Then and Now: Blackbeard's Seafood Island at Eastwood City

It's been a while since I last ate at Blackbeard's Seafood Island--the last time I remember eating at one of their restaurants was way back during the mid-2000s at their Market! Market! branch at Bonifacio Global City. I specifically remember their staff dressed in elaborate pirate costumes, entertaining (or frightening!) guests as they dined. I also remember they had live music at Market! Market! during the evening hours, and sometimes even during the day. The atmosphere was certainly unique, and it was quite an experience.

When we got the chance to try them out again after so long--this time at their Eastwood branch--we did notice some changes. For one, the pirate costumes have now been replaced by simple black shirts and slacks (or cargo shorts), and the festive atmosphere was no longer there. Instead, we noticed that the place seemed eerily quiet when we entered, despite the fact that there was a large family occupying a really long table, as well as other diners seated elsewhere. There wasn't even any piped-in music--we could only hear faint music coming from outside/the nearby establishments. Um...what happened?

The place also seemed quite overstaffed--we were literally hounded by several waiters as we entered, to the point that it made me feel a bit uncomfortable rather than welcomed. Whoa, calm yourselves, guys.

However, the food we ordered was unquestionably good. We loved every single thing we ordered, despite the apparent dreariness of the place. Serving sizes were also huge, so we had some leftovers.

Although the restaurant actually specializes in seafood, we only actually ordered one seafood dish (oops)--my mom's favorite Salmon Head Sinigang. I only had soup and ate the veggies, but it seemed pretty good to me. My parents loved it!

The Batangas Beef Adobo was interesting--a nice break from the usual pork or chicken adobo.

The Lechon Kawali Pakbet was good enough--but I really just prefer our very own Pinakbet recipe at home.

I highly recommend the Crispy Binagoongang Baboy--this one was certainly my favorite dish of the night! I also couldn't get enough of the tomatoes, green mango, and the onions that came along with it. 

Final Thoughts

The food alone is without a doubt a good enough reason for me to come back--however, what's sorely lacking is the festive, pirate-y atmosphere that people have come to know the place for. As I have learned in so many case studies we've taken up back in college, people come back to a restaurant not only for the food but also for the experience of dining there. In Blackbeard's Seafood Island's case, the costumes and festive mood are part of the experience.

I'm really hoping this place will be able to bounce back soon. It would be such a shame to see all that potential go to waste.