Igmaan, A Relationship With Food and Restaurant

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If you ask my family of their favorite restaurant, it would have to be Igmaan Seafood Restaurant at the Seaside Complex along Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City.

It was actually my elder sister who introduced us to the place.  From her stories, this is where she hangs out with her mountaineering friends.

It was a love affair from the beginning.  We fell in love with the relax ambience and the unpretentious atmosphere.  Here, you can eat as much as you can using your hands. 

Kinilaw na Tanigue

For my father, this is the place where he can sample favorites from his hometown in Leyte.  His favorite would be their Kinilaw accompanied with a bottle of ice cold SMB Pale Pilsen.  To my mom, this is where she would compare her cooking and would actually try to prepare the same dishes at home.  Her attempt on mimicking their dish kept us coming back.  What makes it special for them is that here; they can just be themselves without being judged.  They don’t have to dress up or eat and talk in a certain way, which is hard coming from a very humble beginning.

Since that first visit, it has been a part of all our family celebrations.  Every time my parents visit us here in Manila, we would always have a meal there.  I cannot count the numbers of birthdays, including mine that was celebrated there.  Now that my sisters migrated to Canada, their homecoming would not be complete without a visit to Igmaan.

They would always go back for the Halaan Ginger Soup, Chili Garlic Shrimps, Tuna Belly, Tempura and Salt and Pepper Squid.  They have the best-baked clams, mussels and scallops.  We have tried other restaurants in the area, and seafood restaurants on other part of the city, but nothing comes close to the taste we would always go back to.

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Baked Scallops

Prawn Tempura

Sizzling Tuna Belly

Salt and Pepper Squid

Shrimp in Tausi Sauce

We've been coming here so often that I actually overcome my allergy on shrimps.  Now we are experimenting on trying the other preparations, we tried the sweet and sour and just recently, shrimps in curry.

2 years ago, my father passed away, my sisters and mother moved to Canada leaving me here in Manila. Igmaan still continues to witness the many celebrations in my life.  Now, even our weekend day off from work is reason enough to visit the place.  We even introduced friends who became family to this second home. 

Every visit always lifts my spirit because I associate the place to happy moments in my life.  Getting full is a bonus!