Eats Yummy: Delicious finds you have to try in Baler

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Food trip has never been so cheap!

It’s true, everybody needs to eat. And food in Baler is to die for! With wide choices from seafood buffets to grilled meats and farm fresh fruits and vegetables, they have it! And you would be surprised because they offer it at an affordable price. Eats Yummy!

When we were in Baler, I observed that there are numerous restaurants to choose from – be it a grill restaurant, buffet, or simply an al fresco one fronting the beach. A week’s stay would definitely be not enough as their food range is varied (and I really want to try them all!) Grubs in Aurora are mainly seafood, as it is obvious that they are located on the Eastern seaboard of Luzon.

What I was able to find, along with my friends, are some of the recommended and sought after restaurants in Baler, where they have different gimmicks of serving their food. Here’s a rundown of what and where you should eat when in Baler. Bon appétit!

Kusina Luntian

If you want to go old school, try Kusina Luntian’s grilled meals while eating with bare hands! With banana leaves as your plate, you’ve got to savor every piece of that meat with no utensils – Pinoy style! It is one of Baler’s best-kept secrets as it maintains its simple and rural look. They also have a policy to “Clean as You Go,” where you get to wrap the banana leaves and throw it in their designated bins after eating. When you go inside the main hut of the restaurant, you would see their traditional way of cooking their food – from clay pots to grills, all things comes Pinoy to me.

At their extended dining area, too, you would be required to take your shoes off as the hut is made from bamboo and nipa, which are very difficult to clean when dirty.

We tried their “Wapang Wapang na Liempo” and “Daing na Bangus-Da.” Each dish is placed generously on banana leaves. You would also have to serve yourself on their condiments at the condiments bar to be put on a coconut shell (together with their service water station.) Here, you’ve got to experience how rural locals live.

TuristaBoy Tip:

When traveling, try experiencing the lifestyle of the locals of your destination. You’d understand more of their way of living when you get to practice what they actually do! It’s more fun!

 

Their unique and signature menu-on-a-surfboard makes the restaurant everyone’s recommendation. You can also write or post anything on their walls as a sign that you were there! Vandalize all you want! You can also ask for chalks from the receptionist-on-duty so that you could write anything that you want on the restaurant’s interiors.

It’s like a restaurant-slash-art space for me because people have the choice on what they want to do in the restaurant. They have that “freedom of expression” feel, excluding being rowdy, of course.

Other Information:

Price range:	PhP 45 – 95 (main food items)
Address:	Dela Torre Street, Barangay Sabang, Baler, Aurora (near Ritz Hotel and Doungan Bridge)
Contact person:	Kuya Biboy (+63 905 722 5633)
Social Media Account:	Facebook Profile: @kusina.luntian
Business days:	Friday – Sunday
Business hours:	1000 – 2200 H

Verdict: 10/10

It is because they have a laid-back setup in the restaurant – a simple nipa hut with simple interiors but is disadvantageous when raining. The servers, too, were accommodating. They also have Filipino dishes that are literally mouth-watering, especially their “pakô” leaves that are topped on every dish. This restaurant is pretty much more of a traditional one because their menu choices and type of service are very rural and unique.

Baler Surfer Grill

One of the popular restaurants in Sabang Beach is the Baler Surfer Grill. Not only famous for their al fresco dining experience, they are also known for their main attraction – a Volkswagen-turned-grilling station! In fact, the car still works! This restaurant is very eye-catching because it is just located in Sabang Beach’s Baywalk, alongside other restaurants and inns. Some people actually just take a picture with the car-turned-grilling station and not eat in the restaurant. (Hahaha! That’s how famous it is!) Its al fresco setup makes you enjoy eating while overlooking the Pacific.

What’s in it?

What we tried on their menu are Pro Chicken Barbeque and the Beginner Liempo Barbeque. Well, all of their dishes are grilled and barbecued, and you only have to choose its serving size – either ‘beginner’ or ‘pro.’ All food items are the same, it will only vary on its size. The ‘beginner’ serving is the smaller serving where you only have the dish generously put in a large bowl. The ‘pro’ serving is the bigger one, where the dish is put on a thick wooden chopping board-turned-plate, together with its complementary side dish.

