A Cebuana globe trotter , gourmand and chef following her…
Sustainable Dining is a topic for discussion nowadays. People are being conscious on what they consume and where these foods are sourced. For most people, being able to know how the food is being sourced adds a feeling of familiarity and grounding. It adds a feeling that they are able to connect to nature and able to be responsible in their choices.
As I joined the Cebu Food Crawl 2018 that focused on Sustainable Dining, one of the interesting stops we had was in The Cove Live Seafood Restaurant at Bluewater Maribago. The restaurant has been in existence for about 20 years already, and had served fresh, live seafood ever since. The restaurant also has an iconic shell chandelier that is made up of more than 10,000 shells carefully designed in a way that it attracts everyone not only the kids. IT also adds up to that unique ambiance of cool sea breeze + gentle sound of the waves.
The restaurant itself had to continually strive hard when competition and an unending battle for plastic pollution plagued our city not too long ago. It took more than a team of dedicated employees to make sure the food is from the freshest ingredients and always hot on the table. Also in the restaurant, you will find large aquariums that serve as home to lobsters, spider conch shell (locally known as Saang), Scallops, Crabs, Oysters and as well as Pugapo.
Since most of the seafood are fresh, I noticed that it was kind of sweet (except for the ceviche and the seaweed salad). Not that I am complaining though, I am just amazed how the natural flavors are sealed in and was bursting on my mouth the moment I tried it. Im not really a fan of ceviche and seaweed so I planned not to eat it but will definitely give it a try.
So let’s now start with what we have tasted during our rendezvous at The Cove.
The Menu
- Tempura Oysters With Chili Sauce
- Fresh Scallops with Salsa Fresca
- Seafood Ceviche (shrimps, mackerel, squid with ginger fish sauce and kaffir lime)
- Green Mango and Seaweed Salad
- Crab cake with Cebu Mango Coulis
- Kaffir Lime Sorbet
- Clams in Coconut and Lemongrass Broth
- Barbecue Seafood in Banana Parcel
- Lobster Tamarind
- Steamed Pugapo (Fresh Pugapo with Oriental Sauce)
- Char Grilled Managat (Magrove Jack)
- Steamed Rice
- Coconut Cream Brulee in Coconut Shell
- Tablea Homemade Ice Cream
- Assorted Truffles (Cashew, Mango, Ube)
Everyone had a blast. A healthy conversation regarding how the resort stayed sustainable over the years and how the non-Cebuanos were amazed of the lush natural environment of the resort where we visited and also, the cool, salty sea breeze definitely lifted our spirits. There was an initial drizzle but it was just something that we did not really care about since we were already dazzled by the first step of true Cebuano hospitality, the cold concoction of lemongrass juice with honey and calamansi made our day. I even got a 2nd and 3rd serving for it since IT is sooooo good. 🙂 I intend to get more but I realized it was so cold and might hurt my throat. We took a lot of photos and also, enjoyed being seated on the long table facing the sea.
I was more than satiated with the food fare we were served. My top three will be:
As for the desserts, here are my picks:
Here are our photos to show how we are so amazed and happy to be here at The Cove:
We had a lot of fun. Thank you, The Cove at Bluewater Maribago for having us. This is one of the highlights of our Cebu Food Crawl and this is just great way to spend lunch or dinner when in Cebu.
Also, after our sumptuous lunch, we were treated at the Balay Pasko where these goodies are on sale until January 05, 2018! Grab these lovely cookies and take a bite of their best seller, ChocoRon (Chicharon dipped in Chocolate).
Have you tried eating at a seafood restaurant that supports sustainable practice? Let me know and let’s chat! I would love to hear your thoughts.
Facebook: Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort
IG: @bluewater_resorts
Website: www.bluewater.com.ph
Numbers: 0998 842 4509 (Kristine) , email marcomm.maribago@bluewater.com.ph or call 032 402 4129 (Brylin) for Bliss Members.
