Samar

NEW EATS

Borongan is a good place to taste the local delicacies and to indulge you in the freshest seafood, according to our insider guide Puey. On Divinubo, octopus still slithering in its net and lobsters, crabs and unusual shellfish tried to scuttle away as they were strewn on the wooden table before us for inspection before they were scooped away to be cooked the “sinaing” way, which is to simmer in a pot of water. The cupapa or rock lobster (P350 per kilo, raw) is Puey’s special favorite. Cupapa is seasonal, plentiful during the months of May and October. Divinubo’s petite lobsters, also called banagan, sell raw for P450 to P500 per kilo. Then there’s the mamadas, a flaky white fish and the manlalara, also known as danggit, for P140 per kilo. Coordinate with the City Tourism Office to arrange for a seafood lunch at Divinubo.

Allsuso (smooth rice cake)

Pastillas de Borongan

Dangit ( dried fish)

Borongan Lechon

The variety of shellfish harvested from the waters of Borongan is unusual and delicious. There’s the tojillon, made into napkin rings and the ganga, often seen only in souvenir shops. The ganga is a spider conch with meat that tastes fresh as the sea and a texture that’s reminiscent of snails. The Mabaroca Beach Resort will prepare it for you by special arrangement. call: Margarita Castillo at 055/ 560 9377, 560 9809, 0928/622 0699 or e-mail: roncast_well@yahoo.com.

Mabaroca is also the place to have your tuwad or tiny conical shellfish stewed in coconut cream and ginger. The shellfish sell for P2 each in the public market. The pointed end of the shell is sliced off before cooking because theway to coax these tiny morsels out of their burrows is to suck them out. “More flavorful than mussels,” the Divinubo islanders tell us.Then there’s the astonishing variety of Borongan’s treats, snacks and kakanin or rice cakes pasalubongperfect if you do your shopping just a day before you leave. Hit the Borongan Public Market in the heart of town and get the slender banana leaf-wrapped bakintol, a creamy suman flecked with chocolate (P5 each). Or the breakfast favorite, salukara, a pancake made from ground brown rice, sugar and coconut milk (P10 for four pieces). The pyramid-shaped alisuso is a smooth snack made from ground rice mixed with young coconut and flavored with anise (P5 each).

Head to the market’s dried fish section and take home Borongan’s special danggit or dried fish split. It’s P500 a kilo but a large bag worth P150 is generous enough. Borongan’s danggit is thin, crisp and seasoned perfectly. You may also want to try the dried dilis or anchovies, sapsap and ganga at P35 for 250 grams. There are also rows upon rows of rattan baskets brimming with a variety of local dried fish including tamba, manamsid, balanak, hasa-hasa, lusod, espada, iliw, mulmol and even dalagang bukid. You can also give the ginamos (P120/kilo) a try. It’s Borongan’s own bagoong or fermented dilis or anchovy.

Photo and Article Source: Inflight Magazine ( Seair )