Palawan Seafood, Produce Get Lead Roles at Chef Robby Goco's El Nido Dining Spot

Tanaw
G/F Anchor Store 2A, Vanilla Beach, Corong Corong, Sitio Maremegmeg, Palawan
Contact: 0917-701-5063
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TanawPalawan
Open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Sunday

(SPOT.ph) Cooking might follow certain formulas, but at its heart involves working with what’s available. Just ask Chef Robby Goco of Cyma, SOUV, and ROB's, who describes his approach as one of adaptability. “My philosophy is, drop me in the middle of nowhere… I should be able to cook something.”

As the opportunity came to open a restaurant in the area, Goco took it to highlight the fresh seafood and seasonal produce of El Nido—and the result is Tanaw, where island-goers get a glimpse of Goco’s ethos as applied to local ingredients, with the (more-than-welcome) bonus of El Nido's stunning beach views as backdrop.

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Here’s what to try at the new El Nido restaurant Tanaw:

Tanaw fits right in with the laid-back atmosphere of El Nido—during the day it keeps itself low-lit, illuminated mostly by natural light that peeks in through the clear windows. With wooden elements and earth tones all over—plus details like placemats that resemble banana leaves—it’s as relaxed as it gets. A striking mural by Melvin Garcia brings a splash of color to their space. And by one of the windows you’ll find a view of the beach—blue skies, gleaming waters, white sand, coconut trees and all. They don’t call themselves Tanaw (“to see” in Tagalog) for nothing.

So prevalent is the notion in El Nido that imported automatically equals better, that many of its restaurants still use cream dory—notorious for its blandness—over the numerous other options available, right from the island’s waters. Not Tanaw, though. The recently opened spot’s menu is defined less by a cuisine or food genre, and more by the ingredients that go into it—which Goco and the Tanaw team source daily from El Nido’s local markets. “[What we make is] really based on what's available,” the chef tells us.

Goco takes us around the local pamilihan, gushing about everything from the fresh produce (the vivid talbos ng kamote and local cucumbers—speckled in appearance and crisper than its regular green counterpart—especially catch our attention), to the seafood (of which is sungayan fish, said to be rare outside Palawan; and seemingly monstrous—but I’m assured, tasty—spider shells), to the meats (not just the main cuts, but also offal—like pigs’ ears!), to the freshly roasted cashews sold by the exit, and everything else.

Tanaw Signatures

From there, the Tanaw team makes their magic in the kitchen. Tanaw welcomes guests with their signature beverage, a G&T-esque tipple spiked with gin and garnished with strips of local cucumbers. Good ol' monggo is tossed with mangoes, cukes, tomatoes, and a tahini-honey lemon dressing to form the light yet impactful Lentil Salad. The Unicornfish Taco (P950) is a Goco-fied take on the Baja classic, with the aforementioned sungayan (a more texturally assertive fish than the typical Western options), cassava masa tortillas, and Tanaw’s own sauces and salsas for assembling on your own. The Tuna Salad from Niçoise (P520) upgrades the French classic with slices of seared dry-aged local tuna on top. And those pork ears we mentioned get deep-fried into a crackly crisp in the Crispy Pig Ears (P290) with salsa verde.

Raw Seafood Galore

It should go without saying that the raw seafood dishes are must-tries—be it in the form of the less-is-more Dry Aged Local Fish Sashimi (P500) with tuna, barracuda, and marlin (dry-aging makes for a meatier bite, we’re told); or the Vanilla Beach Ceviche (P550) highlighting the day’s fresh catch; the Islands Aburi (P450) using dry-aged tuna and crab in a multigrain rice roll; or the Barracuda Carpaccio (P300) enriched by EVOO and illuminated by orange segments.

Comfort Fare, Goco's Way

Given their predominantly tourist (and specifically, foreigner) clientele, Goco still makes sure to keep tried-and-tested, familiar faves on the menu—done his way, of course. The Chicken & Waffles (P550) features especially crackly-crisp chicken, while the decidedly rich Croque Monsieur (P550) is an excellent ailment to any hangover. Drinking? Pair your Aperol Spritz (P590) with the Crispy Pork Knuckle (P900) with a salad of local spinach, or order up  Boquerones (P230) or Pulpo de Gallega (P310) to go with their Sangria (P590). Worth having on the table to round everything off is the Paella de Mariscos (P500), which beams with toppings of shrimp, mussels, and squid.

Goco shares how Palawan struck him as the “next Boracay” when he initially arrived. “The moment we landed here, [I saw how] there's so many foreigners” he tells us. In a separate exchange, he elaborates: “This is how I saw Boracay about 30 years ago… It’s getting there.” Though getting tourism to the area back to pre-pandemic heights is a work in progress, it’s safe to say the opening of his restaurant is helping course the island to that goal—and Goco seems to be enjoying the ride. “To go to other places and being able to cook with whatever you see… it’s always fun.”

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