"Seafood Diet"

We had our fair share (more than fair actually, haha!) of meat during our stay in Ilocos (Have I mentioned Bagnet and Vigan Longganisa?  And thanks to Lola who prepared Zola's Dad's fave - Dinuguan and Warik-Warik) that I just miss eating Fish!!! 

Going back home home from Ilocos, we thought of having lunch in Matutina's, a popular seafood restaurant and one of the more famous stopovers in the North.  The original restaurant started in Dagupan and has since branched out to other parts of Pangasinan, Tarlac and there's even a branch in Baguio, making Matutina's more accessible to travelers.  We went to the branch in Tarlac City called Matutina-Gerry's Seafoods Restaurant.    

While browsing the menu, the waitress gave us some complimentary buko pastillas.  The candies couldn't have come at a more perfect time as we were already hungry!

Zola's Dad ordered a refreshing buko (young coconut) shake.  We ordered Sinigang na Malaga  (a house specialty), Bangus (milkfish) sisig, Buttered Garlic shrimps, Inihaw na Liempo (Zola's Dad just had to have his meat, haha!), Grilled Boneless Bangus and Adobong Talaba (oysters).  (Told you, we were hungry! Haha!)  

Just in case you're wondering if it's just Zola's Dad and me shared in this sumptuous lunch, no, there were four of us! 

I couldn't pick which one was my favorite since everything was good!  Another "happy tummy, happy mommy moment"  =)

By the way, the restaurant also sells their buko pastillas, boneless bangus (both unseasoned and marinated) for Php 300/pack (there are 3 pcs in a pack) and other pasalubong (gift) food items from the North.

Dining in Matutina's was indeed a perfect way to conclude our road trip!

I'm ending this post with a diet joke which you may have heard already. . . When you're in a "Seafood Diet", it means, when you see food, you eat it!  (Okay, you can laugh now, haha!)    

Matutina-Gerry's Seafood House

MacArthur Highway, San Sebastian, Tarlac City 

(near SM Tarlac)