Boracay Tropical, 401 Town & Country, Sunnyvale CA 94086, (408) 73900-7200

Forget San Francisco. Forget Daly City. Forget all other American cities including New York. The best restaurant serving Pin@y food is Boracay Tropical at Sunnyvale.

Quick, if you were planning to go to a restaurant, brave the distance and the traffic and go to Boracay Tropical. Order the seafood sampler/platter ($18) and the inihaw na baboy ($12). You will be delighted.

This restaurant is for those of us who value quality in food. Quantity is there, but the taste is the king in this place. The mangoes mixed with the bagoong were fabuLOUS! Childhood memories ika nga! The daing, pusit and mussels were excellent. The squid was nice and soft, not rubbery. The inihaw na baboy had the feint aroma of smoke and fire. Yup, yup, yup. Delicious.

We had the kilawin na mackerel. This is kilawin ala Pin@y style. The fish will come to you already cooked by the vinegar. The mixture of the vinegar, green chile, and the onions is heavenly. It is amazing that a melding of flavors could be achieved like this. Only love and care can do this kind of cooking.

Because it is located in Sunnyvale, most of the patrons are Caucasians. And that is why I am telling you dear people that you have to go visit this restaurant. Go get your Pin@y self visiting and enjoy the quality of food. Did I mention that their halo-halo put to shame most other store's halo-halo? Even the fabled Sinugba in its pre-Christian days could not make a halo-halo like this. The gulaman had taste! The sago was textured with flavors! And the ice cream! Whatever ice cream was being used should be outlawed. I think that ice cream was the best mango ice cream I've had. Pure decadence. Talk about silky and fattening.

If you have friends who are not Pin@ys, go and take them to Boracay Tropical. Excellent food, excellent prices. The restaurant is not turo-turo so don't expect turo-turo prices or taste.