I love to travel, but it isn’t just about seeing new places. It’s about eating as well. I like trying local dishes, although I must admit that I am not very adventurous when it comes to exotic food. I never eat frogs, turtles, snakes, lizards, crickets or sometimes even duck.  I can’t even try the jumping salad, simply because the shrimps jump.

It’s the thrill of trying something new that catches my interest. I have a picky taste palette, so it is difficult to please me. That’s why it’s always pleasant to find good eats from new places or restaurants.

During my last trip to the beach with a friend, we ate the day’s fresh catch. So we had to adjust the menu all the time. It felt like we were in Iron Chef.  The excitement made the dishes more delicious. Since we were in an island, it was difficult to find ingredients. We had to be creative or depend on what the cook could prepare.

It was fun to cook using firewood outdoors. I’ve always thought that the food cooked this way tastes better. We were so glad it did not rain; otherwise it would have been impossible. We had squid, octopus and fish. All were cooked in different ways: squid in vinegar (kilawin), grilled squid, squid pasta, fried fish, octopus stew (adobo), octopus with mongo and coconut milk. Most of the food was prepared by the cook. I personally made the pasta and shared it with the resort staff that took care of us well.

We usually ate breakfast and lunch by the beach. The ambiance made each meal more perfect than it already was.

Photos Courtesy of: Kate