Zamboanga City: Eats!

Aside from the ever-so present Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts etc...the 2 restaurants that make it to the top Zamboanga google list are Alavar's and Hai San.

Based on my experience, Hai San wins hands down...if there's a contest.  We had the most horrible experience with Alavar's bad service.  The restaurant was obviously undermanned and the staff get easily confused in taking orders...and the follow up for such orders.  We were optimistic despite the bad service because the food could save the day...but no.  The food was just so-so, even the much-talked about Crabs in Alavar Sauce.  Maybe we expected too much but then... To make it even worse than it already was, our order came in one at a time in 5-minute intervals.  You should not do that to a starving bunch.   Anyways, I didn't bother to look for the Alavar sauce to take back home to Manila because I've had better crabs in other sauces.  Now, that made me crave for home-cooked adobong alimango with lots of aligue. 

Hai San is like Dampa where you pick seafood and meat and then have it cooked the way you like it.  The staff were attentive.  Our orders were done after 20 minutes as they promised...and all the orders were served at the same time.  We enjoyed our lunch and didn't pay as much as we did in Alavar's.

ALAVAR'S

Blah...err...clam soup

Baked imbao, I loved this, finished 2 orders

So-so calamares

So-so buttered prawns

This is chopsuey, I don't know why.

Grilled fish...they all taste the same anyway

Crabs in Alavar sauce...i've had better.

HAI SAN

Fish?

Crabs...shells?

Squid...prawns?

Fried tofu

Clam (bamboo shell) soup, yummy!

Adobong pusit, yummy!

Garlic pepper bamboo shells, yummy!

Ginger crabs, yummy!

Garlic butter prawns, yummy!

Sizzling tanigue

Steamed lapu-lapu, yummy!