Hai San Seafood Market and Restaurant of Zamboanga: Fingerlicking Great Spicy Fried Tiger Prawns

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Situated along the expanse of San Jose lies another famous restaurant in Zamboanga that goes by the name of Hai San Seafood Market and Restaurant where, as its name implies, you can buy your favorite seafood and ingredients and have them cooked any way you want them. My favorite, obviously as seen from above, was the large prawns cooked in spicy chili, butter and garlic. Well, I don't really know the exact ingredients they used but rest assured that it was the best dish among the other delectable dishes served to us.

This is one of the famous restaurants where the residents and local government officials take their VIPs visitors and special guests for meals that won't disappoint and will make a good image of Zamboanga. You can't go wrong choosing this place for meetings, gatherings and special occasions when you want to impress whoever it is you're dining with.

The prices are quite reasonable considering the large servings and the superb taste of every meal. I would love to do more of lunch meetings at this place because I may be wanting to eat more than the usual.  Seafood has always been a priority dish for me if given the opportunity to dine generously, but I do have to watch out for my health as this is a real threat to my waistline and blood pressure. Lol!

Santa Cruz Island of Zamboanga: Pink Sand Beaches of the South

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's now undoubtedly summer time in the Philippines even though it somewhat rained a few days ago. You can feel the extreme heat everywhere you go. The air-conditioning in public buses cannot cope with how hot it is right now that you'll sweat it out profusely if you commute in the middle of the day.

I would often bring a spare shirt everytime, and would take a bath before and after the daily trips. If only I could shower while commuting, I would do it just to get rid of this sticky sweaty feeling. I would do everything in exchange for the opportunity to dip in a pool, or better yet, I would trade my soul for a swim in the southern seas - specifically the pink sand coralline beaches of the Great Santa Cruz Island of Zamboanga.

The color of the sand comes from the pulverized red organ pipe coral from eons of surf erosion mixed with the white sand. There is a smaller island nearby called Little Santa Cruz Island but it's a guarded military installation.  Illegal coral reef mining has wiped out most of the Great Santa Cruz Island's vast and beautiful coral reef population but the coral reef at the Little Santa Cruz Island is still healthy, and could become a possible source for restoration of the big island.

Satti de Zamboanga at Andy's Special Satti: Halal-Certified Sweet and Spicy Breakfast

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I've done a lot of readings online several days before going to Zamboanga to check out what to expect and look for to satisfy my cravings for native delicacies of the city. It isn't everyday that you get the opportunity to visit the place so it's best to make the most of it rather than contend myself with what the hotel has to serve.

One that caught my attention was the Satti - an exotic Hala-certified local culinaria signifying the unique ties between Christians and Muslims in Zamboanga City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is a mix of cubed rice and grilled beef or chicken (meat or liver) barbecue poured with a generous amount of sweet and spicy thick sauce. The meat were like literally swimming because the sauce were so plenty.

The dish is a hit among tourists because the taste of this piquant soup is something to perk up one's day especially when eaten early in the morning.

Best for breakfast, the Satti is a regional delicacy popular in Zamboanga but may not translate well for the people from Manila. We are used to sweet and salty in the mornings along with our favorite 3-in-1 instant or brewed coffee, but at Andy's Satti, they recommend sodas or softrinks as a thirst quencher, and spice reliever just in case you are not used to the spiciness.