MATUTINAS: THE MUST GO TO FILIPINO SEAFOOD RESTAURANT UP NORTH

 Ever since I was a kid, I would always hear my parents and relatives talk about this wonderful restaurant that they would go to. When they visit Baguio or any place up north, they would always find time to stop at MATUTINA'S SEAFOOD HOUSE and RESTAURANT.

 After a long drive, travelers tend to be tired and hungry. At MATUTINA'S, they would surely get a dose of Filipino food done right. Fresh seafood and other Filipino delicacies are served.

The menu is straight forward and gives justice to everything and anything that you might be craving for. They have specialty dishes, kilawin, vegetables, inihaw, and a lot more. Honestly, I almost passed up a chance to try this restaurant. 

Then, a doctor friend of mine reminded me to head on over and give it a go. This plus all the fun filled memories my dad used to tell us made me make a literal u-turn and go for it.

 The place has ample parking and is quite homey. It's designed like your grandma's place. Sweet and relaxing. Upfront, they serve you pastillas (free of course) and even gives you condiments and utensils which you would definitely need. If I were you though, wash your hands and use them when eating. There's nothing more fulfilling than eating with your hands.

 Since we were just a small group, we weren't able to fully order everything and anything that we would want. It was our first time there so we went with a mixed seafood platter. Filled with freshly caught shrimps, grilled squid, grilled pork, and enselada, you won't go wrong with these choices. The stuffed grill squid was cooked to perfection. It wasn't rubbery and was filled with flavors. The shrimps were fresh and the pork was pretty good too. Partnered with a lot of plain rice, the salted egg, tomatoes, onions, mangoes and grilled eggplant was to die for. It was everything and anything I dreamed of.

 Since Kare-Kare is a favorite in any Filipino restaurant, we chose to order it. At MATUTINA'S, their Kare-Kare is made with traditional roasted nuts. Although not as chewy as I would have liked, the sauce was pretty smooth and a little smoky as well. The meat and the veggies were all tender. It went well with the bagoong.

 Although we over ordered already, we still went with a bangus dish. Originally, we were thinking about an inihaw na bangus but since it might be too big for us, we just went with SISIG NA BANGUS. A variant of the Filipino staple, Sisig na bangus was a real treat. After the meal, you could check out the different things to buy at their counter. I would suggest that you get a bottle or two of the condiments that they may have.

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One thing I liked about MATUTINAS is the versatility and the freshness of the dishes. You get to choose from a wide range of Filipino delicacies done right. Furthermore, they even give out treats for free like the pastillas and even a delicious seafood soup to start things off. Plus, you could order drinks by the bottle. Not those tiny ones but the huge 1.5L. Pretty good value for money if you ask me.

MATUTINAS could be found in Dagupan City and in Urdaneta City. The restaurant we visited was just off the Urdaneta exit of the TPLEX. They are open from 10am to 3pm then 5pm to 10pm. Try to avoid peak hours as there might be a queue.