New restaurant in El Nido: Tanaw by chef Robby Goco

Veteran chef and restauranteur Robby Goco shares the thrills and challenges of working with local ingredients in exotic island getaways to deliver dishes that will cater to a global clientele

Necessity is the mother of invention, so they say. When chefs dabble in molecular gastronomy— such as making dust out of vegetables or spherical gels out of condensed juices— it is not really because they must, but mostly because they simply can. For top chefs, access to the best ingredients is merely a call or text message away, with their suppliers finding ways to get them their orders of artisanal French butter or Turkish spices even to the most remote locations, regardless of cost. However, when the concept is casual dining with a global menu on the beachfront of one of the Philippines’ most scenic destinations, then one needs to balance innovation with commerce to come up with dishes that will make sense.

Chef and restauranteur Robby Goco is no stranger to such challenges, having opened the first branch of his successful Greek restaurant concept, Cyma, in the island of Boracay in the early 2000s before its big boom as the Philippines’ party destination soon after (Note: the government has since imposed stricter restrictions in terms of development and hospitality operations to adhere with environmental laws to retain the island’s natural beauty). With his vast experience spanning decades and network extending to other continents, chef Goco could also simply snap his fingers and have whatever he needs for his restaurants— whether it's the best Greek olive oil or the juiciest lamb from Australia. Still, he will do no such thing, not for this project at least. In El Nido, Palawan, he scoured the local public market for what is readily available on-site to limit importation costs from the capital and elsewhere (there are some things he simply would not scrimp on, like good olive oil). With El Nido’s limestone cliffs as a dramatic backdrop to the unhurried island life below, chef Goco toured us around the market to show us what he had to work with to be able to deliver the global cuisine that is required in his latest restaurant, Tanaw.

“When I bring foreign chefs here, they immediately bring out their cellphones and start ordering ingredients elsewhere,” chef Goco chuckles. “The soil here is not as rich as that of, say, Davao or Bukidnon where they really have an abundance of produce. What we do have a lot of (here in El Nido) are root crops which grow very well in their soil, also cucumbers which are softer although paler. Of course, Palawan is known for cashews, so we use that a lot in the restaurant.” While the land might have little to offer, the surrounding waters is generous with its gifts, judging by the ample selection despite it being midday on a Saturday. The tables in fish stalls are groaning under the weight of various shellfish, monstrous groupers (too big for commercial use, but the perfect centrepiece for a family feast), giant mussels, and saltwater prawns.

Chef Goco and his team in Tanaw (which means “within view” in Tagalog) have these to play around with, and the other things on offer at the market, as well as meats from local butchers and small-batch suppliers. For chopped salads, native pechay replaces lettuce here, and we barely noticed. The fresh fish such as tanguigue and barramundi are bought whole, filleted, and then dry-aged, used in their sashimi platters and ceviche. The plumpest mussels are prepared as they would in Spain— gently marinated and cooked in olive oil, vinegar, and garlic, a bestseller on their dinner menu which encourages small plates to accompany some sub-zero beers and beachside cocktails. Still, a personal favourite is Palawan’s emblematic sungayan (which means “horned”) or unicorn fish which is prized for its fatty flesh and more commonly grilled over an open flame. In Tanaw, Goco opted to take a different route and employ one of his strengths: Mexican cuisine. The fish is filleted and sliced, then dredged in flour and deep-fried. This is then served on a platter with house-made cassava tortillas and then eaten as you would a taco with accompanying salsas.

They also offer tacos during their sunset promos which pairs wonderfully with their rather exceptional cocktails. Their head bartender, Romano, has been with Goco through many of his endeavours, and he is making sure that Tanaw will become the go-to place in El Nido for well-crafted libations. Remember the local cucumbers? They use those to make their signature cocktail that contains gin, elderflower, and key lime.

Despite the abundance of seafood, this is not a seafood restaurant. Their market is predominantly European, especially these months when they are escaping the icy-cold winter. According to chef Goco, they are very cautious when it comes to their food choices, and rightfully so. “They stick to what they know,” he imparts, “and of course, they are careful when it comes to consuming seafood, especially on holiday in a pretty remote area. They only order the ceviche when they find out we have dry-aged them, they feel safer knowing we know how to handle seafood. And of course, they look for the dishes people like to eat when they are on vacation, mostly comfort food like pasta and burgers.”

At the restaurant, they buy the whole animal which is more economical and so they find ways to use it from nose to tail. They do make a mean sisig, and the crispy fried pig’s ears are popular as well, reminiscent of a Spanish tapa dish called oreja de cerdo. Ox tail lovers will be happy to see it in their paella, while those looking for more accessible choices will be pleased that their fried chicken here is southern-style and comes with tasty gravy and biscuits to boot.

The development around Vanilla Beach has slowed down since the pandemic, and many have yet to resume construction while those that were forcefully shuttered due to the lockdowns and border restrictions are hesitant to re-open. Still, Tanaw proves to be the perfect anchor for the area, determined to provide delicious, universally embraced flavours using local products that bring forth business for the locals while also managing their food costs. While “sustainability” is a buzzword many people in the industry like to drop during discussions and interviews, few actually apply it in a way that truly makes a difference. Chef Goco and his team are putting their money where their mouth is at Tanaw, and only time will tell if their efforts will sustain them. For now, they revert focus towards their slice of El Nido with their well-executed global-island food paired with an undisputably beautiful environment. To me, it's a good start.

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Tatler Asia

Tanaw chef Robby Goco's new restaurant is now open in El Nido