"Paluto" at "Dampa"

"Dampa" is a popular eating place in Metro Manila. There are dampa places near D. Macapagal Ave., C5-Libis, Ortigas Area and Pasay City near the NAIA I. A "Dampa" is both a market and eatery. You first buy the fresh seafoods - Lapu-Lapu, Tilapia, Crabs, Scallops, Shrimps, Squid, Tahong or mussel, etc - at the wet market. Price of the fresh goodies is on a per kilo basis. After purchasing your fresh seafood, choose a "Paluto" restaurant. "Paluto" means to cook. The restaurant will cook the fresh food based on your choice of cooking. For example: Mussels can be cooked as a soup or baked, fish can be fried, steamed or grilled, squid can be fried or grilled, etc. The cooking fee is also on per kilo basis. Price of cooking ranges from P75.00 to P200.00 

Fresh Sea Mussels

Last Holy Week, in observance of abstinence from pork and meat, we visited the Dampa at D. Macapagal Ave. We bought tahong (1/2 kilo), scallops (12 pieces), squid (1/2 kilo) and one Lapu-Lapu. Total cost is  P500.00 +. Then we asked Josefina's to cook our food. Four of us enjoyed the meal with still left-over for take-out. Cooking cost is about P500.00. By the way, at Josefina's, we love their appetizer, peanuts.

Fresh scallops

Baked scallops in cheese and garlic

 

Calamares

Steamed Lapu-Lapu - where's the fish? Ubos na?

Tahong  Soup in onion leeks and ginger