FOOD & FIESTA
FOOD & FIESTA
Bolinao’s Seafood Fad
and everyone liking it
While traveling to see North’s own
version of Boracay—Patar Beach, I stumbled across an interesting wisdom that
most memorable restaurants are cunningly rested in the not-so-obvious places. And
true to that experience, Bolinao is unmasked to a promise of tempting sensations.
A lot of people have ventured to this
third class municipality over the years in search of some sort of a dream. While
tourist centers flock the place, I was left with a cryptic reference to the deadly
sea urchins regularly harvested at Isla Silaki. Which begged the question:
“What the hell does it taste like?!” and “Where can I find one,
anyway?”
It’s certainly a place where only few
know how this remote fishing enclave was distinctively
put to map. Bolinao is probably best known for the controversial hard
coal spill on 2007, and its American-built Cape Bolinao Lighthouse at
Patar that rises 351 feet above sea level atop Punta Piedra Point, a towering
hill of solid rock which is the sharp point of Cape Bolinao itself.
I thought I’d use this dubious idea
for a framework to investigate its beauty that people oftentimes dispense with
taking multiple photos yet don’t know a place’s history. And as the spine of my
section I’m starting to call “The Hungry
Plate”, looking at various storytelling structures settled on terrific food
is a pretty, good-looking template. Hear ye, hear ye!
So what I found out—about Bolinao—about
its food, was entertaining. I hope it does to you, too. It’s an experience I’m
certain you would clamor for.
Bolinao Seafood Grill Atbp., situated
along the Arnedo-Balingasay Rd., and a stone's throw across Tummy Teasers, is a
place where succulent saltwater fish and shellfish are served. While definitely
one of my favorites, I advise you get the crew’s take on which of their dishes would
best satisfy you.
There are two reasons why I say
this. First, most restaurant owners’ game plan is to figure out what their
community is missing, and fill that niche. Secondly, they simply want to share
a dish they’ve always loved, but can’t seem to find in the cities they’ve
chosen to call home.
From the outside, I thought it was a
beer patch owing to the suspended lights and stilt houses. It’s not air-conditioned
but since the dining area has pawid instead
of galvanized iron for roof, it made the dining experience relatively cool.
There were also constant breezes, and the warbling of the wind was music to my
lethargic ears.
A plate of medium-sized freshly-cooked
shrimps costs P160 to P190, depending on bulk; mussels costs about P120 per
serving. I also demanded for pinakbet
because it would be a sin not to devour one being in the Ilocos region, and some
grilled pork because I’m a meat person. I like nothing more than fatty, tender,
juicy meat. It’s a dish that when finished, leaves you feeling refreshed and
satisfied.
Their rich and visually stunning seafood
soup cradled in either an aromatic butter or light, flakey shells, has won my
appetite. But that’s broth. Wait ‘til you have a taste of their intensely-flavored
deep-fried bangus served on a bed of
rice. Black peppers permeate a covering of delicious bread crumbs. Make sure to
smear a little of the bottom of your plate with bagoong to ensure you get plenty of sauciness in every bite.
“All the people that come here are
really knowledgeable. We get that question all the time. ‘What’s the most
popular? What’s your favorite?’ And we answer them back, ‘Well, what do you
like?’ We have varieties of seafood, meat, and vegetables. Chances are, there’s
going to be something on our menu that you’re going to respond to.
We
don’t want to give you our experience; we want you to have your own
experience”, says
Maricho del Fierro, proud owner of the restaurant. (John Louie dela Vega/FOCUS)
0 comments:
Post a Comment