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Surf’s up in La Union!
If you’re the type who gets excited at the thought of riding the waves, the months of July to March should be the best time for you to go there, where you can experience waves as high as 8 ft.
Unfortunately, we went there last June, and the sea was as flat as flat can be!
Despite the lack of surfing, we did have plenty of things to do in La Union (thanks to Lois Yasay and Raf Dionisio!), from the drinking games we had at the Circle Hostel, to snorkeling, beach combing, and yes, going on a food trip!
No surfing! View from Kahuna Resort in San Juan.
If you’re looking for good places to eat in La Union, here are my recommendations.
Urbiztondo Grill House
Urbiztondo Grill is highly recommended for those who are on the lookout for delicious lutong bahay food that can be had for a very reasonable price. We had an assortment of Filipino favorites; I loved the grilled squid (P155) and the chicken cordon bleu (P150).
I also enjoyed their sinigang (fish stew, P190). All their dishes were good for at least two people.
Sumptuous dishes at Urbiztondo Grill, San Juan. ©Kaiye Pallarco
Located along the national highway in San Juan, just across Urbiztondo Beach, you can contact Urbiztondo Grill House at +63.905.603.8023 for reservations or for more information. They can also be reached via email at <urbiztondogrillhouse@gmail.com>.
Thunderbird Resort Poro Point
A 5-star resort located in San Fernando City around 20-30 minutes from San Juan, Thunderbird Resort Poro Point is a must-visit, not only for their building designs which are Santorini-inspired, but more importantly, for their Saturday night Japanese buffet from 6pm to 10pm. (Read my post: The Beauty of Santorini)
Thunderbird Resort has huge pools as well as access to the beach.
I wasn’t much of a Japanese food lover before; give me Thai or Vietnamese food any time and I’d be in foodie heaven. It was only in Thunderbird that I fully appreciated how good Japanese food can be!
Having sampled Thunderbird’s array of sushi and sashimi dishes, I instantly became a fan. Their sashimi was fresh and tender, and I also loved the crab sticks. I went back to the buffet table a couple of times just for the salmon alone.
My first plate of sushi, sashimi, and tempura.
The buffet wasn’t so expensive, too, at only P770/head. With all the food I ate, it was definitely worth it!
Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa
Another highly-recommended place to eat in San Juan is the restaurant in Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa. Also located along the national highway, the restaurant offers an excellent view of the beach.
We had a platter of grilled seafood and barbeque for brunch, but what I liked best was the eggplant salad, which, unfortunately, did not seem enough for all of us. Perhaps we had enough of the meat dishes and wanted more vegetables; in any case, it quickly ran out, leaving us craving for more. I guess it was just delicious!
Kahuna Salu-Salo Meal (P1,400) good for 6 persons. ©Daene Luna
Check out the Facebook page of Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa for more information.
Photo Credits: Kaiye Pallarco and Daene Luna.
Disclaimer: I was a guest of the restaurants mentioned, but my opinions in this review are mine alone.
Aleah Taboclaon is a location independent writer, editor, and the travel blogger behind Solitary Wanderer. She's partial to slow travel, and prefers extreme adventures like hiking and caving over sightseeing. She likes running (completed one marathon, training for the next!), diving (PADI open water diver), and traveling with her Kindle. Follow her on Instagram and Pinterest!
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15 Comments. Leave new
@ Kin: I haven’t had the steak. The others I had made me so full already. Can’t wait to go back!
I love the steaks of Urbiztondo Grill…I always eat there when I go surfing
@ Edward: I haven’t tried surfing, so I don’t know if I’ll be good at it, too. Good thing they had the food tour (and snorkeling), otherwise, we wouldn’t know what to do there without the waves.
@ Wander Shugah: I know, right? haha
@ Leigh: Yeah the view at Thunderbird is amazing!
I’m not a surfer but I do like to eat – and the food looks mouthwatering. Thunderbird Resort looks like it enjoys quite the view too.
770/head for a buffet dinner is never that bad! Thats sulit! 😀 im salivating with all these photos 🙁
I haven’t even a quarter of the coordination needed to surf properly, but I’m pretty sure I would have felt right at home on that food tour. Everything looks incredibly delicious! I’m craving some good, fresh sushi now. Looks delicious.
@ Salika: I’m not so much into surfing, too, so I enjoyed the flat ocean for snorkeling 🙂
@ Dannii: My friends have had it and they love it. I haven’t had a chance to taste it though. Sayang.
try halo halo de iloko in la union and experience ilocano dishes with a twist plus try the much raved halo halo of La Union.
The food looks delicious! I’m not big on surfing so I would have enjoyed the flat sea.
@ Marisol: We’d had fun in La Union even without the waves (and surfing). Would love to go back there and go on a food trip again!
Hi Aleah, I remember spending a fun summer on a beach house in La Union when I was a kid and this brings back fond memories. Nice to see beaches are still beautiful. Great tip about the food places. They all sound scrumptious and your photos are saliva-inducing, I particularty like to try Urbiztondo for its lutong bahay.
@ Frugal Expat: Yeah, it was delicious!
wow, that looks so yummy..
Php 1400 for salu-salo meal is a good deal..
Thanks for the recommendation.
Kahuna’s food was terrible and OVER-PRICED!
Sounds like you had a bad experience there, Doc. Sorry to hear that.