Samurai Talabahan: A Seafood Restaurant You Wouldn't Want to Miss on Your Next Iloilo City Trip

Most Iloilo City tourists would tell you that to satisfy your seafood cravings at popular seafood restaurants such as Breakthrough and Tatoy's Manokan. Unknown to most tourists is Samurai Talabahan, a seafood restaurant that serves tasty and affordable dishes located at the bustling Diversion Road, Mandurriao.

Other than quality seafood, Samurai Talabahan is also quite accessible. The restaurant is located across the Smallville Complex and is very near SM Ciy Iloilo or UP Visayas - so you don't have to go out of your way to enjoy good seafood. You can even enjoy a hot mug of specialty coffee at the nearby Fuel.ph or at the new Madge coffee shop.


Here are some of the food I know you'll enjoy in Samurai Talabahan.

You can enjoy inihaw, vegetables, and loads of seafood. There is certainly plenty for you to try! 

This basket of Steamed Oysters (Talaba) is what I came for. At only Php45 per basket, it's a lot cheaper and fresher than what you'd get in Metro Manila - a huge bargain! 

The Baked Scallops (Php 95) is also one of my Samurai Talabahan favorites. I love the garlic and butter taste! It's a bit sweet because I think they used margarine instead of butter. However, if you sprinkle a bit of salt in there it's a delicately delicious combination. 

The Sugba na Liempo (Php 58) is another dish that I always order. It's quite cheap and it's a really tasty way to have some pork in your meal. It's a simple yet tasty dish.

The Chicken Barbecue (Php 88) is not one of my favorites, but it's the smallest chicken dish you can get. I think the Sizzling Chicken or Native Chicken would be a better option if you ate it with a large group.

The Petchay with Garlic and Butter (Php 58) was far too rich for a vegetable dish. It had loads of margarine on it so that negates any of the 'healthy stuff' that the vegetables provide. It wasn't my favorite and I wouldn't order this again. 

Food Quality: 3.5
Service Quality: 2.5
Ambiance: 3.0

Overall Quality: 3.0

Don't be discouraged by the scores I give, Samurai Talabahan is a great, convenient place to have seafood in Iloilo City. Let me know what you think of the place. 

Here's the menu in case you're interested.

Samurai Talabahan

Diversion Road, Mandurriao, Iloilo City

Further reading you might like:

• Enjoy a Top-Notch Gastronomic Experience at Bistro Carcosa
• Fuel.ph: Your Specialty Coffee Destination in Iloilo City
• Have a Taste of Native Iloilo Arabica Coffee at Madge Cafe

Don't miss out! You can follow me on Facebook or subscribe to Chef Jay's Kitchen by email to get updates on new articles. To check out my restaurant reviews, follow me on Zomato.

Cheers,
Chef Jay

Check out other Samurai Talabahan reviews on Openrice.ph.