Food Trips: A Boodle Fight at Isdaan Floating Restaurant in Gerona

Road trips and boodle fights. It's one of those enduring culinary traditions perfected at Isdaan Floating Restaurant for a unique dining experience...

There's just no slowing down Rod Ongpauco, the inventor of Barrio Fiesta's iconic Crispy Pata back in the early sixties and second generation to one of the country's noted culinary clans. Rod Ongpauco's Isdaan Floating Restaurant is his latest innovation, the first Filipino restaurant theme park established in 2005 representing the culmination of years of experience with the family's famed restaurants, including Barrio Fiesta, Bakahan at Manukan, Ihaw-Ihaw, Kalde-Kaldero, Kawa-Kawali at Aawitan Kayo Restaurant, and The Singing Cooks and Waiters, Atbp. Isdaan Floating Restaurant combines an experiential dimension to dining, taking the very best of local cuisine to grand scale with its impressive theme park vibe. Food trips and boodle fights simply don't compare with Isdaan Floating Restaurant's many offerings, just let Rod Ongpauco show you the way to a proper boodle fight...

Located along MacArthur Highway in Tarlac, it's hard to miss Isdaan Floating Restaurant. Rod Ongpauco's creative vision weaves in elements of design, landscaping, entertainment, service and local cuisine in a seamless blend at the very first Isdaan Floating Restaurant in Tarlac. Now with two more locations in Calauan, Laguna and Talavera, Nueva Ecija, traveling up north or down south from the metro offers some very cool dining options along the way.

After a long drive, there's nothing quite like the warm and welcoming smiles from the friendly staff to make you immediately feel at home. After a headcount, the staff then bring you and the gang to your tables. But be prepared to wait a few minutes, Isdaan Floating Restaurant is always packed.  

Throughout the expansive property, Isdaan Floating Restaurant has become a destination in itself, offering both locals and out-of-towners a welcome detour on the road trip. Drawing inspiration from Thai and Malaysian design influences, Isdaan Floating Restaurant takes you to another place adding to the experience

The soothing sounds of water completes the vibe at Isdaan Floating Restaurant. Melodic tunes are then sung by another Ongpauco trademark, the singing cooks and waiters, to entertain guests. From familiar dishes to entertainment, Rod Ongpauco infuses elements from the family's restaurants at Isdaan. And you can sing along too...

Meanwhile, the staff prepared our dishes for the epic boodle fight at Isdaan Floating Restaurant. Small metal pots, the kaldero, are used to steam the rice for individual servings, just like the family's chain of restaurants. The other dishes are prepped too, as we eagerly await the epic boodle fight at Isdaan Floating Restaurant.

Enjoy a refreshing seasonal fruit shake, like the Fresh Buko Shake for a sweet and tasty reprieve from the heat...

...or some Fresh Buko Juice (P 99), an all-natural thirst-quencher that works all the time (L). Isdaan Floating Restaurant also offers a variety of fresh fruit juices and sodas. The mini kalderos containing freshly steamed white rice are then brought to the tables, ready to serve (R).

Isdaan Floating Restaurant's Boodle Fight! Championship Round Set Menu (P 3,169 for four persons/P 6,476 for eight persons/P 8,963 for ten persons/P 12,856 for fifteen persons) is a sumptuous feast with all the signature favorites laid out on banana leaves on your table. The Set Menu includes bowls of comforting Bulalo Soup, Mixed Adobo with chicken and pork, the popular bestseller Lechon Tinupig Manok, Pritong Lapu-Lapu, Spicy Crab, Lumpiang Bukid, Fresh Steamed White Rice served in the trademark kaldero, Tadtad Mangga, Sibuyas, Kamatis, Itlog na Maalat with Bagoong; and Tacsiyapong Gulay, a hearty vegetable dish to complete the feast. Included in the Boodle Fight Championship Round Set Menu is Rod Ongpauco's latest innovation, the Lechon Tinupig Manok, tender and juicy slow-roasted chicken marinated and boiled in coconut milk, delicately wrapped in banana leaves, and grilled over charcoals. The delicate notes of the chicken are kicked up by the coconut milk giving it a savory richness, while the banana leaves add a fragrant aroma during grilling. The flavors are subtle yet complex, perfectly juicy and just downright good. 

The other components for the Boodle Fight Championship Round at Isdaan Floating Restaurant are neatly assembled, including the Mixed Adobo with tender chicken and pork simmered in vinegar and soy sauce...

...as well as individual servings of Isdaan Floating Restaurant's signature side dish, the Tadtad Mangga, Sibuyas, Kamatis, Itlog na Maalat with Bagoong, a tasty condiment that just pairs so well with every dish in the Boodle Fight set menu. 

The set menu also includes succulent crabs cooked in a spicy sauce, and the boodle fight at Isdaan Floating Restaurant is looking real good...

The kalderos of steamed white rice are then brought to the table, and the rice laid on the banana leaf, followed by the other dishes. The staff delicately arranged the spread, filling the gaps with more food. And with the final dish in place, we just dove right in to start the boodle fight, Isdaan Floating Restaurant style.

Just where do you begin? Start with the dish nearest you, Isdaan's Spicy Crabs, and slowly work outward until you have a piece of everything on your banana leaf...

...like some steamed white rice with Mixed Adobo, best paired with the Tadtad Mangga, Sibuyas, Kamatis, Itlog na Maalat with Bagoong.

In between bites, grab a piece of Lumpiang Bukid with its fresh and clean flavors...

...and some crispy Pritong Lapu-Lapu. And don't forget the Lechon Tinupig Manok...

A hearty sip of Bulalo Soup is just what you need before the second round...

Just how does one top the iconic Crispy Pata? Rod Ongpauco continues to innovate with the Patang Tinupig (P 690), his newest culinary creation and exclusive to Isdaan Floating Restaurant. The pork is slow-cooked and simmered in coconut cream for hours until soft and tender, then wrapped in banana leaves before grilling. The result is fork-tender pata that just melts in your mouth, with each bite releasing a savory richness. Rod Ongpauco has another winner with this one, and you can only find it at Isdaan Floating Restaurant. 

After a satisfying boodle fight, take a leisurely walk around Isdaan Floating Restaurant's expansive property, let the kids go on bike rides or feed the fish...

...a relaxing experience in itself. In the evenings, acrobats and magicians take the stage to entertain guests.

Better yet, why not let off some steam and smash a few plates at Isdaan Floating Restaurant's famous Tacsiyapo Wall? Simply pick up your ammo, in this case, a few bowls, plates, cups, vases and even an old TV set, and hurl it all on the wall along with a yell of "Tacsiyapo!" It's a liberating experience, so go ahead and load up on more plates...

It's easy to spend a day at Isdaan Floating Restaurant, with its wide array of dishes and activities, so it's best to take it slow. Food trips and boodle fights take on a fun and playful vibe at Isdaan Floating Restaurant, pretty much the way Rod Ongpauco envisioned it. Now with three locations, things are looking good. But Rod Ongpauco isn't done yet, so expect even more creative innovations from the inventor of the Crispy Pata...

Isdaan Floating Restaurant is located at 219 MacArthur Highway, Gerona, Tarlac or call +63 4593-12196 for inquiries.

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