Surprisingly good food at Fiesta Island Seafood Hub (F.I.S.H.)

Wow, this restaurant is indeed a revelation! It was a Friday evening and close to midnight when we got here.

It was not really our first choice but the rest of the restaurants at SM North were all full at that time, and we were all famished and tired. The space is a little small but it was comfortable because there were just a few people inside. On first impression, you would think that it was similar to the likes of Gerry's Grill, Gilligan's, and all of those similar restaurants. We were definitely wrong.

We ordered Bagnet Salad, Kare-kare, and Pinaputok na Tilapia, without really expecting much. But when the food started to arrive, we were immediately blown away by the presentation.

First was the Bagnet Salad. Huge chunks of crunchy bagnet, tomatoes, and salted eggs were placed over crisp salad greens. The bagnet was as perfect as it can get -- crunchy and tasty skin and meat with a little layer of fat. The greens consisted of fresh lettuce and nutty mustard leaves. The dressing was light, tangy, and refreshing; it complemented the richness of the meat and eggs. We were trying to figure out what this dressing was made out of. Our guess was vinaigrette with fresh fish bagoong, sugar, and ginger.

The Kare-Kare was served the way they do it in fancy restaurants -- deconstructed. Steamed string beans, banana blossom chunks, and eggplant slices were served separately from the rich peanut sauce. Pieces of ox tail and tripe were simmered in the sauce, rendering a rich beefy taste. The bagoong alamang (shrimp paste) was served over a piece of grilled eggplant. This is also a winner and a must-try.

The pinaputok na tilapia was cooked inside a banana leaf together with minced tomatoes, white onions, and ginger, infusing the fish with much flavor and fragrance. This is also another good dish and provided our taste buds a break from the rich and savory dishes.

When our bill came, we were again surprised because, for a group of six hungry adults, we paid only around P1,100. Great food, indeed, with great value for money. This is definitely one restaurant worth visiting often.

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