Top Picks from Gen San's Ranchero's Grill and Seafood Restaurant

When someone asked me where to eat at GenSan, I suggested Ranchero, and he loved it. A quick look at Tripadvisor shows that it ranks 1 out of 45 restaurants in the city. My first visit was at the Paseo del Sol branch was about five years ago, and I was smitten. For this year I got to return twice, this time at SM. (I'm partial to the charms of the first branch, though.) Below are the dishes I enjoyed. 

Duck in Coconut Milk, I think (help!). I forgot where I stuffed my notes, but this dish was very memorable. Sweetish creamy and soft duck meat. I tried to resist eating more, which was futile. The bite from green pepper offered a welcome heat.

Dragonfruit shake. I had this years ago, and the I wondered what the fuss was all about. This time they I was lucky: it was refreshing and creamy, a medley of flavors that reminds me of mixed berries.

Pako salad. The plating is uninspired, but this one's a winner. Pour in the bagoong (fermented fish paste) for the flavors to meld in. The mild greens acted as good foil for the slices of bagnet and salted egg. I also love the tiny zing from the julienned ginger.

Again, ignore the poor presentation. The Pugon Pork does not look pretty, but it is flavorful and not greasy, with skin so crisp. It comes alive with either vinegar or bagoong sauce. And I must say, the pork in these parts taste clean.

SM City GenSan
Santiago Blvd cor. San Miguel St.
General Santos City, South Cotabato

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

General Santos City’s Blugre Café for Durian Gatchpuccino

There’s no middle way for durian—the thorny fruit with usually yellow flesh and distinctive divisive aroma widely distributed in Southeast Asia—it’s either you love it or loathe it. Me? I’m addicted. I need my fix constantly. Every time I fly to Mindanao, the southernmost of the three major island groups of the Philippines, I pray I get to eat durian.

Last year I was assigned to General Santos City, the southernmost port city of the country. I arranged to meet with a friend at Blugre Cafe, originally from Davao City, the country’s durian capital. While waiting for her I was stoked when I saw that it serves durian gatchpuccino—an interesting mix of coffee and durian. That night I was in food heaven. Do drink up, though, to savor the generous durian meat at the bottom.

Do a good deed. Share this post.

General Santos City’s Jam’s Restaurant for Sinaing na Tuna (Slow Cooked Tuna)

Sometimes food doesn’t have to look pretty to taste great. Take sinaing na ulo ng tuna—slow cooked tuna fish heads--for example. In one of our trips to General Santos City, the southernmost port city of the country and touted as its tuna capital, this was one of the food served by our host. I ignored it at first in favor of lechon (whole roasted pig) and tuna ceviche. It looked brown and undistinguished. Big mistake! Fans of fish heads, you know what I mean—the umami goodness of fat, cartilage, and connective tissue, balanced by the zing from finger chilies, best served on top of mounds of rice. At that moment I was in food heaven.

While I was atoning for my omission, my colleague Jojo Javier described to me how the dish is cooked. Lay the tuna heads flat atop pork fat in a clay pot and boil for six to eight hours. Mix in onions, dried kamias (bilimbi, a souring agent), fish sauce, vinegar, water, ginger, pepper, and salt. Enjoy!

Do a good deed. Share this post.