IF THE Salcedo Village has a Saturday market of their own, so does Boracay Island.
If you’re making your way to the island paradise for #LaBoracay, check out the market first before you party all throughout the weekend.
Selling fresh fruits to raise fund for a sports competiion abroad & represent Boracay |
Boracay’s Saturday Community Market is the brainchild of Binggoy Remedios and Niña Bustamante, who also owns and runs the famed Spanish resto, Dos Mestizos, and the delicatessen and bakery, Gusto y Gustos, both the gourmand’s destinations are located along Calle Remedios in Station 3.
The market is a few meters away from the white beach in Station 3. |
They created a third destination—the Saturday Community Market, right beside the two restaurants, in a space that was once a bodega-of-sorts.
Support local. Saturday Market at the Dos Mestizo Compound |
Boracay’s land has a premium cost. The cost of one square meter of space has sky-rocketed when everybody wants to be in the island and wants a piece of the island.
“Rather than keep the space idle and storage for junk, we decided to put it into good use,” Binggoy said of the area.
Everybody is welcome. |
The Saturday Community Market is what the name represents, a space for the members of the Boracay community, the locals as they are called, to display and sell what they have created or produced from food, accessories, home decors, etc.
Handmade leather accessories from bracelets to helmets |
Most of the participants sell food, either pre-cooked or cooked on the spot. The offerings range from viands and desserts, breads and sandwiches, pies and pasta, homemade jams, fresh fruits and juices, vegetables and even fresh seafood.
Pasta dishes prepared fresh |
Promotions are by word of mouth and on the social media sites. Through these, the place is getting popular these days. Sellers have become regulars and designated a spot for themselves, while a few come and go, but all spaces are always occupied.
Made with TLC |
As for the guests, they are either island tourists who managed to pass by and were lured in by the crowd, the scent of cooking food or the tunes played by the guest musicians, or the locals, who have become regulars of the “available only once a week” specialties of the purveyors.
Saturday jam |
Like they say, where the good food is, people are there. This spot in the island is slowly, but surely, packing it in.
There is something for everybody |
In fact, the market has become an avenue to launch a dish, which can be their potential bestseller.
For a couple of regular purveyors, they show up weekly with two sets of loads— one to serve pre-orders and the other for selling. Amy’s empanadas and samosas, and Pebble’s desserts sell like hotcakes.
Amy sells delicious kakanin by the entrance. Must try are her empanadas & samosas. |
Chili Bomb is earning praises. Spot the longest line or the table with the terracotta cazuelas and that would be the tent.
Chili Bomb serves evertyhing hot. One of the best selling purveryors in the market |
To die for- the Tuna Laing. |
Indian food is also part of the selection. There’s an Indian lady who always join the market every other Saturday. Her food has become popular among the locals.
The Saturday Community Market may be small but it has the potential to expand. I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes a more preferred destination in Boracay.
Saturday community market is becoming a popular weekend destination in Boracay. |
As of its birth and growth, this is a successful case of “if you build it, they will come.”
Congratulations Binggoy and Niña. Keep up the great job!
*****
Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com. For more lifestyle & travel stories, visit http://apples-and-lemons.blogspot.com and http://jeepneyjinggoy.blogspot.com.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on April 28, 2016.
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