Tacloban Restaurants: Ocho Seafood and Grill

Tutubi visited Tacloban City and parts of Leyte province three times in a span of three years and was treated by his three different hosts to this restaurant thrice making it probably the most recommended restaurant in Tacloban for visitors to the new highly-urbanized city of Eastern Visayas.

Ocho Seafood & Grill is themed like Cebu's famous sutukil though there's a "stupid" policy of prohibiting taking of pictures at the counter where seafood are to be ordered and cooked according to your preferences. Picture taking of the dining area and of course the food is however allowed.

Sample photos of the restaurant in downtown Tacloban taken by a hungry Tutubi eager to eat rather than taking better photos.

the interior in typical dim-light setting

lapu-lapu (grouper) in sweet and sour sauce
kilaw/kilawin/kinilaw na may gata

grilled squid

baked scallops

Brief review and comments:

Ocho's claim to fame probably is the speed of delivering your orders without compromising quality. The usual orders came in about 15 minutes in all times Tutubi visited the place. Budget for each person is about P400/meal (typical, no menu, just point the main ingredients, sutukil-style, and the way to cook it). Reservations are needed if you plan to go on Friday night dinners and weekends.

The toilet, during Tutubi's initial visit, needs a little cleaning due to urinal drippings but squeaky clean during his second and last visits.

It's also here that Tutubi encountered tuna skin chicharon, healthier alternative to the evil pork skin kind.

Should you ever find yourself in Tacloban City, this restaurant is sure to be the one first to be recommended "where to eat in Tacloban" list. Tutubi however loves the pakdol (bulalo) of Calle Z (Calle Zaragoza Cafe) and the homey ambiance and budget-friendly price of Yolanda's Seafood near Tacloban Airport. For coffee addicts, there's no Starbucks branch in the big city (thank goodness) but there's Jose Karlo's cafe downtown near Sto. Nino Church.