Fish & Co: Something to look forward to

Water, water everywhere, yet not a drop to drink. It may be the end of the road for the runner who runs out of track, over the hill for the climber who has climbed the highest peak, and the end of an adventure for the explorer who runs into an unexpected crowd of Lonely Planet-toting tourists right smack in the middle of the Poles’ye marshes of southern Belarus. On the other hand, the epicure knows that he has hit the doldrums when he is able to pinpoint exactly what flavors to expect in certain restaurants. He knows he is in serious trouble when, surrounded by so many food choices, he declares, "There’s nothing to eat!"

I know. I know. It is a terrible thing to complain about "the usual, boring food" when most people would only be too happy to stuff themselves with anything that would calm the angry grumblings of their stomachs. As a food writer, however, one is expected to write about the unusual, the extraordinary, the novel and the scrumptious. Food is the adventure, after all; and when one has been there and done that, it gets a little old. Just as the usual paths become dull when one can walk through them with eyes closed, the taste buds, too, become inured when they are subjected over and over to the same stimuli.

I knew I was dangerously close to being stuck in a gustatory rut when I found myself considering a drive to Candon, Ilocos Sur one night. My friend, the poet Frank Cimatu, had called to say, "We are having ant’s eggs... Want to try?" Fortunately, good sense prevailed. Remembering that driving at night has always been challenging since my eyes tend to dangerously focus on the headlights of oncoming vehicles (like the animal road kills plastered on asphalt), I regretfully declined.

But thank goodness for new restaurants! My somewhat jaded sense of taste has something to look forward to again. Fish & Co., the restaurant that serves delicious fish and seafood dishes, will soon open in the Philippines

The restaurant’s concept is "seafood in a pan." It is inspired by the cooking practice used by Mediterranean fishermen who pan-cook their "fresh from the sea" daily catch. Using all-natural ingredients, such as olive oil, herbs and spices, food is prepared in a simple manner so that the distinct flavors of the fish and other seafood can be savored. Definitely, this straightforward method of cooking is very welcome. It is a fact that drowning fish in oil or masking individual flavors by adding miscellaneous condiments is a waste of good seafood.

The first Fish & Co. restaurant opened in Singapore in 1999 during the peak of the Asian regional economic crisis. A mid-level casual dining restaurant specializing in fish and seafood, it has shown an aggressive and impressive growth and development trend. Within five years of operation, Fish & Co. has expanded to include stores in Malaysia, the Middle East, Australia, China and Indonesia. To date, there are 33 restaurants worldwide.

Why bring Fish & Co. to the Philippines? William Stelton, president of the Bistro Group of Restaurants feels that it will complement the other restaurants of the company. The Bistro family includes Outback, which offers hearty and juicy beef dishes, TGI Fridays with its American-style food in hefty servings, and Italianni’s, which is known for its excellent Italian-American menu.

The best part about Fish & Co., however, is its policy to use local talent with six (and eventually 12) chefs, along with a restaurant support staff. In addition, 35 to 40 percent of fish and seafood served in the restaurant will be sourced from the Philippines. This information should serve to whet up the nationalistic Filipino’s appetite. After all, any increase in local seafood consumption will also encourage production. Consequently, this translates to the growth of employment in the countryside as well. Indeed, this is good news.

Fish & Co. is scheduled to open in August this year and the company brochure claims "One bite ’n you’re hooked!" Well, I’m already hooked and the restaurant isn’t open yet. The best part about being a food writer is that sometimes, you get to announce the palatable news.