MARINA Seafood Restaurant in Robinson's Place Ermita

Marina in 2nd Floor of RP Manila

Last Sunday (April 7, 2013), I urged my family to try a restaurant that we don't frequently visit. This was for us to be more adventurous in terms of exploring restaurants and tasting various dishes. And gladly, they granted my request.

With this, we decided to walk around Robinsons' Place Ermita in search for a restaurant that we haven't tried at all. And frankly, we didn't expect this task to be tricky. Luckily the search was cut short when we stumbled upon this restaurant called Marina which is nestled between Pedro Gil Wing and Midtown Wing. (Trivia: This area where Marina is located used to be really popular before the Midtown Wing was constructed. Since new restaurants emerged after, the popularity of the area declined.)

Marina is in the borderline between Pedro Gil Wing and the Midtown Wing

The place isn't that fancy since it somehow exudes an "inuman" ambiance which may be intentional or maybe not. But regardless, it didn't contributed to a better dining experience.

Let's begin the Feast!

Here's the menu of the Marina, what's your order? Okay, here's our pick:

Here's the Menu of Marina Seafood Restaurant

The first one to come up was of course the beverages! My younger brother had a Watermelon Shake at P90. And I asked if I could take a sip so I can share the taste with you.

Beat the heat with a Watermelon Shake!

The taste of this shake was great, but it was just the way I expected it to be. Well, it really is hard to differentiate basic shakes, right? Nevertheless, for P90, I guess I would think twice next time if I'll order this one up.

My mom ordered this Sago't Gulaman at P60 while the rest of us decided just to have water.

Thirst-quencher Sago't Gulaman, a Filipino Classic!

I asked her what she can say about it, and she noted that it was refreshing especially that the ice was finely crushed. But what she didn't like about it was that the gulaman was chewy. 

Now for the main course dishes, we had first the Beef Kare-Kare at P320.

This Kare-Kare, generally a family favorite, also tasted great, but there was nothing so special about it. In fact, I still prefer the Kare-Kare of Barrio Fiesta because that one is creamier with a more distinct flavor. And with a P26 peso-difference (the latter being more expensive), I think I would still pick Barrio Fiesta.


Next one up is the amazing Baked Oyster at P299!

Yummy and creamy Baked Oyster!

The Baked Oyster was the highlight of the lunch for me. It featured a creamy and cheesy accented taste. And I can infer that the baking technique was great because the oyster's texture was fine!  Thumbs-up for this dish! (Note: The taste of the cheese is really distinct, so if you are not a fan of it, then you may not enjoy it much).

Before we proceed, I just remembered that when we ordered oysters (not the baked ones) in Aida's Manokan Country in Bacolod, a plateful just costed us P40. So, if this is your benchmark, the price of the Baked Oyster will appear to be far more expensive. But, disregarding that fact, I guess it was just priced right.

Grilled Squid at P99/ 100 grams with a minimum of 400 grams.

Delicious and tender Grilled Squid of Marina

Your first bite of this Grilled Squid may indicate that the texture of it was rough, but that was because of the "skin". In fact, as you go along the journey, the texture will eventually smoothen out giving a somehow lasting impression. Yet again, I believe that this wasn't the best grilled squid I tasted so far.

Grilled Liempo at P199.

Interesting but "fatty" Grilled Liempo

This liempo tasted fine but it wasn't very much tender and delicious. But this was forgivable because Marina specializes on seafood and not with this type of dish. However, what disappointed me was that the liempo contained a big portion of fat which made it not-so-worth the price.

Now, for something new: Grilled Blue Marlin Steak at P158/100 grams with a minimum of 300 grams.

The famous  juicy Grilled Blue Marlin Steak of Marina

Initially, just before we started tasting the dishes, I thought that this Grilled Blue Marlin Steak would be the best dish of the day (and this was heightened by the fact that they placed it on top of their menu). However, it was surpassed by the Baked Oyster (Note: This is just a personal preference). Although, I admit that the flavor was great since it was highlighted by the playful taste of  butter and garlic. Plus, the "velvety" texture of the fish meat provided a memorable "ticklish" feeling inside my mouth. And that basically sums up all that we had during the lunch.

Here's a photo of my family eagerly waiting for their stomach to be filled.

Waiting for the delectable seafood dishes!

And the question is, were we satisfied? Well, yes! Because of that, I would recommend that you also try this one out. And since the prices are reasonable, it somehow provides great value for your money. Note, however, that if your purpose is to taste something unique and special, this place may not be suitable for you. 

Hasta luego!

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Marina Seafood Restaurant
4th Level, Midtown Wing
Robinsons Place, Manila