Dining with Bob Marlin

Friday, January 27, 2012

YOU MIGHT have assumed that this restaurant is home to Jamaican cuisine, particularly seafood. The word play between the name of the famous Jamaican artist Bob Marley and the fish marlin aside—Bob Marlin Restaurant & Grill actually serves well-loved Filipino dishes amid a smooth Rastafarian ambiance.

The Bob Marlin brand originated from Camarines Sur. It was brought to Cebu by young chef Evan Lester Fernando. Tweaking the menu choices a bit, then adding his own touch of culinary magic, Fernando made sure that the Cebu-based Bob Marlin offers something distinctive and appealing to local taste buds.

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“Everything here is basically comfort food for me,” said Evan.

Evan, a graduate of the Philippine School of Culinary Arts, worked as an executive sous chef in Golden Prince Hotel. He opened Bob Marlin last September.

One of Bob Marlin’s specialties, the Crispy Pata (fried pork leg), is derived from an old family recipe in CamSur. It’s crunchy on the outside, deliciously soft on the inside, and best matched with its signature sweet sauce.

Bob Marlin also has a unique take on some favorites. Its Ziggy’s Sisig Krispy is sisig (diced animal parts) mixed with mayonnaise and sprinkled with spring onions for a tangy taste.

Then there’s Dinuguang Baka, a rather interesting dish not commonly served in Cebu. From the name itself, it’s basically similar to the traditional dinuguan (blood stew), but instead of using pork blood and meat, they use beef.

For dining with family or friends, Bob Marlin offers group treats served in a bilao (winnowing basket). Included in this truly Pinoy-style meal is a hefty serving of rice placed in the middle, surrounded by liempo (pork belly), grilled squid, tahong (mussels), and many more. This satisfying treat can cater to up to three to four persons.

What’s remarkable about Bob Marlin is that it is also a good place where one can simply chill out. Its Café Rasta offers a wide selection of beverages, from beer buckets to its very own concoctions. Its bestselling drink is the Rasta Paling, a cocktail treat in Rasta colors: red, gold and green.

Bob Marlin Restaurant & Grill is located on the ground floor of Parkmall in Mandaue City. It looks small from afar, but it actually has a bigger space on the second floor, where it regularly holds events like reggae music performances.

Even those who aren’t fans of reggae music or the Rastafarian lifestyle will surely find their way to Bob Marlin. Good food, cool ambiance—there they will find simple delights Bob Marley would surely want them to revel in.