October Feast (2nd of 3 parts)

CEBU, Philippines - Casual dining or what we often call "inato" style is TamGu Grill's come-on: its interiors, which is nothing short of laidback, generally uses wooden furniture sets; and an unpretentious menu that extensively uses local produce. There are feasts that don't hurt the pocket and dining at TamGu is definitely one of those. Your Tambal sa Gutom are of course the bestsellers: Kinupusang Baboy (fried marinated pork) with a special spicy sauce which is by far the in demand appetizer that can double as a main dish; Sizzling Baby Squid sa Gata that goes well with a healthy serving of brown rice (yes, the owner is health-conscious); or the eighty-five-peso serving of tasty Pinakbet and a cup of sinangag rice; Crispy Fried Tilapia, and sizzlers of Spicy Sisig with Egg and Spicy Chicken. Cap the feast with the scrumptious Biko sa Latik a la mode or a fresh fruit/vegetable smoothie. Waiting time is from 15 to 20 minutes since all dishes are cooked upon order. Aside from the affordable meals, dining at TamGu is made budget-friendly by adding set meals of one cup of rice, a viand and one round of drink, the free-first-order-of-rice policy, bottomless iced tea, and the set menu of Crispy Pata + Shell Soup + Pancit Canton + 4 cups of rice + 1 round of drinks good for four pegged at P650! The second floor of the edifice is designed to accommodate functions and parties. Go inato at TamGu, located at Unit 8, Paseo Arcenas on Banawa.

Default order is a bag of 1lb plump shrimps flavored with garlic, butter-garlic, spicy gata (coconut milk & spices), Choobi-Choobi sauce (mild spicy), or Whaah! Sauce (extra spicy). The Shrimp in a Bag is Choobi Choobi's (Fokien for lingaw-lingaw) signature dish that's purposely served in a transparent kitchen bag so diners can tie the bag and shake it to mix the contents. [They grow their own shrimp and vegetables at the owner's farm in Pinamungajan, Cebu.] The menu also suggests a bit of humor what with the playful name of the restaurant itself. Kick Start for appetizers; License to Grill for the grilled collective; Fry, Fry the Batter Fry for anything fried; Souper Soups which is self-explanatory; and Tanny's Garden for the veggies section. Everything is good for sharing like the Okiname Tuna Belly (served only from Sunday to Thursday) that almost melts in your mouth; Belly Dancer (grilled pork belly); Choobi Pata (crispy on the outside but succulent on the inside); the heirloom recipe – Lola Pepang's Fried Manok (1 whole chicken stewed and deep-fried) served with a flavorful dipping sauce; Stuffed Grilled Squid (with inked rice inside) – a meal on its own; and the Indonesian-inspired Stan's Grilled Pepper Prawns using black pepper sauce. Choobi Choobi is Stan Tanchan's brainchild which now becomes the outlet of his culinary know-how and the avenue where the family's recipes are served for every diner to appreciate. Visit them at the Parkmall.  (FREEMAN)