The prices of their food are just right because their servings are generous. Even the ‘beginner’ serving will make your tummy bloat after eating (that’s how plenty they serve.) They also have several drink choices that are available at the counter.

Other Information:

Price range:	PhP 89 (beginner meals) to PhP 200 (pro meals)
Address:	Buton Street, The Baywalk, Sabang Beach, Baler, Aurora
Contact number:	+63 920 973 4408
Social Media Account:	Facebook Page: @BalerSurferGrill
Website:	http://www.discoverbaler.com/

Verdict: 9/10

Almost all of Baler’s restaurants have their own gimmicks to attract customers to their nook. What caught my attention in this restaurant is really their Volkswagen grilling station – all food items are freshly grilled there before being served. I think that’s their way of showing the cleanliness and promptness of their service to their customers. The setup is also simple and nice, although space is limited; they see to it that every customer’s needs are taken with utmost attention. They also have sound trips, adding entertainment in the area.

Surf and Chill Fresh Juice Bar

After a heavy meal at Baler Surfer Grill, have a fresh fruit shake or fruit juice at Surf and Chill Fresh Juice Bar. They have different fruit shakes and fruit juices every season! They are just located beside Baler Surfer Grill.

We tried the choco-banana-peanut butter shake and aqua freshca fresh fruit juice. Its taste is unique as all flavors just perfectly blend it. You also have the option of adding sugar to your drink. Their stall is relatively small, too, and is really designed for take-out orders. You can also drink your shakes at the Baler Surfer Grill.

Other Information:

Price range:	PhP 40 (fresh fruit juice) to PhP 80 (fruit shakes)
Address:	Beside Baler Surfer Grill

Verdict: 8/10

Although their drinks are really tasty, and natural at that, their stall is really small and needs more space. Especially when there’s an influx of people ordering, space really cannot hold a large number of people. There are also only two people in the stall, making the waiting time longer as they multitask almost every order. The good thing, though, is that it is just located in Sabang Beach’s Baywalk and can be easily seen.

Rolling Store

On the run? Try rushing to Baler’s Rolling Store! This is the locals’ term in this chain of karinderyas (eateries) at the town center (and is the cheapest we’ve found!) You can choose in their wide array of local viands and starters. There are more or less 10-15 food stalls in the area and you will never run out of choices. Be it from typical Filipino comfort food to exotic dishes – you name it, they probably have it. We just ate adobo for lunch. This is the place for budget travelers who want to experience all-Filipino food at a very low price!

Other Information:

Price range:	PhP 25 – PhP 70
Address:	San Luis Street cor. P. Lopez Street, Poblacion, Baler, Aurora
Business days and hours:	Depends on the owners of the eateries

Verdict: 8/10

The idea of having a karinderya chain is really cool for me but their location is quite misplaced. The stalls and their dining tables are located roadside, and vehicles find a hard time passing through the road as some dining tables may be hit, not to mention, the pollution. The food is good and very Filipino, and incredibly cheap, too!

Hungry Surfer Restaurant

Greeting the Pacific sunrise on a rustic setup? Hungry Surfer Restaurant at Bay’s Inn will give you that perfect view (and that perfect meal!) You can enjoy their buffet meals, featuring local produce – from various seafood, vegetables, and grilled meals while overlooking the Pacific! They also have set menu meals that you can choose from. The restaurant specializes mostly in continental and Asian fusion cuisine. They are also located in Sabang Beach’s Baywalk and are near Costa Pacifica Hotel.

Other Information:

Price range:	PhP 100 – PhP 500 (set meals to group meals)
Address:	#80 Sitio Labasin, The Baywalk, Sabang Beach, Baler, Aurora
Contact numbers:	+63 999 992 6341, +63 908 982 3509
E-mail:	baysinnbaler@gmail.com
Social Media Account:	Facebook: @Bays-Inn
Business days:	Monday – Sunday
Business hours:	24 Hours

Verdict: 7/10

Hungry Surfer Restaurant serves delectable dishes and cuisines but what I have observed is that their service is very, very slow. In our experience, we just ordered 3 simple “-silog” breakfast meals and it took them around 45 minutes preparing our food. The restaurant’s name really gave justice to it as they make their customers ‘hungry.’ Some of the staffs, too, are arrogant in taking orders. It’s like they just get the orders for the sake of getting orders from customers. But the food is delicious.

