Davao City Food Trip: The Ultimate Tuna Experience Part 2 (Marina Tuna and Yellow Fin)
Tuna Laing at Yellow Fin
I’m doing a series on my Davao City food trip until the end of April. Today, as I did last Monday, I’m writing about the city’s most popular seafood.
Located beside Davao Gulf, which is connected to the Pacific Ocean, Davao City is blessed with an abundance of seafood. Since it’s also a few hours drive from General Santos City, the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, you will definitely not run out of tuna places in the city. So I started a 2-part mini-series on my “TUNAdventure” (maybe I shouldn’t have done that). In this second part, I’m featuring 2 iconic seafood chains of the city, which specialize in tuna dishes:
Marina Tuna Seafood Restaurant
If you will do a research on where to eat at Davao City, you will almost always find Marina Tuna Seafood Restaurant on the list. I think it’s even the most popular restaurant in the city!
Marina Tuna was started in 2002 by a Certified Public Accountant, Domingo Ang, in 2002 and named it after his daughter, Marina. Moreover, Mr. Ang is the son of the founder of the Philippine tuna industry so he knows what he’s doing. The success of the chain attests to that as it now has 3 branches, visited by locals and tourists alike.
Marina Tuna Ecoland Branch
A jampacked dinnertime at Marina Tuna Ecoland
They are famous for their Ten-Way Tuna, which is 10 ways of serving different tuna parts. They are: Crispy Tuna Tail, Grilled Tuna Belly, Grilled Tuna Panga (jaw or jowl), Sizzling Tuna Bagaybay (sperm sac), Sizzling Tuna Bihod (egg sac), Tuna Kare-Kare (peanut stew), Tuna Kinilaw (Philippine ceviche), Tuna Tendon, Tuna Sashimi, and Tuna Eye Soup.
In my first visit to Marina, I tried their bagaybay or bihod (can’t remember which one) and the tuna eye soup. I’m not a fan of those dishes and I also find the soup fishy. So in my recent visit, I tried their tuna belly and had it sizzling. It is juicy, tender, and has a smooth mouthfeel. It’s awesome!
Sizzling Tuna Belly (P350)
However, the real reason I was excited to come back is not the tuna but the swordfish. Yes, I know that Marina Tuna specializes in tuna and this article is about tuna. But their swordfish, in my last visit, was the most tender piece of fish I have ever eaten!
Swordfish Loin Steak (P385)
I couldn’t remember how the swordfish was prepared in my first visit. So this time, I had it cooked like a steak. It was sitting on a savory sauce, which I think is made of butter, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, and served with vegetables on the side. It’s good but wasn’t as tender as I remember it to be. Sad!
One more thing. I think it’s still best to have the tuna (and swordfish) grilled. The dishes that I ordered were good. But I think it will be more enjoyable if I had them grilled. But it’s not Marina’s fault. It’s mine! So just a lesson learned!
Marina Tuna has 3 branches in the city. Check out their Facebook Page here.
Yellow Fin Seafood Restaurant
Aside from Marina Tuna, Yellow Fin Seafood Restaurant is another successful seafood chain in Davao City, with 3 branches throughout the city.
It’s kind of hard to learn about the restaurant’s history in the Internet as resources are scarce. One article writes that the family who owned it once had a steakhouse that was frequented by VIPs. But their high-profile customers complained that their bodyguards and drivers had no place to eat. So the family started a carinderia (eatery) named Karinderya (LOL), serving affordable food. This new business venture became a hit, eventually surpassing the steakhouse. The steakhouse closed and Karinderya was renamed to Yellow Fin.
Yellow Fin Ecoland Branch
While you can order through a waiter at Yellow Fin, the restaurant has it’s turo-turo (literally “point-point”) counter, probably a remnant of the former Karinderya.
At the turo-turo counter
The restaurant is famous for the following: Greaseless Chicken, Tuna Laing (taro leaves cooked in coconut cream), Tuna Tail Adobo (stewed in soy sauce), and Sizzling Seafood Platter, which includes Bagaybay (tuna sperm sac), Imbao (mangrove clams), Stuffed Squid, Tuna Belly, and Ubol-Ubol (tuna esophagus). Since I’m alone (but I’m happy!), I only got to try the laing among the bestsellers.
I first visited Yellow Fin in the evening. I ordered the tuna laing but to my disappointment, it was already sold out. The waiter told me that the tuna laing sells fast. It must be delicious! So I resolved (yes, that’s my commitment) to go on another day and at an earlier time. So for my last meal in Davao, I had the dish. And my resolve was greatly rewarded!
Tuna Laing (P65/pc.)
It has a salty ground tuna meat which is nicely complemented by the sweet taro leaves and the rich coconut cream. This dish is easily one of my favorite dishes in my trip!
Like in my visit to Marina Tuna, I also ordered a non-tuna dish. I read that Yellow Fin’s Imbao (Mangrove Clams) Soup is good. The imbao are nicely plump (compared to the ones I tried in Roxas Night Market; read about my visit here) and the broth is comforting.
Imbao Soup (P150)
Yellow Fin has 3 branches in the city. Check them out here.
Which of the food spots or dishes above have you tried or would like to try? Aside from the ones I featured here and in the last article, what tuna spot in Davao City should I visit next? Comment them below!
Other entries in the Davao City Food Trip series: Food Experience to Try at the King City of the South | The Night (Market) Crawler Goes to Roxas Night Market | The Ultimate Tuna Experience Part 1 (Kinilaw, Pakfry, and Panga)