Puerto Princesa: Good Bites

By Lakwatsarah March 22, 2012

Since we were able to save on our airfare, we feel good adding a little more to our food budget, so yes we splurged a bit. After all, Palawan's not just about beaches, it also offers fresh seafood options in a unique dining experience.

Palawan Restaurants we tried and other food finds:

1. KaLui - Dining in Barefoot

We ordered KaLui Special of the Day Set that includes fish steak, prawns, veggies of the day, fried fish with escabeche sauce, rice and starters. We also ordered eel in coco cream for a change. It's not everyday that we get to eat eel! :) For our refreshments, we ordered classic fresh fruit shakes like buko and mango juice and the equally interesting guyabano juice. They also gave us a complimentary fruit salad in fresh coconut bowl. Sweet! More in the menu includes shrimps halabos, Palawan seafood sisig, kilawin, sashimi and more.

Address: KaLui Restaurant is located at 369 Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

( Opens Daily Save Sundays Lunch 11-2pm; Dinner 6:00-10:30pm )
Landline: (048) 433 2580
Mobile No: +63 928 753 9621

2. Balinsasayaw Chicken Grill and Restaurant - Sample the Bird's Nest Soup

One thing that's not to be missed in Palawan is to try the world's most expensive soup coming from a bird's saliva locally known as balinsasayaw. Their Birds Nest Soup is priced at Php395 and that should be good to about 4-5 people. We ordered a bowl that's good for 3, so just request the waiter for a smaller bowl if you're in smaller group. We also ordered native adobo and squid sisig. Their menu also includes variety of sinigang dishes, chicken binakol, hot chicken shrimp salad, chilli shrimps, garlic crab, seafood kare-kare and more.

Address: Balinsasayaw Grill and Restaurant is located at Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Tel. No: (048)-434-5804

3. Skylight Hotel's D'Veranda

Not our usual type of ambiance, but what we ordered were incredibly delicious -this vegetable platter for instance (I forgot to note the name of this dish) is so full of taste. We also ordered grilled chicken barbecue and seafood sisig.

Address: Skylight Hotel's D'Veranda is located at 210-A Rizal Avenue Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

4. Baker's Hill - Halo Halo

Baker's Hill is not only a place to shop for food pasalubongs like hopia, crinkles, brownies and other pastries, it's also a fun chill out spot to enjoy with family and friends. When we stopped there during the city tour, we spotted the word "halo-halo" outside this restaurant and so we entered the rustic charm of Baker's Kitchen. Our tour guide has given us roughly 30 minutes to enjoy Baker's Hill, so we just contented ourselves with their halo halo that reminds me Razon's because it's so simple yet tasty. Priced at Php60, this halo halo is surely a sweet cold treat after a long day of city tour. You may also try their freshly baked brick oven pizzas located right outside just beside the restaurant.

Address: Baker's Hill is located at Mitra road, Brgy. Sta Monica, Puerto Princesa city, Palawan

5. Badjao Seafront Restaurant - Your Seafood Restaurant by the Bay

Offers probably the nicest view among other restaurants in Palawan as it stands side by side with hundreds of mangrove trees overlooking a photographic view of the sea. A wooden bridge hanging above mangroves with colorful printed fabrics reminiscent of a vinta welcomes its hungry visitors. Word of advice - Do hire a tricycle that could wait til you're finished eating and check out their displayed photo of Prince Albert of York dining at their restaurant. Badjao Seafron Restaurant offers an array of the best of Philippine seafood dishes.

Address: Badjao Seafront Restaurant is located at Abueg Sr. Road, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

6. Danggit at Marianne Home Inn - Our home for 3 days, we enjoyed our breakfast at Marianne Home Inn's roof deck where we can see almost the 360 degree view of Puerto Princesa during sunrise especially the interesting Puerto Princesa bay and mountains top covered with fog. We love their danggit that we wanted to take home a pack but unfortunately forgot to order a day before our check-out date.

7. Tamilok - Extreme Cuisine

Palawan's most famous exotic dish would probably have to be the tamilok. Because of its suggestive worm look figure, many people stayed away and passed the opportunity to try this local delicacy. I must confess, I wasn't able to try the tamilok although we spotted a woman selling per bowl at Sabang Beach. I passed, wanting to eat that slimy thing at night time with friends and with a good drink to ease in with the digestion and not during a hot afternoon at the beach with my aunt and uncle. I promise next time!