Great seafood along the seashore with breezes and other Zamboanga City, Philippines Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: La Vista del Mar

This is one of the more elegant outdoor restaurants in Zamboanga with reasonable prices (by U.S. standards). The fish and prawns are fried or roasted and presented on bamboo trays covered with banana leaf. The decor features colorful sails of Tausug outrigger ships.

Favorite Dish: The best fresh water fish here is called bangus, has firm flesh and a full by not "fishy" taste. Best eaten with a number of dipping sauces which each diner creates from chili peppers, soy sauce, vinegar, and/or kalamansi (a minature kind of lemon).

Leave a Comment

Theme: Seafood
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Directions: About 6 km on the West Coast Highway out of town.

Restaurant Name: Hay Sun Restaurant

Here you select the living fish before it is cooked. Mussels come in huge amounts. The preparations are mostly Chinese. A no-nonsense establishment with a surprising selection of French wines (apparently travelled well) as well as the usual San Miguel beer. They serve vin rouge in an ice bucket, so be sure to stipulate if you prefer it otherwise!

Also a surprisingly good meguro sashimi: expertly cut, extremely fresh and accompanied by an acceptable wasabi.

Lots of local families here.

Favorite Dish: A favorite from Hay Sun is a salad from seaweed called latu'. Latu' features little balls at the end of its stems. When you bite them they release a very tasty liquid that cleanses the palate. Don't worry, it's clean.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: On Ledesma Street (aka San Jose Street)
Directions: Just ask.

Restaurant Name: Greenfield's

The food is served family style on woven bamboo trays covered with banana leaf. People usually eat with their hands (known as kamayan or mano) although a tablespoon and fork are supplied for the less adventuresome. There is an outdoor sink to wash your hands. Filipino and regional dishes are served, such as different kinds of fish, kare-kare (see favorite, below), lechon (roasted pork). Many dishes are fried, so look for a balance with soups, such as sinigang, or vegetable dishes such as pinakbet or kangkong. The best beverage is ice cold San Miguel beer. The service is extremely fast. There are lots of families who eat here. The restaurant is like a veranda, covered roof but open air. There is no air-conditioning, which is a welcome change from hotel restaurants.

Favorite Dish: The kare-kare is beef stew cooked with spices and peanuts and thickened with rice flour. It is very tasty and not chili hot. A very salty fish condiment called bagoong, accompanies it. Although the smell may make you pause, bagoong is quite good taken in small quantities. Like all main dishes, kare-kare is to be eaten with rice.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter