Where to eat in Cagayan de Oro? I had no idea. I thought it’s best to ask the locals and get some traveler-friendly tips at the same time. We definitely love seafood and the good news is that Northern Mindanao has a reputation of having the freshest supply of marine resources. There’s so many seafood restaurants to choose from. They pointed us to Panagatan Seafood Restaurant, Alavar’s Seafood and Grill, Blackbeard’s Seafood Island, and Prawn House Seafood Restaurant. After checking out the menus, we finally decided to try the one whose name has tickled our fancy: Prawn House Seafood Restaurant in Ayala Centrio Mall.
In 2015, Prawn House has won the Best Seafood Cuisine Specialty Restaurant trophy in the Golden Globe Annual Awards for Business Excellence. Their seafood dishes must be some kind of “magical” delicious. How true is this? Read this post to get a glimpse.
Review of Prawn House Seafood Restaurant (Centrio Mall, Cagayan de Oro)
Ambiance:
Space-wise, this restaurant has everything you expect from a big, buzzy restaurant in Cagayan de Oro’s Centrio Mall. It has wooden furniture, tables arranged for big groups, and carefully curated decor for the Valentine’s season. It’s the month of love, anyway, when we visited. In this case, there were cutouts of hearts and prawns hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant didn’t feel upscale and expensive but it has an enjoyable atmosphere where guests can dine comfortably with plenty of conversation.
Food:
When you’re ready to take a break from meat in the Lent season, Prawn House Seafood Restaurant is a nice place to celebrate some winning seafood. We ordered Grilled Tuna Panga (PhP 49/100g), Prawn Adobo (PhP 269), and Baked Scallops (PhP 379). Everything was tasty and well-cooked!
When you can’t decide which to get, their prawns are excellent and definitely worth ordering. Prawn meals are available in: steam garlic sauce, sweet garlic butter, spicy garlic butter, garlic fry, gata (coconut milk sauce), barbecue, grilled lemon butter, spicy with salt and pepper, and adobo. The Prawn Adobo turned out as the star of our meal. I could have had another cup of rice to eat it with. It was salty, sweet, and comforting, all wrapped up into one.
The Baked Scallops were another hit. Just the smell of it was already beckoning. Imagine: rich and hearty scallops, each one loaded with a little buttery, a little herbacious, and a little salty concoction, baked in golden cheese—if that’s not romance in a dish, I don’t know what is.
Classic in every way, the Grilled Tuna Panga had a nice texture and savory flavor. Tender and packed with a smoky goodness, this tuna had a meaty center and a thin layer of browned exterior. Awesome! 🙂
Price for Value:
When you’re planning a date or a dinner with friends in CDO, Prawn House Seafood Restaurant is the place to do it, especially if coming with a group who appreciates seafood cooked in Filipino style. There’s a lot of energy here, and it translates into the food and experience as a whole. Prices are pretty decent and fair compared to the value. They also have noodles, veggies, beef, pork, chicken, and rice on the menu.
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
Wow, this beanery is a great place to have a superb dining experience. I love seafood a lot and this would be a haven for me. I was just in Cagayan last month and If only I have read this earlier, I should have been here. I love the ambiance of this place, it’s very welcoming. I hope to get here soon If I get the chance. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Valentine’s day decor! Looks romantic. This place would be true love to sea-food lovers! Haha!
This entire thing is calling out my name; I’m a total seafood fanatic!
It looks like you had a lovely time! I like the decor here it seems like a relaxing dining experience
This would be a perfect place to visit this lent because of the seafood alternative. The place looks great and the food looks delicious.