Claire Dela Fuente Grill & Seafoods

Seaside Dampa is a unique dining destination that combines the lively atmosphere of a bustling seafood market and home cooking from restaurants. 

The experience begins with a long row of stalls selling fresh seafood from crabs and prawns to mussels, squid, and fish, where buyers can haggle for the best price. Once you’ve picked out your ingredients, the next step is to choose from the many nearby restaurants eager to cook your seafood just the way you like it. Staff from various establishments often approach shoppers, enthusiastically offering their cooking services.

Back in my college days, we were regulars here. It was always fun exploring the market, picking out seafood, and deciding on the dishes we wanted to try. Over the years, we’ve dined at several of the restaurants here, but I only got the chance to document the food we had at Claire dela Fuente Grill & Seafood Restaurant.

Sweet and Spicy Crab

The restaurant immediately showed us their expertise with this big crab in a pool of sweet chili sauce. Thankfully, we also found a good crab in the market. The crab was large, with meaty claws and body. The sauce was thick and its flavors clung beautifully to the crab’s shell. The sweetness was just enough to counter the spice, creating a flavor that was both bold and enjoyable. The fat from the crab added a luxurious, creamy texture to each bite. While messy to eat, it was worth every effort.

Baked Tahong with Cheese

The mussels were generously topped with melted cheese that was perfectly golden in spots, adding a layer of richness to the briny flavor of the tahong. The portion size was generous, making it a great dish for sharing. The cheese complemented the mussels well without overpowering their natural taste. There was also a subtle hint of garlic that added depth to the flavor profile. It’s the kind of dish that’s simple yet indulgent, and one that’s hard to stop eating once you start.

Sinigang na Tanigue sa Miso

This dish delivered the sourness I was looking for. It had this hint of ginger that I didn’t like. This explains the yellow hue of the broth and the fish steaks. I understand it’s typically used to neutralize the fish’s brininess, but in this case, it felt like too much. The dish featured a generous amount of fish, with thickly sliced portions. Unfortunately, the fish itself was slightly overcooked, causing the flesh to dry out a bit. The vegetables were also plenty. It was just unusual to see some mustard greens in a sinigang.

Adobong Pusit sa Gata

This dish was a disappointment for everyone. For me, the sauce didn’t taste like coconut at all. It could have, at least, an intense flavor of soy sauce, but I’m confused to savor an oddly tangy flavor, reminiscent of pancit with calamansi. Thankfully, I got pieces of squid that were tender and not rubbery. But my companions chewed undercooked pieces of squid. It still had the translucent appearance, which was not only off-putting, but also, can cause a harm to their customers.

Tempura

The Tempura was a solid addition to our dinner table. I only had one piece, but it left a good impression. The batter was crispy without being overly greasy, and the prawn inside was generous in size. It’s always disappointing when tempura is mostly batter with barely any filling, but that wasn’t the case here. The accompanying sauce was also good. It’s a crowd-pleaser, particularly for younger diners. The Tempura was actually ordered by the daughter of my mom’s friend. Did you get that? Anyway, she loved it!

Buttered Garlic Chicken

The sauce leaned towards being sweet, much like the glaze you’d find on chicken wings. At first, I wasn’t sure if this will work on a fried chicken, but buttered garlic sauce and fried chicken came together beautifully. The buttery flavor was prominent, with a mild garlic undertone that didn’t overpower. I enjoyed it so much that put my rice on this small wok, when the chicken were all gone, to soak all the sauce. The chicken pieces were cooked perfectly as well. They were tender and juicy. It was the first dish to disappear from the table, so, I guess, everyone loved it.

Grilled Liempo

At first glance, the Grilled Liempo looked boring. The thin strips of pork seemed like they were just laid out plainly on a plate. However, one bite was enough to change my initial impression. The grilling brought out a smoky flavor that made the pork perfectly tasty. It had a balanced fat-to-meat ratio. The small bits of fat enhanced the flavor without being overwhelming, so the dish didn’t feel too heavy or cloying. The thin cut ensured the meat was cooked evenly. It was the kind of dish you could enjoy on its own or as bar chow. 

Pancit Canton

The Pansit Canton was a delightful surprise. First, I appreciate that they divided a serving into  two platters to serve the nine of us on a long table. I particularly enjoyed the slightly crunchy texture of the noodles, which gave the dish a unique character. Unlike many versions that are drowned in sauce, this one was just lightly coated, allowing the noodles and vegetables to shine. The flavor was familiar as it reminded me of the Pancit Canton served at Max’s Restaurant. The vegetables were generous and fresh.