Crab a bite
MANILA, Philippines - How do Pinoys love seafood? Let restaurateur Raymund Magdaluyo count the ways.“Well, they love seafood so much that we had to change Red Crab’s name and its menu to satisfy even the most discriminate palate,” explains owner Raymund Magdaluyo, the passionate foodie who has 19 restaurants under his belt.
Now called Red Crab Alimango House, the resto builds on what Red Crab has established over the past 11 years: providing the freshest and tastiest crab and seafood dishes to its loyal diners.
Just to prove how serious they are with their seafood, a special section on the menu was devoted entirely to the sea’s bounty. There are five categories to choose from: Sinugba (grilled), Pinausukan (steamed), Sinabawan (soup), Pinirito (fried) and Seafood in Curries and Chilies.
Those who like it grilled can feast on Sinugba World’s King Seafood Platter (P995) or the Queen Seafood Platter (P895). Good for two to three persons, each plate consists of grilled pla-pla, hito (catfish), shrimp and squid, among others. It comes with four dipping sauces for one’s ultimate seafood indulgence.
For the Pinirito Subito category, diners won’t have taste fatigue once they feasted on these varied fried delights: bacon-wrapped camaron rebusado (P485), fried fish relleno meatloaf (P335), rellenong alimango with smoked fish (P325), Goin’ Gaga Over Garlic-Crusted Hito (P299), golden fried catfish with sunshine curry (P299), garlic smothered Jum-bangus (P385), Jum-bangus à la bistek (P365), and deep-fried tilapia with Singaporean pepper sauce (P365).
Health buffs will surely fall for Red Crab Alimango House’s Pinausukan Republic selection. Savor freshness with every order of the three-layered fish (P325), steamed pla-pla in market soy sauce (P295), steamed salmon-Kimchi rice Hawaiian binalot style (P385), and the dancing suhi (live shrimps cooked in citrus then boiled right on your table, P385).
“Each dish has been meticulously prepared to preserve and enhance the natural freshness of seafood. At Red Crab Alimango House, no seafood dishes are alike,” enthuses celebrity chef Peter Ayson, the man responsible for the resto’s tempting offerings.
Don’t leave the resto without trying Bouillabaisse Royale, Red Crab Alimango House’s traditional seafood puchero served French style.
Unlike the typical puchero, chef Ayson’s version separates the soup (Fisherman’s soup cooked puchero style) from the main ingredients. An assortment of seafood (dory, catfish, dalagang bukid, tilapia, mussels, clams and squid) is neatly arranged on a huge bowl side by side with the Spanish chorizo and farm fresh vegetables (Chinese pechay, fried saba, and fried garbanzos). Aioli and Rouille sauces are served with bread to enhance the flavor of the seafood feast.
What’s in a name?
Magdaluyo and his team decided to add Alimango House to Red Crab’s name because they wanted to come up with a totally Filipino version of Western casual seafood restaurant such as Joe’s Crab Shack in San Francisco, and Red Lobster, among others.
“Since we already have a homegrown American-inspired seafood resto in ClawDaddy, we decided to ‘position’ Red Crab as distinctly Filipino with a minor infusion, of course, from other neighboring countries,” explains Magdaluyo.
Alimango House is likely to be the start of an upgraded, modern, casual and family-oriented crab and seafood-dining concept, like Red Crab, but distinctly Filipino.
Magdaluyo likewise hired the services of architect Cathy Saldana to give the resto a new look and to complement its new name and food offerings.
The lady architect wanted to have a Filipino version of a “shack” so she went for the upgraded sari-sari store look.
“If you noticed, most American seafood houses have seaside shacks as typical design pegs. We wanted that pop culture touch as well so we could play around with stuff that would make Red Crab seafood dining more in touch with our culture,” notes Magdaluyo.
A huge mural, inspired by the folk song Tong Tong Pakitong Kitong, greets diners the moment they step in the resto. Even their bibs have the song in three versions: Filipino, English and Visayan.
The flying pig has landed
Situated right beside Red Crab Alimango House is The Flying Pig, the latest addition to Raymund Magdaluyo’s long list of successful concept restaurants. Each resto has its own menu but shares the same kitchen managed by chef Peter Ayson.
“We first introduced the combo-bistro concept when we opened BluFish and The Flying Pig at the new Eastwood Mall in Libis, Quezon City. It became an instant hit. Diners love the idea of doing crossover orders,” the amiable chef says with a grin.
The Flying Pig is basically a French-American bistro and barbecue house. As the name implies, it features delectable pork dishes, and is definitely the go-to place to pig out on baby back ribs, jumbo belly, belly chops, callos, stuffed pork knuckles, flying meat loaf and Kurobota pig cheek.
The frying cuchi frito is definitely a must-try. The roasted suckling pig is fried to perfection and served with bacon rice pilaf and balsamic liver sauce. Diners can enjoy the colorful paintings of flying oinkers while waiting for their orders.
Those with a king’s appetite can opt for the King Sampler which consists of a full-slab baby back ribs, half-smoked barbecue chicken and four pieces sausages with two side dishes of your choice: BBQ sides spinach whipped potatoes, penne ratatouille, bacon basmati rice, homemade pork and beans, and baked French fries.
With colorful paintings of flying oinkers bedecking the walls of this resto and its extraordinary menu, The Flying Pig is sure to pique one’s interest and taste buds.
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The Red Crab Alimango House and The Flying Pig are at 104 JSB Bldg., cor. Sct. Delgado, Tomas Morato, Quezon City. For reservations, call 374-8406 (The Flying Pig) and 412-4323 (The Red Crab Alimango House).
