Tops Grill Catbalogan

dusk highland view of Catbalogan City from Tops Grill
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"..,
Tops Grill, Catbalogan City

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

This is the (inner) east side of Catbalogan. The sun rises at left behind those mountains..,
dusk highland view of Catbalogan City from Tops Grill
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..,
dusk highland view of Catbalogan City from Tops Grill
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..,
dusk highland view of Catbalogan City from Tops Grill
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!
night time highland view of Catbalogan City from Tops Grill
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!

Previous
Next

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trapped In Oras, Eastern Samar

Image
Oras is a pacific-facing town up the northern portion of Eastern Samar. This town's name is not pronounced like the Tagalog word for time. No, not like that! It is [o'ras] where the stress is in the second syllable. The speed and tone is like how you say the English words "alight", "chorale", "amass" or "awash". Okay, that's good enough, I know you got it! Uu da, oke na da it! Asya it! Yesterday, I was in the area checking on some work-related matters. Stayed overnight in this town as I haven't yet heard if accommodation facilities are available in San Policarpo or Arteche (these are the 3 northern-most towns of Eastern Samar). This morning, I was on my way to other nearby places, but.. I got trapped (happily) by a parade! That long white bridge behind them is the only way out south... A youngish set of town officials, I must say. Oh, the girl in the middle is not a muse. She is THE Mayor! But by the looks of it, she migh...
Read more

Hinatuan, A Quick Visit

Image
Happy (and thankful) to have seen the center of this town, even if I did not at all dream of being in the place yet! I only wanted to see Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted River which I thought were both in Bislig ! Only to find out that Enchanted River is even farther away than Hinatuan, from Bislig or Tinuy-an Falls! This place is out of the way if you come from anywhere in Bislig to the Enchanted River or vice-versa! So, how did I find myself here? Nag-detour? Well, I would like to think of this as some kind of a gift! An addition to my itinerary (at no extra cost), for lack of anything else to do and/or any place else to see! Why? Because we were moving too fast from place to place, because: I did not stay long at Tinuy-an Falls or Enchanted River.., because: there were just too many visitors that I did not enjoy it any longer! Whose fault? Mine! Lesson learned: DO NOT VISIT SURIGAO DEL SUR ON A HOLY WEEK! So.., because we were already done with Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted Ri...
Read more

THE BOULEVARD, Surigao City

Image
Virtually everyone in Surigao City is related to this boulevard directly or indirectly! It's such a big thing , they even have a Surigao City Boulevard Development Program and a Surigao City Development Authority . I'm not joking. Those are for real. As in! Involved in it are not only their local politicians but also the chambers of commerce. What is it anyway? Foremost it's a 1.8 kilometer stretch of a highway along the seafront. The concrete pavement tells me it is still new. That is it! Walang basagan ng trip! It is an emulation (kumbaga sa Tagalog pa: gaya-gaya ) of Roxas Boulevard in Manila, or pwede rin Dumaguete’s Rizal Boulevard - and many other seafront boulevards. Aside from being a “park” for the residents, it is supposed to be an attraction in the city, showcasing whatever bla-blah-blah to attract tourists from everywhere on earth. While I was inclined to raise my eyebrows, it did attract me. I was a tourist, right?! So okay, without a speck of d...
Read more