Everything Random

The month of July is my holiday month and so I will be sharing for the whole month the places that I visited with my family for our annual holiday in the Philippines.

First stop: Ikigai. Location: Corella, Bohol.

This is my good friend Marlou Pandan’s retirement project. Originally conceptualised as a retirement home tucked in an interior barangay in Corella, Bohol, the place has now become a go-to restaurant for people who love nature and good food. And it’s not a suprise, to be honest. As soon as you arrive at the place, you can feel the positive energy all around. The smell of “the good earth”, the rustling of leaves, the silence that envelopes the whole property as cicadas sing without end.

The place is tastefully decorated and has the feels of a once-house turned restaurant. It is full of repurposed items (e.g. a wooden house pillar that frames the relaxation cottage) and local craftman’s masterpieces (e.g. furnitures from Manga).

The food is good – the drinks as well. The owners, Marlou and his business partner – creates a menu that’s eclectic enough to suit various palates. There’s my favorite native manok halang-halang that sits alongside pizza and pasta. And not to mention, we took home with us 20 pieces of binangkal.

Marlou and his team also sources out their ingredients from families in the community – from avocados to ginger. They also grow their own vegetables and also provide spaces for local fruit producers. When we went there, fresh pineapples are for sale. I also saw decades-old pottery from households in the area.

I am glad a place of this kind exists and I am happy that Marlou was able to realise his “Ikigai” dream. It’s a retirement haven indeed. Now they are affording that experience to others through the restaurant. Cheers to more years!