Go Exotic This Summer!

Ruth and I went exotic last Monday just here in the big OZ!  I never thought I could find something new and unique in this little town of mine.  It’s just surprising that it was Ruth (who is now residing in Cagayan de Oro for years) who introduced me into this brand new Ozamiz discovery.  Well, still brand new to me!  Sorry for having missed this if you had discovered this for years already.  Oh, I feel like being an alien to my own hometown!  Huhu…..

Without further ado, this exotic experience is none other than the ceviche!  In Tagalog, kilawin.  In Cebuano,kinilaw!  Kinilaw of course, is not new to us.  This is a dish of usually fresh fish meat, cured in vinegar, lemon, and tabon tabon, seasoned with salt, and spiced with onions, chili peppers, and ginger.  Pork can also be akinilaw together with grilled pork belly which makes it into sugbakilaw.  But outside Pacifica Agrivet Supplies in Public Mall here in Ozamiz, the kinilaw is made from amahong (mussels) and bornay (clams)!  That just amazed me!

You can get a mix of kinilaw right on the spot.  The manang already has the condiments in hand and in less than a minute, you can taste the tangy kinilaw right then and there!  It is fresh, citrusy, sweet, sour, salty, and super spicy.  It’s distinct from the fish and pork kinilaw for the rubbery feel of the mussel and clam meat which you can also savor longer with your taste buds.  And the manang also suggested that it is best when eaten with the kamoteng kahoy (cassava).

So this summer, experience a different twist of kinilaw for an exotic get-away within the city!  Drop by outside Pacifica, beside Ria Thrifty Mart along Zamora St., Ozamiz City and look for manang for her whole-new-out-of-this-world kinilaw mix!