The ultimate 'sutukil' experience

CEBU, Philippines - Sampling the native specialty cuisine is always one of the primary motivations in travelling to a new place. In fact, one would travel to a place in order to get to "taste" its local culture.

Those who come to Cebu now have one more reason to celebrate being here - the mouthwatering "Sutukil." It is the conventional Visayan style of preparing fresh seafood. The term is a combination of three words, which refers to three different types of cooking.

"Su" comes from the word "sugba," which means "to grill." One takes his pick of seafood, grill it, and then it's ready to eat. "Tu" is from the word "tuwa," meaning "to stew." This style is similar to the "tinola," wherein the seafood is cooked by boiling and with leafy vegetables added.

Yet perhaps the most adventurous style is the "kilaw," from which the "kil" in "sutukil" is derived. "Kilaw" is eating raw seafood, with the taste tamed and enhanced with vinegar.

"Sutukil" is pretty much a straightforward method of preparing seafood that has become quite popular in Cebu. And, those looking for the real-deal "Sutukil" adventure may now head over to Isla Sugbu Seafood City, where seafood dinner closely resembles a real seaside food experience.

The seafood restaurant guarantees high "Sutukil" standards. There's a wide array of fresh and live seafood to choose from, some of which are exclusively available in Seafood City alone. Every dish that comes out of the open kitchen gives a delicious burst of authentic seafood flavor in every bite. The restaurant's wharf-like ambiance all the more makes for an ultimate "Sutukil" experience.

Isla Sugbu Seafood City observes strict food safety measures that assure customers of fresh and clean seafood dishes. The restaurant is operated and managed by 101 Restaurant City, Inc. led by its president, Winglip Chang. It is located at Cebu Grand Convention Center, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City. (FREEMAN)