Malen's Restaurant: Cavite's Hidden Gem of Native Marvels

Established in 1994, Malen's has proven its influence but still remains as one of Cavite's hidden gems because of its outlying location in Noveleta, Cavite. The reputation that it has gained not just in the food and catering services but also the architectural aspect cannot be overlooked.

With all the decorations featuring old relics such as newspapers, photos, artifacts, military keepsakes, etc., the interiors of the restaurant will bring you that museum vibe.

Seafood Island Imus: A Seafood Feast

As a celebration for our baby's 10th month which fell on a weekend, we decided to go out for lunch. Since my mother-in-law is a balikbayan, she craved for seafood -  the thing that tastes horribly in the States. Hence, we chose Seafood Island located at The District, Imus as the place to eat.

We had a hard time deciding which group meal to choose so each of us ended up with our individual selections.

Even our little one couldn't decide.

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!!!