The author believes the best pizza on the island is Kermit. (All photos by Raoul Chee Kee)
‘Kinilaw’ and ceviche using catch of the day at Cev
One would think that as a lifestyle writer for close to three decades, I would have already made the trip to the surfing destination that is Siargao in Surigao del Norte. I don’t surf and can’t balance on a skateboard, but visiting and writing about a “new” place is always a thrill—and a perk few ever get to experience.
In my last job, I was lucky enough to go on multiple trips to China, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia and Italy. Those were fun but rather hectic times. On these familiarization (or fam) trips, the organizers would pack our schedules tight and to the brim. We had to be up and out of the hotel bright and early so we could be brought by bus to different points of interest. Then there would be a break for lunch before we trundled off to the next location. Of course, they would always set aside some time for us to go around and do some shopping. By the time we returned to the hotel early in the evening, however, many of us would already be looking forward to putting our feet up.
Raoul Chee Kee’s travel journal
I still do that—lie on crisp sheets and put my feet up on the hotel’s bedroom wall—but now it’s because I’ve spent the day exploring the sights with my travel buddies, friends from grade school who all share a love for travel. We’ve flown to Hanoi, Hoi An and Da Nang in Vietnam; Kaohsiung in Taiwan; and Chiang Mai in Thailand.
If you’re flying from Clark and want Pampanga fare, skip the food court and head to pre-departure area
Siargao was our latest local trip, where the planning started months, maybe half a year, in advance. Our resident “travel agent,” who is always on the lookout for airline promos and new routes, sent a group message to check who was interested. After a quick poll, he quickly booked our flight (P8,500 per person, round trip) on Philippine Airlines via Clark. We apparently lucked out; it was reported late last month that round-trip tickets from Manila to Siargao were going for over P30,000—that’s more expensive than a round-trip flight to Tokyo.
On the day of our flight, we boarded a P2P bus that leaves hourly from Trinoma in Quezon City to Clark airport (P310 each, one way), which took two hours. The airport was spacious and looked cavernous, practically empty. We scanned the departures board and saw that few flights were scheduled that Saturday afternoon.
Here’s a tip: if you’re flying from Clark and want a bite of Pampanga fare, skip the food court above the check-in counters and head to the pre-departure area. Susie’s Cuisine has a cozy little outpost that serves pancit palabok, dinuguan and tibuk-tibok, the last a white, sweet and jiggly flan made with carabao’s milk.
The flight itself was short and uneventful, but it was pleasant to see wide swathes of vibrant green as we approached Sayak airport in the municipality of Del Carmen. We chose to stay at Apsaras Tribe, a hotel on the main road but far enough from the stretch of bars and restaurants that have made Siargao known as a party island. We hopped on one of the air-conditioned vans that take tourists to their hotels for a flat rate of P300.
5:30 pm dinner at Cev, the author’s first meal in Siargao
Once we arrived, we dropped off our bags and decided to explore the area on foot. And this was where my friends and I set the tone of our Siargao vacation because the first thing we did was have an amazing dinner at Cev… at 5:30 in the afternoon.
Doreen Fernandez would have loved eating at Cev
I have read glowing reviews, and was surprised to find that Cev: Ceviche and Kinilaw Shack was just a short walk from the hotel. The restaurant had just opened for dinner service and we were led indoors to a table next to jalousie windows that allowed light in and air to circulate. It menu fits one page and has three main course options each of ceviche or kinilaw, all made with the catch of the day—tuna that evening. I ordered the Santa Monica (P380) that came with fried octopus, pumpkin mash, roasted bell pepper purée and a potent coconut milk leche de tigre. It was a feast for the senses: the interplay of colors, tastes and textures made for a wonderful first meal.
Traditional ‘kinilaw’ in an eatery in Magpupungko
When we looked around, the place was packed inside and out with foreign and local tourists digging into their plates of seafood. I remembered leafing through Kinilaw: A Philippine Cuisine of Freshness by co-authors Doreen Fernandez and Edilberto Alegre. They wrote how kinilaw uses only what is available locally: “the tart and the fragrant, the liquid and the powdery, the mild and the wild,” and how it expresses “our passion for the ephemeral, our artistic impulse to honor passing moments.”
Doreen would have loved eating at Cev.
While we included trips to Magpupungko where I waded in one of the coral-rimmed tidal pools, and walked the so-called “afam” bridge where foreign tourists gather daily to watch the sun set, what I will remember about Siargao are the shared meals and icy desserts.
Our little group has a list of non-negotiables when we travel. While we try to save on flights and accommodations—twin-sharing is perfectly fine if you’re bunking with friends—breakfast should always be included. Unlike those fam tours of old where our lives seemed to be scheduled down to the minute, it was refreshing to lounge around over breakfast enjoying a second cup of coffee, gazing contentedly at the view.
In those four days in Siargao, we settled into a groove that started with a slow morning followed by some sightseeing via tricycle, then a late lunch and afternoon siesta before heading out for dinner, again before 6 pm. We might have felt a bit underdressed in shorts and flip flops when we got to Wild one evening but got over it quickly. After all, we were on an island and on vacation.
We shared two ‘large plates,’ the Porchetta Kare Kare (P690) and Wild Pork Adobo
Located in a two-level structure with a pitched roof that called to mind a much grander nipa hut, Wild is divided into dining areas. Since we didn’t have a reservation, we were seated at the empty communal table in the main hall.
We shared two “large plates,” the Porchetta Kare Kare (P690) and Wild Pork Adobo (P520), that came highly recommended and did not disappoint.
Kare-kare bagnet at Wild
The first came as a huge chunk of crispy fried pork belly surrounded by traditional kare kare vegetables (Chinese cabbage, string beans, eggplant with the peanut-thick sauce spooned on one side of this deconstructed dish. A more generous hand when it came to the sauce would have been appreciated, but was no dealbreaker. The adobo was also a winner and we ended up with bellies full.
No reservations at Wild? Head over to this full-service restaurant that serves made-for-sharing dishes at 5:30 p.m. for relaxed dinner.
On our last full day, we had lunch at Kermit, well known for its pizza. Since we arrived past 2 pm after spending the morning horsing around in the resort’s pool, we were told we could order only pizza. No worries as it was the best pizza I had tasted in a long while. It was charred and puffy and had just the right amount of toppings.
The chef handling the pizzas was a one-man show. He kneaded the dough, put the different toppings and slid the pizza into the wood-fired stove. Expertly wielding his paddle, he would check it every few seconds, adjusting it ever so slightly. Within minutes, it was done. All he had to do was pull out the pizza, drizzle some olive oil and slice it using a mezzaluna.
The author in Magpupungko tidal pools
We also had the chance to sample some of Siargao’s icy treats, our favorites being the banana sherbet/softserve at Buonana made only with ripe bananas and water, and the gelato at Halika Siargao just across the Catholic Church.
The author says he’s found the best gelato on the island at Halika Siargao.
At Halika, there’s one made with fresh lemons and tinted a bright blue using butterfly pea flowers (blue ternate). Dubbed Siargao, it was the perfect way to end my first trip to this surfing—and dining—destination.
Read more:
Best burger, shawarma, etc—your foodie’s surprise guide to Siargao
Siargao: ‘Mommy, are we going to survive?’
The Anthropometric Man: Carlo Tanseco pulls yet another surprise
