Here’s an extract of an entry in my tavel blog . . .
Most people say that you’ve never been to Dumaguete at all if you have not strolled down the promenade of the acacia tree-lined Rizal Boulevard, named after Dr. Jose Rizal who created the nickname “City of Gentle People†for Dumaguete during his brief stopover in this town in August 1896.
The preserved lampposts on the promenade, the pre-war colonial-style homes along the road, and an old hotel restored to its former grandeur are sights never to be missed!
Al fresco ambience at the boardwalk on Dumaguete’s Rizal Boulevard with the old Silliman Hall in the background.
With a commanding view of Cebu Island on the left and Siquijor on the right, we settled on the boardwalk amongst street stalls with neatly arranged monobloc chairs and tables to sample Dumaguete’s most famous and interesting street delicacy called “tempura,†yet another “you-haven’t-been-to-Dumaguete†kind of thing if you didn’t indulge in it, as I did!
Freshly deep-fried ‘tempura’and fish balls threaded onto skewers.
Tempura Galore!
The ‘tempura’ with its sweet-sour-spicy dip. Note how the dip is served – a plastic bag is wrapped over a shallow serving bowl, the sauce is then poured on it and, voila! The street vendors simply remove the plastic when you’re done and recycle it without washing! Clever, huh?! Just one of the interesting facets of Pinoy street food . . .
Selling at PhP3.00 apiece, the “tempura,†shaped like the popular Japanese prawn dish, is a concoction of flour mixed with seafood ingredients and spices, is deep-fried and threaded onto bamboo skewers then served with a sweet-sour-spicy dip that is a blend of tomato or banana ketchup with vinegar and local chili.
To me, the “tempura†tasted more like the Chinese “kikiam†than anything. But I must admit that I’ve gone way beyond adventure with this one – I gobbled-up at least six, while listening to a lone boardwalk artist singing an endless repertoire of James Taylor hits!
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