Continuation: Our Batanes Adventure - The Food

Continued...

So let's talk about where and what to eat first =)
Sorry my thoughts seem quite scattered. Guess, you'll just have to get used to it.

The Food
I'd go back to Batanes just for the food. To be honest, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I mean, just look at this platter of food that they served us at Pension Ivatan!

Even the sweet potatoes seem more delicious here -- sweeter and creamier somehow! Now, if you ask people what food you should try when in Batanes, most common must-try will be this alien-like (stargate maybe?) creature:

It's the cocunut crab (also called robber crab). It sorta looks like a giant hermit crab, no? I would've love to watch it open a coconut but they say it will take quite some time (like almost a whole day!?).

Tada, steamed and ready to eat! He was delicious but I would rather not meet my meals before eating them though...

If you're not a fan of seafood, not very adventurous 'food-wise or allergic, you can look for Casa Napoli. They serve really good pizza and pasta dishes. Well, it's the only pizza place in Batanes that I know of. We were lucky coz we actually knew the couple who owns it so we got some special treatment (wink). We loved it so much we came back early the next day to have pizza for breakfast.

During our island tour to Sabtang Island, we were served this bounty for lunch:

Grilled fish, Pork adobo with pineapples, sauteed veggies and the star of the table, bocayo for dessert. How can something made from coconut and brown sugar be so good? I've tasted quite a few bocayo but this one is the best so far. I swear I'm willing to fight to the teeth for a crumb of this (I could be exaggerating a wee bit).

We were also lucky to have visited Batanes at the same time that famous food and travel blogger Anton Diaz is hosting a tour there so we were actually able to join and enjoy the private al fresco dinner he arranged at Fundacion Pacita which came with a cultural show. The show was good but the chicken was a bit on the dry side.

As well as a barbecue dinner at the Basco lighthouse.

As I was staring into the night sky, I  couldn't help but feel really, really lucky to be there at that moment and so thankful for the great weather, company and happy in this trip. Definitely, the trip was one for the books =)

These blogs actually have a more complete list of places to eat in Batanes:
http://roamingmum.com/2011/04/batanes-food-trip/
http://philippinedining.blogspot.com/2010/12/where-to-eat-in-batanes.html

Guess I need another post for the other Batanes info/story I want to share...

To be continued!