up at least half of the sizzling plate, and was topped with a large handful of button mushrooms; it was definitely still a P170 well spent.
SPICY GARLIC SQUID (P160)
Employing a similar sauce as the Beef and Mushroom, the Spicy Garlic Squid can easily pass off as a dish served in a casual Chinese restaurant. The baby squid pieces were tender and were topped with loads of garlic that made each bite burst with flavor. This is another rice set that’s good enough for sharing, and would definitely give you your money’s worth!
Smoke House
Date of Visit: November 12, 2016 with Tikay Yu, Mina Tionloc, Rhea Legaspi, Gwen Chuahiock and Howie Chuahiock
MAÑANA
AMIGO FAJITAS ROLL (P365)
Another popular haunt, and a personal favorite of my friend Tikay, would be Mañana. Serving up all things Mexican, from chimichangas, to quesadillas; from burritos to fajitas; this beachfront restaurant evokes a no-fuss, no-frills, chill atmosphere which helps draws in large groups of diners at a time. Basing it solely on the price, I thought that each plate was good for just one person. I was shocked at the serving sizes of each plate that was served in front of us; as one plate’s enough to fill two hungry people up. My Amigo Fajitas Rolls were stuffed with tasty steak and chicken pieces, guacamole, and sour cream. I loved that the Mexican rice was served outside of the rolls (I am not a fan of eating rice inside tortilla wrappers); so it was easier for me to discard it.
Mañana
Date of Visit: November 13, 2016 with Tikay Yu, Mina Tionloc, Rhea Legaspi, Gwen Chuahiock and Howie Chuahiock
SPICE BIRD
After reading so many good things about Spice Bird, I just had to convince my friends to try it out. Despite having a relatively limited menu (chicken, pork, and, shrimp boards and a handful of appetizers), and an upset stomach; I was still psyched to try it out!
PIRI PIRI CHICKEN BOARD (P295)
Basing it on the restaurant’s name, it’s obvious that it specializes in chicken; thus, opting for the Piri Piri Chicken Board was a no brainer for me. Each board comes with a milky roll, a quarter piece of chicken, spice rice, and some veggie chips; all of which, I just fell in love with.
Firstly, you’d enjoy playing with their teasing sauces (with their playful descriptions) and concocting your own personal combination. These definitely amp up the experience of eating the already-flavorful spiced chicken and spice rice, as each combination gives off an interesting layer of flavor. If you like The Wholesome Table’s house rolls, Spice Bird’s Milky Roll can give it a run for its money. It’s denser than the typical bread roll, but lighter than the ones served in The Wholesome Table. It also contains a slightly sweet flavor that gives respite from the heat of the chicken (especially if you went crazy with the Hot Bird Sauce). The veggie chips are also not to be ignored; as these taste like Terra. Yep, that P250 Terra bag that easily goes rancid (even if it’s within its best before period). Perfectly crunchy and light on the grease, these make for wonderfully addictive munchers.
Spice Bird
Date of Visit: November 13, 2016 with Tikay Yu, Mina Tionloc, Rhea Legaspi, Gwen Chuahiock and Howie Chuahiock
