KaLui of Puerto Princesa, Palawan: DINNER Review

I am currently on a long vacation, which has hindered me to update my blog as often as I used to. I have been out-of-town since February. Since my departure I have visited Palawan for the first time and have also gone to Cebu. At present I am in Bohol spending a much awaited bonding session with my family. Since I haven’t been able to attend any events in Metro Manila, I decided to write about the many fabulous things I’ve discovered outside the metro instead. Today, I would like to put the epic KaLui on the spotlight.

KaLui is open from Monday to Saturday; 11-2 pm (Lunch) and 6-11 pm (Dinner).

I’ve come to learn about KaLui through ultra positive reviews from my friends, Roni and Pauie. They have both been in Palawan and they kept repeating I should DEFINITELY eat in KaLui upon reaching Palawan. Due to my utmost trust on their judgement, my husband and I decided to make KaLui our first meal in the charming island. Upon disembarking from the plane, we immediately dropped our bags in the hotel and went straight to KaLui… seriously.

The many awards of KaLui.

KaLui is a quaint hideaway situated in the popular food strip of Rizal Avenue of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. If you are new in Palawan and you haven’t heard of it, you might not even notice the restaurant since it’s surrounded with huge trees and shrubberies. While driving to the restaurant, I was a little bit wary since I wasn’t able to make any dinner reservations. Based from the guidance of our hotel receptionist, one should place a reservation before eating at KaLui. Aside from this info, she even said KaLui guests would often book a week before eating in the place! Nevertheless, we held on to the faith that they may have seats for us. Luckily, they did!

The front desk and hardworking waiters of KaLui.

Upon entering their garden/reception area, I already felt the calmness and serenity that the place would like their customers to feel. Their décor were mostly made of Filipino products and it feels so much like home. 

We are Palawanderers!

They also have an exhibit in the restaurant aside from already showcasing a number of paintings depicting the heritage of Filipinos. I loved the fact that they had many paintings of Filipinas as well. I’ve always been an admirer of paintings celebrating the Filipina. 

Paintings on the ceiling.

They also asked us to remove our slippers/shoes and place them in woven shoe boxes for safekeeping. Walking barefoot on their smooth wooden floor gave me this Zen-like feeling I haven’t had in other restaurants. We were then led to their Tungsten-lit dining area where we were pretty much excited to begin our first KaLui dining experience.

Yes we are barefootin'!

My husband taking a shot with the shoe storage baskets.

 Our waiter was very courteous. However, since they are often very busy, sometimes they are unable to attend to our needs as quickly as I would like. Nevertheless, I fully understand their situation and that was not much of a big deal for me. I can see that they are trying their best anyway.

The lovely table arrangements.

You may dine two ways: on your seat or on the floor! 

Our chosen meals for the night were the Tubbataha salad (definitely a must-try for adventurous people!), Fish Cordon Bleu, and Shrimps in Garlic Butter. (I have always been a shrimp and garlic aficionado so I just had to order it!) 

My favorite Shrimps in Garlic! (PhP 215.00)

The Fish Cordon Bleu meal (PhP 215.00)

Another fave: Banana shake!

My husband, being the risk-taker that he is, ordered the Tubbataha salad. I was actually wary to order this salad because its ingredients were the following:

·         Fresh tuna sashimi strips

      Cashew Nuts

·         Avocado

·         Ripe mango

·         Seaweed

·         Papaya

·         Chili

·         Pomelo

·         Palawan dressing (with vinegar and calamansi)

A must try! Affordable too!

The Tubbataha salad

And I was like “Would all those actually taste good together?!” My husband ordered it anyway and we both loved it! I don’t think the salad would be liked by all since it has a really unique taste but I’m glad it worked out well for us. I’ve come to love eating fresh seaweeds after eating this salad too. The great thing about the Tubbataha is that it created a totally new mix of flavours for my husband’s adventurous palette. I’m glad we both shared something cool and new that night.

After-meal shot. All so yum.

After sharing a lovely meal, KaLui gave us free fruits served in a coconut bowl! I’m so glad that such a popular restaurant would still give their customers freebies! 

Mixed fresh fruits in a coconut shell.

I decided to visit their loo after eating to also include it in this review. I have always been very particular with comfort rooms. They have to be clean, with dry flooring, adequate water, soap, and tissue, etc. I am actually amazed when I entered the comfort room of KaLui because it exceeded my expectations. The comfort room was very clean and all needed materials were provided for. They even have a lounge area and paintings on the walls. Marvelous!  

Rating: For the fantastic dinner, ambiance, affordability, and overall experience, I give KaLui 5 out of 5 exotic veggie salad bowls! Just amazing!

TIP: This restaurant is best for dinner dates.

Reserve a dinner date at KaLui today!

  

Lots of Love,

Jacq