Boracay's Sababi of D'Talipapa for Buttered Prawns and Tapas de Dos Mestizos

Last year I posted a double feature on my solo trip to Boracay, which you can click here and here. I wanted to try D'Talipapa, but decided against it.

This year, with friends in tow, we went to D'Talipapa's Sababi. D'Talipapa is a cluster of restaurants surrounding a wet market where you can buy your proteins, mostly seafood, and accompanying vegetables and fruits. You then have these cooked in one of the stalls, just like Macapagal Boulevard's Seaside. At Sababi we had perfectly cooked buttered prawns: the skin did not stick to the meat even after resting. The prawns were fresh and meaty.

 Don't expect anything fancy--just fresh catch and breaking bread at its most basic. 

Sababi
Aklan D'Talipapa
Boracay

The other night we went to Dos Mestizos. We had a delightful salsa dip that came with the complimentary bread. We then had tapas. 

I was enamored with the bold Spanish flavors, like those of the callos: so buttery soft and rich.

The reliable chorizos got smaller but taste as good as before.

We had refreshing sangria to wash down our tapas.

The best tapa for me is the tasty calamares (no need for the dip). The combination of soft flesh and crunchy batter shows good technique.

The salpicao is also good--rich, flavorful.

Dos Mestizos
Remedios Street, Sitio Manggayad
Boracay
(+63) 036 288 5786

Tagbilaran City's Gerarda's for Squid-Ink Pasta

If you love squid-ink, this is for you. In my notes this is seafood pasta, but I might be wrong. We were invited here for dinner, it was our first time at the restaurant (which turned out to be quite well-loved), and as guests we pretty much let our hosts do the ordering. I tried doing online research on what this was, but my efforts yielded nothing, so let's just name this squid-ink pasta.

This is the bounty of the sea on a plate--generous squid meat and ink, and fishballs, brightened by pechay. This was so tasty I mixed the left-over pasta with rice, a carb-on-carb combo Pinoys know only too well.

Gerarda's
33 J.S. Torralba Street
Tagbilaran City

Koronadal City's Arpochi Seafoods for Pampano Sinigang

No idea where to eat? Ask the locals. This was never truer when work found me in the southern city of Koronadal, formerly known as Marbel, the capital of South Cotabato. They vouch for the quality of the food, and warned us that we would be spending the equivalent of Manila prices.

It was quite a challenge looking for the restaurant. Arpochi is located in a residential area, in a house, and save for its signage, no one would know it is a restaurant. Another group followed us, many bearing gifts. It seems that the restaurant is a go-to place for functions as well. There was more. There was no menu. I'm not sure if they have set meals or rely on what's available in the market, but we proceeded to order anyway. We picked fish, shrimp, and squid over native chicken and crabs. Please note that although Koronadal is not along the sea, it is only a couple of hours from the port city of General Santos.

It may not look it, but the sinigang na pampano (pompano in sour broth) was the best of the lot. The fish was fresh and sweetish, and thus did not require any complicated cooking techniques or thick sauces. 

The prawns cooked in butter and garlic were likewise fresh, although I'd prefer they use less sugar. I can still remember the warm, umami goodness of the fat from the heads of the shrimps--really delicious. The sauce was so good we drizzled it on our rice. 

The adobo-style squid was also good. The squid were soft and the dish sweetish from the onions.

Arpochi Seafood and Restaurant
Jaycee Avenue, Koronadal City
(+63) 83 228-3418

Davao del Sur's Belito's Vineyard for Paella Negra and Crispy Spareribs

Last February I had to make a quick trip to Davao. Except for my hotel, I did not have much planned ahead. I only zeroed in on where to eat lunch after flipping through the pages of my plane's inflight magazine, where the black paella of Belito's Vineyard came highly recommended. Aside from pork, I love squid. You might recall a post I made earlier on paella negra here. 

Belito's Vineyard is tucked away in a residential compound, and perhaps because it was a Sunday (thank God it was open) it was unusually quiet. Only a couple was there when I arrived. I ordered the black pella and the crispy pork ribs.

The black paella, Belito's signature dish. It can handily serve 3-5 persons. Rich and dark, full
of squid meat. Onions and lime cut through the rich flavor. My favorite is the tutong,
rice sticking to the bottom of the pot made crisp.

Lightly battered pork ribs. I love the vinegary, spicy sauce which hint of fish paste.
This dish was also good, I can't help but eat with my hands.

They were short on home-made durian ice cream, so I made do with strawberry ice cream.
Rich and creamy--a perfect cap for a sumptuous lunch. 

Belito's Vineyard
Palm Drive, Bajada, Davao City
(+63) 82 227 6726
Opens daily, 11 am to 10:30 pm