Exploring Siargao: Where to Eat?

Day 1: Dinner at Harana Surf Resort

     We arrived late in the afternoon and decided to get an early dinner so we could have a long sleep because tomorrow will be a busy day. After settling our stuff in our room and and changing my shoes into slippers, we took our cameras and drove our rented motorcycle to Harana Surf Resort.
     You need to have a dinner reservation, which was something that I failed to do. Luckily, they still had available tables and they reserved one for us. We were a tad early since dinner starts at 6 PM so to kill time, we went outside and strolled at the beach and I was surprised to see from a distance surfers breaking the waves! They were really far away in the sea that the thought of surfing on Day 3 scared me. I watched them as they patiently waited for a wave to catch. Even from afar, you could tell the amateurs from the professionals. I took a close-up picture of one of the professionals as he let the wave carry him forward and he seamlessly stood up and maneuvered his way onto the wave.

     We went back to Harana Surf Resort before 6 PM and ordered our food. The restaurant has a very relaxing interior. The ceiling's lamp lanterns was similar to that of Siquijor's Dagsa and the colorful bean bags, wooden floor, and thatched roof added to its warm ambiance. One thing I looked forward to seeing was the pug hanging around the restaurant! I was able to meet him but forgot to take his picture as I enjoyed petting him too much.

  

     I personally think that their menu is a bit limited but we were very satisfied with the food that we ordered. I had the Blue Marlin Curry, which was one of their specials and I highly recommend it, while Ed ordered the Chicken Binakol Rice, their chef's version of the Hainanese Chicken. Each of these meals cost us less than P 300.00 each. 
     I asked Ed if we could order their Halo-Halo because it was also especially recommended. I was expecting it to be really tasty because it was the most expensive Halo-Halo I've ever tried priced at P 300.00, but to my dismay, instead of crushed ice, I got blocked ice topped with fruits. And the pineapple was the sourest I've ever tasted! So skip the desert I guess and stick to their main menu. Overall, this restaurant was still a good pick. The ambiance really did it for me and I'd still eat here the next time I get a chance.

Day 2: Dinner at Kermit Surf Resort & Restaurant Siargao

     The Kermit Resort is a popular place in Siargao and their restaurant is always on top of the list of recommended places to dine. You have to make a dinner reservation as this place is always packed. We went there ten minutes before 6:30 PM, which is when dinner starts, and few minutes later, more guests started to arrive and the place was soon filled. 

     Their restaurant keeps close to nature giving you a homey feel of the place. The sand is your floor and the tall plants, your walls. Their menu is mostly made up of Italian cuisine and are reasonably priced. 

     Ed wanted to order the Herb Crusted Mahi Mahi, which was highly recommended, but it was unfortunately unavailable. We even overheard some of the foreigner guests asking for it, too. He settled for a Chicken Kebab instead while I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana, which was one of their specials. Their food was similarly priced as Harana's Surf Resort with each costing us less than P 300.00.

     The Chicken Kebab was very tasty and rich in flavor. I wanted to savor the juice that squeezed out in each bite. I forgot that the menu was Italian, which could only mean that any red sauce in the food is sour, something that I didn't really appreciate with my Chicken Parmigiana. 

     Kermit Resort is also famous for their homemade DIY Pizza. It's freshly made daily and available only from 11 AM - 2 PM and 5 PM - 9:30 PM. Their pizza costs P 260.00 and toppings cost P 30.00 - 50.00 each. You can choose from a wide variety of toppings: ham, chicken, capers, olives, parma ham, parmesan, bellpeppers, tomatoes, salami, and a whole lot more! I ordered one for take out but didn't get to eat it until we woke up the next morning. I wish I could have eaten it when it was still hot and fresh. I'm sure it would have made a whole lot of difference. But I did enjoy the parma ham and parmesan toppings on my pizza.

     

     

Other Must-Try Restaurants

1. Mama's Grill

     We were supposed to eat here on our third night in Siargao but the place was really full! We arrived there by 7 PM and hurriedly sat in one of the recently vacated tables. When I was about to order, I was told that they have stopped taking orders in the meantime while they fulfill the ones on their waiting list and that they would start taking orders again in about 30 minutes. Gosh! 

     Mama's Grill looks like any typical grill house that sells seafood and pork but its popularity is such that even foreigners frequented the place. 

2. Pleasure Point Cafe

     This cafe opens up really early and closes early, too. They serve all-day breakfast, smoothies and drinks, coffee, and dessert. Their breakfast is made up mostly of large healthy fruit bowls ranging from P 150 to P 190. They also serve sandwiches and cakes for dessert. 

     This place is not located on the side of the road but the locals know where this is so just hail a "habal-habal" to get you there.

3. Patrick's On The Beach 

     We tried their breakfast meals but I wasn't satisfied and they were a bit overpriced for me. But do try their lunch meals. Their menu is on the website and they have a LOT to choose from. According to their website they "serve delicious dishes from 15 different countries". I had a hard time choosing as I was interested to try meals of different cuisine but still ended up with a Filipino dish. Lol!
     You can check out their menu here: http://patrickonthebeach.com/dining/.



     Now if you're on a tight budget and don't want to spend much on restaurants, you can always opt to eat at the carenderias nearby to save on money. For those staying in rented houses with a kitchen and want to cook their own food, you can buy some from their market. Just ride a "habal-habal" and tell them you want to go the market.
     Pork there is a bit expensive but the seafood is cheap for very obvious reasons. If you want to buy meat, I suggest you go there early because their supply can run out really quickly.