Boracay isn’t just about swimming in clear blue waters or letting one’s pale urban complexion turn into a nice tan. Boracay, I found out, is also a perfect place for gastronomic pleasures.
Our first stop was Friday’s Resort situated in the quieter part of the White Beach. Aside from its excellent accommodation, the resort boasts of their famous restaurant where we were served a classic minestrone followed by yapak yellow-fin tuna carpaccio (shavings of raw tuna drizzled with olive oil) and Pacific rim seafood platter (salmon, prawn and blue marlin adorned with pumpkin and spinach risotto). Just as we–or our stomachs–were all ready to surrender, a sampler of desserts–tiramisu, chocolate enigma, mango cheesecake–was put on the table. I for one decided it was better to eat than be sorry.
Our guide highly recommend the hillside Balinghai Resort. It has a unique kind of service: since servers cannot go up and down the hill, a cliffside basket, powered by a pulley, carries food from the kitchen to the guests. Mussels ala Balinghai, baked and fresh oysters, green salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, potato salad, mango salsa, rice, grilled fish with curry sauce, grilled squid and prawns and crab in coconut milk tempted us. For dessert, we had creme caramel, brownies and apple crumble. The after-dinner boatride was the perfect nightcap.
The following day we were off to Buniogan for a picnic lunch catered by Caribo, which serves the largest drink in the island–a liter of iced tea (or any of their juices)! With that came rice with cinnamon and raisins spiced with curry powder, grilled prawns with crushed pistachio nuts, grilled blue marlin with boiled camote, saba and green beans as sidings, seafood skewers, jerk chicken and banana-oreo for dessert. Angelito Guevarra, Caribo’s chef, emphasized that their dishes are prepared without MSG.
Then came a quick stop at La Campanina for cool gelato. Chocolate mint and espresso became our instant favorites, while bikini and thong-watching –and a whole lot less!–on the beachfront.
Closer to home, we were served sinigang na baboy, mechado, binagoongan, pork adobo and kare-kare for dinner at the McSandro Bistro. The owners, Louie Cruz and Sandro Rieta, believe that they should not cater to foreign guests alone but to Filipinos as well.
Later in the evening, we decided to take a breather and hang out at Club Bazzura, touted as one of the hippest and trendiest nightclubs in that part of Boracay. It was late and some clubs were closed, but at Club Bazzura the night was just starting. Patrick Higgs, Club Bazzura president, treated us to pizza and beer.
On the third day, we had breakfast at the foyer of the Royal Suite at our island residence, the Paradise Garden Resort Hotel. It was a very relaxing way to start the day, with a good meal and good music.
We had lunch at Pearl of the Pacific before boarding our seair flight back to Manila. F&B manager Eduardo Peña shared with us their specialty– cream of basil soup as appetizer, beef stroganoff with sour cream and dill pickles served with mashed potato and seasonal vegetables as main course and pearl crepe with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
While waiting for the boat to take us at the pier, we feasted our eyes once more on the fantastic scenery before us. Henceforth, our memories of Boracay will be of the sand, the sea, the sunset... and some of the best dining experiences around. What a perfect picture of paradise!