A table for three at Breakthrough

It's always a feast whenever at Breakthrough Restaurant especially along the breezy Villa beach. It may have some mendicants and insects brought about by the al fresco ambiance but the scenery and the beauty of enjoying a glorious meal by the beach overcome these nuisances. At times, the beach adds beauty or gore depending on how clean the surroundings but most of the it's the former.

To start with we had the juiciest piece of grilled managat - the best one I had ever since. Fleshy and oozing with flavours in every bite, even without the dip it was one great eat.

Next came one of my favorites, kinilaw nga pasayan. The first time I had them it was love at first taste and now it has become my one true love. If ever I can I always order a plate on in order to please my palate and share this to others who instantly fall in love too - hmpf! karibals (competitors)!

What a discovery I exclaimed when I tasted grilled imbao. A shellfish that is both fleshy and plump; grilling and adding some spices did wonders to the meat and the sabaw which I finished with a loud slurp! Yes, I like it better than oysters!

The head portion of the managat was made sinabawan, just a simple way of stewing the fish head adding some seasoning and greens. Simple but delicious I always say.

The native litsong manok was also good but pales in comparison with nearby Tatoy's. But on it's and without thinking the one, it's a good eat. The "nativity" of the chicken can be savoured in every bite.

But my greatest discovery that night was their pork sisig. Actually it's the first time ever a pork sisig was right in front of me. I never usually order sisig from Breakthrough since I find many other items more interesting and much "touristy" (when I have visitors). But now things gonna change...

The "ultimate" indulgence was this plate of aligue rice, fried rice mixed with the crab fats. Very cholesterollific indeed!

And as predicted the dinner ended as if the we havent eaten for days and there only three of us that time. But it's all worth it - the food, the ambiance and the company!Read related posts here and here.

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Takway

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing . It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk. Then there is takway . The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways . Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and the gabi tuber with coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon . It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos , the local bago-ong . It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare. ...

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