Boodle Fight Experience in Cagayan de Oro

Boodle fight, as the urban dictionary explains, is a military style of eating where long tables are prepared and food are on top of the banana leaves. Viands and rice ready to eat using your bare hands, jugs of water are prepared on the side to wash hands before the "eating combat". With the signal to start the boodle fight, everyone aims for his/her position.

messy boodle fight table in B&W

According to Choose Philippines website, boodle fight also uses newspapers instead of banana leaf. Though eating with bare hands is a Filipino custom, this way of eating was devised by cadets of the Philippine military Academy (PMA), and does not represent authentic Philippine culture, but instead symbolizes fraternity and equality among PMA members by their sharing the same food without regard to rank. 

Eating with our bare hands is common but sharing the food with everybody is different thing. To some, this may be repulsive. Of course, we can't blame them. It is not being maarte but the thought of sharing or getting something else aside from the food is quite gross.

Previously, my mom and I had the chance to experience a boodle fight during a Pilmico thanksgiving event at Chali Beach Resort, Cagayan de Oro City. Pilmico is a food subsidiary of Aboitiz Equity Ventures and a milling company. Distributors like my mother was invited. I was her chaperone.

Small and large business owners, and guests alike dined on a long table of food laid on banana leaf. Rice, barbecued chicken and pork, grilled fish, and kinilaw na isda  or fresh fish salad were served. Some ate with disposable plastic gloves but most of us eat with our bare hands--washed bare hands, of course.

Boodle fight removes the status and ranks among us. Setting aside our arte issues, it brings us closer with the other guys, giving us the chance to get acquainted with people we don't typically talk to.

We loved the food. But most importantly, we enjoyed that feeling of camaraderie.

BOODLE FEST IN RESTOS

You can enjoy boodle fight in a more sosyal environment. A lot of restaurants in the Philippines are now introducing boodle fest menu. Blackbeard's Seafood Island is one.  It's branch in Cagayan de Oro is at Centrio Ayala Mall. Head to their Facebook page and see the nearest branch in your location.

In Metro Manila, aside from Blackbeard's Seafood Island, Yahoo features House of Pugon and Gerry's Jeepney, both located in Quezon City.

Any restaurant worth noting? Please share it through the comments below.