Barakuda Seafood Restaurant — Restaurant in El Nido

Dined here with my family and we were impressed with everything! From the presentation of the food and the taste! We were served with bread and miso butter for bread service! Miso butter (amazing) was a perfect balance of sweet and umami flavors- you can taste the distinct ferment-y flavor of the palawan honey that was drizzled on top, their house made bread was toasted just right and was pleasantly not dry even thought it was cut a tod bit thin. For the appetizers: We ordered basil lime snapper - this is one of my favourite from everything that we ordered thinly Sliced snapper with lime based dressing? - I didn't mind the raw garlic that came with it because it just made perfect sense to balance everything together!! I can taste the basil oil that they put on top. (chef's kiss!) 2nd app Mussel and clams escabeche- this one is surprisingly good and I'm not a fan of cold Pickled like appetizers but wow this one made me rethink my choices haha well balanced of sour, sweet and savory! Perfect combination with the bread and the white wine! And the Dill leaves, confit garlic and tomatoes on top was definitely a great add on and complimentary to the whole dish - it wasn't spicy at all so I asked for some chili flakes cos I like spicy food! This was memorable for me and would want to replicate this (too shy to ask for the recipe LOL) 3rd app Tuna tartare rice cups- a very creative dish! Your classic tuna tartare but served in a rice cups? Fresh Tuna, you can taste it still! Balanced flavors, not too acidic! Its so fun and exciting when the chef is being creative and not getting lost on track- the chef knows what she is doing and prioritises flavor! Kudos! We were just in appetizers and I'm already impressed with everything! For the mains we ordered: crab fat ravioli- this was mind blowing! Crab fat sauce with Crab Meat filling? I was blown away with the flavors & how well executed this dish is! The pasta was well cooked & wasn't too thick!! The labor and the hours they put on this dish was well translated on how good this dish is! And that lemon zest on top was incredible Fish in sinigang glaze- this is a very creative interpretation of sinigang! umami and sour! There was one ingredient that i recognized on the glaze..it was lemongrass, I immediately tasted this as this is one of my favorite vegetable(?) And upon confirming, I was right! The fish was well cooked and flaky! Barracuda fish is a firm and meaty texture and they cooked it perfectly! of course we're not gonna miss their namesake- the barakuda! Perfectly grilled and they removed the bones in it!! The sauce that came with it is unforgettable Perfectly paired with the grilled and smokey flavor of the fish! I understand why this is a recommendation from our server - four thumbs up! Finally we had desserts for our sweet ending on this very satisfying meal/night. I only had canele in France and some of the shops there didn't even execute it very well in barakuda, it was something else -something very good! they did an ube canele which is a homage to a filipino ingredient and mixed it with a French pastry! It had a crispy exterior and a custardy interior! It also isn't too sweet!! And paired with coconut ice cream with honey comb on top! Ube and coconut combination is a wild and comforting blend of flavors we had to order 2 of this as I finished 1 for myself!

In conclusion, my family and I had a very nice and good dinner and we would definitely recommend this to our friends that will visit el nido! The restaurant has a huge and great potential all the flavors and all the execution of food (definitely the food), service and drinks are very much on point and very much deserving to be recognised as el nido's best restaurant! Hope they Will open another one in the city?

Prices were very much justified and would consider this as "fine dining" with how well the service and the food was presented! Something different for el nido and very much well executed

For the chef- very well done, and...

Food 5/5 The heart of banana salad was a revelation, with just the right amount of acid, heat, sweetness, texture -- crunchiness, softness. Mixed with basil, coriander, choice slices of banana heart, onions as well as fried onions, this was a tremendous start to our meal. I was shaking my head with disbelief at this reimagining of a local ingredient, fused with herbs I don't typically find in Manila. For mains, we had one of their specials, a local lobster called pitik which looks very similar to Morton Bay bugs. It was a cross between a lobster and a prawn. Cooked to perfection, it slid off the shell very easily, was spiced simply and one could taste it's sweetness and delicate flavour, paired with smoky and garlic beans and a sticky potato mash. The crab fat ravioli was to-die for, the crab stuffing and surrounding pasta delicate and delicious. We will be raving about the sauce for days. I may have shed a tear or two for every bite, it was truly that good. For drinks, we had a Hoegaarden beer and their tropical sangria, which was unique, refreshingly sweet, and was too easy to drink. For dessert, we were delighted to find an Aussie favourite the pavlova with a mango-pineapple compote, dried pineapple and hints of coconut. I may have cried of homesickness and happiness to find such a harmonious marriage of my two heritages in one dessert. We were so impressed by this restaurant, taking on Filo favourites with flair and gusto, unafraid of creativity, leaning heavily on local ingredients whipped up with flawless technique.

Ambiance 5/5 Lightning at night is dramatic, with woven lamps hung from the ceiling and native plants on the walls. The toilets were well positioned, partitioned away from the dining area, and we loved the wash area to wash our hands with before and after dinner. There is a bar for closer viewing of the kitchen and 2 seaters by the window. In all, a small, intimate, and well appointed space for a casual dinner in the town.

Service 5/5 Food was served very quickly and our server Rhea was very attentive. Every need was accounted for.

Barakuda is an amazing find and one that cannot be missed. It took us on a journey to two homes, one in Australia and another here in the Philippines, which is a feat in itself. In my mind, it is likely the best restaurant here, competes toe-to-toe with some of Manila and Melbourne's best, and an amazing end to our El Nido trip, all for less than a...

Me and my best friends planned a dinner here in Barakuda. The warm greetings of their staff, chill music, instagram-worthy interior plus the very laid-back feel of the whole restaurant welcomed our group as we were ushered to our table.

The menu was designed neatly and offers a variety of unique and locally-sourced dishes, which made me very excited to eat!

We started with their “Mongo Croquette,” which was a reco from Chef Cheska. (which btw was very helpful/insightful with all the dishes she has curated) Understanding not just the flavor and ingredients but also the art, process and story of the menu was also an unforgettable experience.

The restaurant was packed so it is understandable how busy their restaurant gets but didn’t take so long before the appetizer was served. The first bite was flavorful, all in all it was well-balanced. The mongo didn’t come off too strong.

For the main course, we opted for the “Crabfat Ravioli” and “Pulpo Adobo.” OHHH, IT WAS GOOD. If only I could eat a bunch more of the crabfat, then i would. It’s not oily or fatty at all. The serving was perfect!! Pulpo Adobo, is safe to say, my #1 dish. The texture was fantastic (I’m still imagining about it) as a pusit adobo fan, this is 10x a leveled-up version with a richer and fancier taste. The size of the octopus’ tentacles were generous. I think 1 plate will be enough for 2-3 if you’re not that hungry. But honestly, I could eat the whole plate.

“Ube Canele” (our dessert) came and was the perfect finale. Texture was chewy and (makes me smile just by thinking about it) loved it!!!! I wouldn’t be surprised if you buy some for takeaways. Must be nice if paired with coffee or tea too.

To sum it up, the overall vibe of the place was satisfying. The staff were polite and pleasing. Ingredients of the food were fresh. Perfect for dates and also big groups to dine and yap. 5 stars for the service!!

I would definitely go back! Appreciate the effort and the passion they bring through their food and service. Kudos to everyone behind Barakuda especially Chef Cheska!!...