I had a few days to spend in Borongan, Eastern Samar, sometime in late April. I stayed at an inn near the baywalk that ran alongside the beach. I loved walking around town, towards the church and a local park with a mermaid holding up a clam shell, watching local surfers at the beach glide to shore.

Here’s where I had, of all the kinilaws I tried during my entire trip, my personal favourite, at an eatery at the local market. No place else it could be fresher. Silky, creamy fish balanced perfectly with acidity and a splash of coconut milk. I lived in that moment.