Tops Grill Catbalogan

A cool breezy hangout overlooking the city center of Catbalogan that I didn't know existed until today!

How did this happen? Ah well, I was supposed to have an important meeting over afternoon snacks at a popular restaurant in the city. But I was late due to that accident in the previous story, remember? So the ka-meeting said we meet instead at Top's Grill, and I said "nge, saan yan"! I was given instructions!

"Don't come down to the city. Turn right at the Diversion Road. About 4kms, you'll see it on your left".

Really now?! Okay I followed the "very clear" instructions, and at about 4kms, I saw this..,

I hesitated and asked myself aloud "could this be it, could it be this"? The driver (atrevida) replied with all confidence "I doubt"! So we moved forward, and oops, end of diversion, we reached Camp Lukban!

Back back back.., we moved very slowly to make sure.., and found out that yes it is this and this is it!

We actually stopped so I could ask. But when I entered the "gate", I saw the friend was already there!

Nice place. Everything seem still a little bit new. Some structures are even still "in-the-making"..,

Food is nice - no frills - more on the grilled things. They do have 'short orders'. And they have rice, yey!

This is the (inner) east side of Catbalogan. The sun rises at left behind those mountains..,

On foreground is the Antiao River, just before it empties out unto the sea (Maqueda Bay).

And this.., is the central and western (coastal) side of the city, and Maqueda Bay..,

Piers 1 and 2 of the Port of Catbalogan cannot be seen (at right) because of this hill on foreground.

The setting sun cannot also be seen from this place. It's a little bit more to the right.., behind this hill..,

Just the same, the views and surroundings get more interesting as the skies get darker.

And the views are still grand, way into the night!

Easy for me to recognize that people come to this place not for the food but for the views. Maupay!

More Notes:
No regular commuter vehicles from the city center come to this place. If, at all, you see vans or buses going either way, they are surely not going to the city center, because, they pass here to avoid it in the first place. This is THE Diversion Road!

You will have to arrange (and agree with the fare before getting on the ride) for a tricycle "special trip". Ah, in Catbalogan "tricycle" is synonymous to "pedicab", "padyak", "pedalcab", "potpot", etc. And none of them can possibly climb to this place, even if drivers say they can! They'll have to be super human!

Say "Pajero" [pa-djye-ro]. That is how motorized tricycles are called in Catbalogan! Well, to be precise, they're also called 'tricycles' (by some) as indeed they are. But you'll have to say "traysikol nga motor"!

Catbalogan does not have any taxi. There are no "real" taxis in the whole Eastern Visayas - Region VIII (Samar, Leyte, Biliran Islands). Those Lhuiller Taxis in Tacloban aren't real - they don't use their meters.

Ah, there are no habal-habal commuter rides in Catbalogan (yet), and yes, I do wonder why - especially that their roads are generally narrower and congested with every kind of land vehicle you can imagine!

Lastly, when you're already at Top's Grill (even during the day) and you have no ride going down to city center, what do you do since there is no Grab, Uber or Angkas whatever? Don't panic! Seek help of the staff or owners. They can txt/call pajeros they know. At night, a pioneering "pajero" now waits outside.

Okay, I like this place. I'm sure I'll be back soonest!