EVEN in the big city when just about everything edible is available, you still don't get that urge to get up and go, that certain oomph to sate your appetite. There are days when you mentally go through all the restos area by area, street by street, searching for a nice place to dine in but all you end up with is the feeling of been there, done, that.

Such is the case in Boracay, a far cry from the Metropolis dining scene. Although almost everything capital-city-dining is pretty much available, staying in the island for quite some time makes you ask, "What else can we feast on?"

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Of course, you can always head to D' Talipapa and have someone cook for your market choices. But on "sloth-y days," how long can you linger in a public dining area? Solution: cook your own food. Better yet, gather your friends and have private cook fest.

This is what's nice with having fab local friends. By local, I mean residents of the island-not renting, mind you. And one of these residents is a feisty but sweet island girl named Lei.

Like the name suggests, she is as warm and welcoming as that Hawaiian garland that goes around your neck when you visit the island. And that's the welcome I got on my first visit to her tropical hilltop abode amid the vast and lush green landscaped garden.

And so I begin another island first, a make your own pizza party. Lei provides just about everything but if you want a bit more, bring your favored topping. I brought a basket of garlic!

That's how I like my pizza, the good ol' reliable tasty garlic and cheese, though I can go for a Napolitana as well.

We were pretty much the spoiled bunch. Everything in the recipe has been prepared -- kneaded and risen dough, sliced green and red bell peppers, ham and salami, grated mozzarella cheese, anchovies out their cans.

Even the garlic I brought was slivered to perfection by the help. It pretty looks and feels like a cooking show where all the chef has to do is show up.

So we went about our business in our designated corners of the work table and rolled our own dough and showered it with a glorious amount of whatever topping you fancy. And we popped it into the oven and waited while having red wine, fresh garden greens salad with mango-coconut vinegar dressing.

Not all pizzas are made the same but we tried and enjoyed everyone's flavorful creations -- a piece for each of us makes six pizzas but Sandro had to make another since we devoured his favorite that makes seven.

But the meal had to be completed with dessert. Tita Maria, who is known in the island to be a fantastic cook -- entrees to desserts -- whipped a heavenly cassava cake that it would be sacrilegious if you won't take a slice. So I went higher than heaven and finished three slices.

Coffee or tea? Time to wind down, relax and take whatever it is to help digest that sumptuous meal. Kris A on Sunday TV is not helping any.

Pizza it may have been but the meal was far from simple. The menu was full course and surprisingly pretty much like dining in a fancy Italian resto only better.

That solves the problem on where to eat episode that day.

Nothing really beats making good friends from all over. In this small island of Boracay, I found my friends whom I see and hang-out each and every time I find myself "for the first time" in this paradise. I was welcomed into their homes and this makes one great diary entry?. Or is it blogging now?

(Comments? Suggestions? Email me at jinggoysalvador@gmail.com. I promise not to promise to reply right away.)