Las Cocinas Obscura

A nice thing about my nomadic life is having been able to sample many local cuisines all over the country. However, although I miss the homely KBL (kadyos, baboy, lanka) of Antique, the batchoy of Iloilo, the piaya and chicken inasal of Bacolod, and the sheer variety of Manila, I have to say, Cebu is an ideal place to be when food is concerned. The adventure goes beyond the variety of local chains, expat-turned-restaurateur places and fusion restaurants (of which there are plenty) or the famous Cebu lechon (which really is the best there is); no, there is so much to be said of the quaint little places, some no more than literal holes in the wall, that are characteristic of Cebu's epicurean scene, and it is of these that I write.

I find more and more of these places every day. Some I discover during my frequent bike rides out in the country, some during my random walks around the city, some are the places you stumble into with friends after a late night out. Aside from the fact that these places usually offer great value for money, there is something special about them. See, the usual restaurants put effort into the business. They advertise, they have good service, they take care to make the ambiance perfect for the dining experience. Although some can be expensive, you go expecting to get your money's worth. You expect the food to be good; things can therefore go bad if your expectations are not met.

What these special places have in common is that they have a surprise in store for the unassuming diner. You come with no expectations at all. At first glance they may not look like much -- obscure, almost hidden, open air, monoblock seats, some awful karaoke wailing in the neighborhood maybe -- but when the waiter brings out that aromatic biryani, that steaming paella, and you dig in, something just clicks. Gone are your hesitations about the seedy place, the heat, the feel of the cheap plastic table, the barking of the dog by your table; all that matters is that piece of heaven in your mouth. And then you tell one friend, and then another, about that dinky little place, and soon it becomes the frequented joint.

It is a lovely experience, discovering these places, and sharing this experience seems to be the natural thing to do. Although part of their charm is their obscurity, I am prepared to part with that for the greater good of the lovers of food. :) In doing so, maybe we can get these guys a bit of boost in business as well. Word of mouth is a fantastic medium of promotion, and the results are delicious. Here therefore is a tribute to the sidewalk cafe, the people's diner, that dinky out-of-the-way restaurant, the cocina obscura. Enjoy!