Cagayan de Oro's Mallberry Hotel for Kinilaw (Fish Ceviche)

I work in the field of judicial education, and this entails going all over the country to train judges and court personnel. We usually house participants in hotels, and as some of you know, hotel food is hit-or-miss. Many are bland, too rich, or unfamiliar, and after the novelty comes off, one hankers for home-cooked meals.

In the past 2 months, I was billeted at the Mallberry Suites Business Hotel located at Lim Ket Kai Center in the heart of Cagayan de Oro City, the provincial city of Misamis Oriental. The province is located in the northern coast of Mindanao, the southernmost of the country's three major islands. Fortunately for us the food was better than most. I wrote about its ensaymada-pastel hybrid here.

Another standout is the kinilaw, or fish ceviche, where raw fish is marinated in vinegar and spices. I just love the color. The vinegar was not overpowering, the ginger and the shallots added just the right amount of zing, and the fish tasted buttery and clean. I liked it so much I got another serving (bottom photo).

Standouts as well were the pansit (top photo), which were on the sweet side; and the grilled chicken and steamed fish (middle photo).

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