BECAUSE of tight competition among oyster restaurants in Iloilo, a company sought to move to Cebu City to offer the Ilonggo taste to Cebuanos.

Jeffrey Martinez, president of CBMP Food Corp., said they had to fold up and look for other strategic locations outside the region.

“It’s worth a try (in Cebu). For the first three months of operation, we had to throw boxes of oysters because they didn’t get served, and we want to only serve quality and fresh ones,” he said.

He said because every restaurant was serving oysters in Iloilo, it made business difficult for them.

“Every street corner in Iloilo serves oysters. There’s no difference because if you’re all serving oysters, there’s nothing special about you,” he said.

In 2017, they transferred to Cebu and established their first branch in Mahogany Place in Mabolo, Cebu City.

Franchised outlets were opened in 2018 in Alfresco Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City and Parkmall in Mandaue City. The newly-opened fourth outlet, also a franchise, is located at the M2 Building on Escario St., Cebu City. Now, they are slowly getting the kind of reception they want from the Cebuano market.

“We are overwhelmed by the Cebuanos who welcomed our food and accepted it,” he said.

Charcoal Boy Grilled and Oysters offers seafood dishes like grilled bangus, and oysters with flavors that vary, from their bestselling baked oyster with cheese and garlic, baked hot chili oysters, baked Rockefeller oysters, crispy fried oysters and steamed.

“Our oysters are flown and shipped from Iloilo, Aklan and Capiz to Cebu. So we assure that we serve fresh oysters every day,” Martinez said. All four branches can consume 600 kilos of oysters every other day.

“In Cebu, we found out that it’s really rare for you to find a restaurant that serves oysters. And if there is one, it’s expensive,” he said.

Prices range from P92 to P380 for every meal.

Charcoal Boy also serves grilled chicken breast, grilled chicken leg, grilled bangus, pork sisig, grilled barbecue belly, and lechon kawali, which come with unlimited rice and iced tea.

Charcoal Boy is open from Monday to Sunday, 11: a.m. to 10 p.m.