Chef Gerry’s Picnic Bay

If you are really hungry and exhausted in all of your day’s touring around Aurora, why not go on a buffet? Chef Gerry’s Picnic Bay in Sabang Beach is one of the cheapest buffet restaurants I have seen in my life. They only offer PhP 200 for every person wanting a variety of meals, around 10-15 viands, plus desserts, side dishes, and condiments. They also serve juice towers for a group of three or more. It is simply a drink-and-eat all-you-can restaurant that you would surely recommend to others who have a plan of going to Aurora.

I haven’t been in a buffet before where you have to choose from 15+ different food choices in one table alone! You can choose from different kinds of seafood, meat, fruits, and vegetables of different viands. Buffets in the metro can reach as high as PhP 1,000, but you can enjoy eating and drinking unlimitedly at Chef Gerry’s Picnic Bay at an affordable price.

And of course, it’s every buffet’s rule: No leftovers!

Other Information:

Fixed Price:	PhP 200 (per person), +PhP 200 (for leftovers)
Address:	Purok 4, Barangay Sabang, Baler, Aurora
Contact numbers:	+63 908 862 2944, +63 908 896 4286
Business hours:	1000 – 2000 H
Business days:	Monday – Sunday
Social Media Account:	Facebook: @www.ChefGerrysPicnicBay.com.ph
Website:	http://chefgerryspicnicbay.weebly.com/

Verdict: 10/10

It is a popular restaurant in Baler’s Sabang Beach. Its main branch is located in Baler’s town center. The restaurant and its parking slot are spacious and have a lot of tables and chairs really suitable for big and small groups. It just gets crowded, especially during lunch time, where all people flock at the buffet table, wanting every viand they see. They also strictly implement the “no leftover” rule where they really inspect your plates before leaving (but some employees forget to do it).

They also have an announcer using a microphone, reminding everyone about the mechanics of the buffet every after 30 minutes, especially for those customers who just arrived at the restaurant. The restaurant is also overlooking Sabang Beach and customers have the option of dining on their porch or inside. The restaurant is open air and only uses their fans at night. The place is also very clean and is tidied up immediately if some people are finished eating.

Cauti Bar and Grill

Nightlife in Baler is cooler than what you’re expecting. There are strips of bars lying near the beach and we tried chilling out in Cauti Bar and Grill. This house-turned-bar is one of the most popular nightlife spots in town. Their catch is to change their live entertainment every hour giving you most out of that beach party (with different kinds of bands and genres!) How cool is that!

The bar also has different spots where you can choose from to suit your mood. They have the garden, the front porch, the balcony, and the main bar. The place is just more than being fun-filled; all of their employees are very friendly and would really attend to your requests promptly. Peak hours are from 9 p.m. – 11 p.m. and their business hours are from 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. (of the next day.)

Other Information:

Price range:	Php 65 – PhP 200 (for food items), and PhP 55 – PhP 325 (for drinks)
Address:	Buton Street, Barangay Sabang, Baler, Aurora
Social Media Account:	Facebook: @Cautibar-Grill
Business days:	Monday – Sunday
Business hours:	0800 – 0100 H (the next day)

Verdict: 9/10

The Bar is very near Sabang Beach and is adjacent to several bars, too, whenever the bar is really full. The good concept of converting a house into a bar makes it one-of-a-kind in Baler. You have a lot of areas to choose from, but it would really get crowded especially during their “happy hour.” The only thing I have observed is that it is also near residential houses – which they might disturb in late night or early in the morning. Some of their food is also delicious; some are also over-topped with cabbage strips.

But overall, the bar is really cool and is THE place to hang out in Baler. The idea of changing bands or gigs every hour (with, I think, a limited number of songs) is the best!

Wondering how you can get to Baler? Check out my Travel Guide here!

Didn’t see what you’re looking for? Want me to try other delicious stops on my return trip? Drop a comment below!

Aurora, Baler, Baler Surfer Grill, Bay's Inn, Cauti Bar and Grill, Chef Gerry's Picnic Bay, Daing na Bangus-Da, East Yummy, Food, Hungry Surfer Restaurant, Kusina Luntian, Rolling Store, Surf and Chill, Wapang Wapang na Liempo