NewsRecord Weekly Publication

Food for Tooth
By Otto George I. Weber

Food and Fukien

As San Carlos City has grown and expanded this past decade, so has the number of restaurants increased. With only a dozen or so back then, the number has about doubled since then. From the simplest fare to a full-course dinner, locals and out-of-towners alike are now offered a wider variety to choose from. 
Being the first of a series of articles about where to eat and what to expect, this writer will attempt to showcase what San Carlos City has to offer in terms of culinary delights from a layman's point of view. 

Not being a chef or a restaurateur, for that matter, this column will simply try to reflect a personal opinion of the dining experience at a particular establishment. Observations will be made on the quality of food, ambience, service and cleanliness. 
After all, like most of my kababayans who also enjoy eating out, it just seemed like a good idea to write about the dining experience this side of Negros Island. Hopefully, increased awareness about them may not only lead to more patronage but also result to better food quality and improved service. In short, value for our hard-earned money. 
So with that in mind, the succeeding write-ups will be a personal view of restaurants (big and small) visited and their food tasted. Until then, Bon Apetit!
Fukien Food
Probably the only place in town with a real Chinese heritage, Ama Tiya's Restaurant has managed to retain its southeastern Chinese cooking all these years.
A row of back-to-back booths along one side (ala dimsum houses) provides an intimate setting for a group of four to enjoy the house's signature thick 'lomi' or steaming 'hototay.'
Basically done in the Fookienese/Taiwanese style of cooking, the other dishes are delicious and flavorful as well. Crowd favorites are the sweet and sour recipes as well as the rice toppings. Introducing more options with emphasis on its ancient roots would be most welcome and more likely than not, arouse additional interest. 
Service-wise, the staff needs to be more welcoming and attentive to customers. At least, the restrooms are clean but kind of small and could use some more ventilation.
With a videoke in place to cater to the beer-drinking crowd, it somewhat lessens the place's appeal to family-oriented dining. Just across the street from BDO, Ama Tiya's is a nice spot for merienda and some 'barkadahan' sing-along with cold beer and tasty ngoyong.