From LA to Manila: Pink's Hotdogs and Chilli

We were looking for a place still open at 12:30 am on a Monday morning when our cousin found Pink's Hotdogs and Chilli. Mr. C got excited because he already has heard of this place. It's that one famous hot dog chain that started out as a food cart in Los Angeles. Today, its fame has stretched across Hollywood celebrities where the pictures of them holding their hotdog buns are hanging on their restaurant's wall. They have also been featured in some shows.

Tipsy-fied at Tipsy Pig Gastropub Taguig

My sister-in-law was curious about this pub so we roamed the streets of BGC one night to dine here. It is a restaurant owned by some public figures and because of its celebrity connections, it apparently became a hide-out place by famous celebrities. We did not spot some celebrities during our stay, though.

Entering the restaurant has that 'chillax' vibe - music not too loud, cozy seats and laid back people.

What The Fuss: Real Coffee and Calamansi Muffin Taste Test

With the favorable reviews from Tripadvisor and being called "The Famous", our palate yearned for Real Coffee's Calamansi Muffin. On our last day in Boracay, we took our breakfast at this place after shopping for pasalubong in D' Mall.

The only signage of this restaurant is the plywood below, so you  really have to be alert when looking for it.

Jonah's Milk Shake: A Shakes' Showdown!

When talking about what food or drink to try in Boracay, Jonah's Fruitshake emerges as an A-lister. Their specialty, fruit shakes, has placed its mark ever since the beginning of Boracay's tourism history. Aside from its cheap price and popularity, they also proudly tag themselves as "The Best FruitShake in the Island".

Jonah's Fruitshake served as our comfort drink all throughout our four-day stay in Boracay. We tried different flavors just to see if there were any other creations that could beat that one flavor which we got addicted to.

Boracay Toilet: The Only Toilet in Boracay where you can eat

You do not have to travel to Taiwan to experience that bizarre moment of ingesting food in a toilet-inspired restaurant.

A first in the Philippines, Boracay Toilet will bring you a mini adventure of eating inside a room fabricated like a comfort room.

Right from the stairwell walls going to the entrance, you will already feel like going to a dirty john because of the voluminous vandalism on these walls.

Imagine that effort of having to fill in these walls. Woah!

A Taste Test: Grilled Tuna Panga from Hoy, Panga!

Mr. C mentioned that Youtube sensation Bogart the Explorer owns the Hoy, Panga! so we did a taste test if their Grilled Tuna Panga was anything good.

Their medium grilled tuna panga costs about PHP 350. It's already good for two people. Best to partner it with rice.

VERDICT

A Battle of Burritos: Mañana versus Mayas

I was desperately looking for a good burrito during our Boracay stay for an understandable reason. This led us to find two of the most famous Mexican restaurants in the island: Mañana and Mayas.

Here's the entire story of who won:

Mama's Fish House at Diniwid Beach

As suggested by Solitary Wanderer, we got curious about Mama's Fish House restaurant, which is located at Diniwid Beach, the quiet beach beside the crowded White Beach. They offer an array of international food that guarantees fresh ingredients, especially their seafood recipes.

After a few hours of bathing and lounging by the beach, we traversed the shore until we reached Microtel Inn, the hotel where Mama's Fish House is tucked in.

It was an early lunch and lean season so this was the scene that welcomed us inside the place. Right. We were the only ones who ate there that morning.

Discovery Shores Boracay: A First Anniversary Dinner

I did not have any idea where Mr. C would bring me for our anniversary dinner. Hence, the thrill of wondering.

My wondering turned into joy when we stopped by Discovery Shores, a luxury hotel in Boracay.

Indigo is the name of the restaurant. The staff greeted us enthusiastically as if they were expecting us. Little did I know, Mr. C made a reservation, something that is usually my job. He even showed his email if his conversation with the staff. I smiled in awe.

Since it's lean season, there were no other guests but us. Mr. C jokingly said, 'Actually pina-reserve ko yung buong restaurant.' I laughed. That was a timely joke.

C to D: Mr. and Mrs. C go seafood shopping at D' Talipapa

Welcome to our first blog post!

Today is a special day for us. Aside from our blog going live, we celebrated our first anniversary as a married couple. We traveled to Boracay as a celebration of our special day. To make our anniversary lunch extra special, we tried something different than our usual routine. We explored D' Talipapa, where we shopped for raw seafood and renting a cooking service nearby.

A tip we learned from the other bloggers is to never get the first item you saw. Try to roam around the entire area first so you can get the best offer. Another tip is to always try to bargain, which is a habit that we only do moderately. We want to avoid excessive bargaining as a concern for the vendors working hard to feed their families. By looking around to get the best offer and bargaining lightly, we saved PHP 70.

Below are the photos of our seafood memories in this little adventure:

SCALLOPS (PHP 300 per kilo)

The average cost of scallops is PHP 300 per kilo but after bargaining, the vendor offered it only for PHP 280. 




PRAWNS (PHP 300 per 1/2 kilo)

The price depends on the size. For medium-sized prawns, it costs around PHP 600 per kilo. We bought half a kilo for PHP 300.




PARROT FISH (PHP 180)

After knowing that I haven't tried eating parrot fish in my entire life, Mr. C went ahead and ordered this.




SEA URCHIN (PHP 50 per piece)

We loved uni sashimi so we included this thorny, scary creature in our seafood adventure. It was alive and moving at its own pace when we bought it! The average cost of this is 100 pesos per piece but we were lucky enough to find this one vendor that only sold it for 50 pesos. I asked why his sea urchin is the cheapest in the area and he said that he's the one catching them, hence no need to pay for a supplier.




The market is surrounded by a number of paluto services. We chose the most conveniently located in the area which is Sababi Boracay. We didn't have any regrets at all! Below is the snapshot of their menu:




Let me reiterate. Choosing Sababi was really worth it. Here are the snaps to show you why:


SEA URCHIN SASHIMI (PHP 180)

It was our first time to eat uni (sea urchin) sashimi with the urchin picked straight from the market so I regarded this moment as a little adventure and even called it "Fear Factor". The fresher is indeed the better! I really tasted the sea salty goodness in it, plus having a scoop straight from the shell is really a one of a kind experience.




SCALLOP IN BUTTER GARLIC SAUCE (PHP 230)

Did we mention that we bought one kilo of scallops? Yes, we consumed one kilo of scallops that day.

This is the best dish we had in our entire anniversary vacation on the island. We are both lovers of butter, hence its buttery wonders paired with garlic and the freshness of the scallops all put together left us wanting more and more.



Oh, wait. The one kilo of scallops isn't over yet. The server handed us another plate.

Tadaaaaa!

SHRIMP IN BUTTER GARLIC SAUCE 

Who could possibly go wrong with shrimp, butter, and garlic? Of course, this is one great dish yet again.




GRILLED PARROT FISH

This is what grilled parrot fish looks like. It is meaty and the fish taste is only mild. Dipping it in soy sauce with calamansi is the combo.

A look on the inside..

WHAT WE LIKED:

• The wonders of saving a lot! The price of one dish we had is tripled if you order it from other restaurants. 
• The thrill of shopping for your own seafood!
• The butter garlic recipe from Sababi is oh-la-la!
• That "Fear Factor" moment of eating live sea urchin!

WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE: 

• The butter garlic shrimp is great, however, the sauce is slathered on the shell. We had to rub the unpeeled shrimp on the rice to get the sauce.

WANNA-CHOW-AGAIN  METER
Yes, we definitely want to go back to Boracay and shop here again! Take us back here!!!