From Sea to Table: A Taste of Davao's Best at Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps

Three days of succulent crabs and shrimps and the best of local cuisine, it's a taste of Davao like no other...

Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps, a local, homegrown concept from Davao, recently opened their third branch in the King City of the South, the Crown Jewel of  Mindanao, at SM City Davao. It's time to get messy...at Davao's Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps.

A mid-morning flight from Manila to Davao aboard Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 975 kicked-off a flavorful adventure with Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps, and an overcast sky didn't dampen my appetite. Anthony and Jennifer Ang, the dynamic couple behind this iconic Davao institution, envisioned a casual dining establishment inspired by their travels to the West Coast, combining the freshest crabs and shrimps with a healthy dose of fun for a unique dining experience. The formula worked, and it didn't take long before Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps became a popular local dining spot. From one branch, Anthony and Jennifer Ang have successfully grown the business to three locations in Davao and two branches in Manila, with more planned in the pipeline. I enjoyed my previous experience at Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps in their first branch in Manila at SM City North Edsa (see my previous post, From Davao to Manila: Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps Opens at The Block), but there's nothing quite like experiencing the signature flavors where it all began...

...at their very first branch along J. P. Laurel Avenue in Lanang, Davao. Inside the cozy and spacious interiors of Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps, the friendly staff perform a never-ending parade serving bucket loads of crabs and shrimps to the packed tables. It's just another typical day...

As with all their branches, one can enjoy a refreshing beverage with their unique Nestea Mixology Bar where diners can mix and create their own drinks. It's another fun and interactive element that goes with the casual dining and "it's fun to be messy" vibe at Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps.

After a few sips with my very own customized beverage from the Nestea Mixology Bar, the staff then prepared our table, covering it with food-grade wax paper, and served the signature dishes of Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps starting with the Grilled Native Chicken, tender and juicy chicken grilled to perfection...

...and the Sinuglaw, a refreshing blend of raw fish and grilled pork belly with calamansi, green apples, and red onions. The fresh and clean notes of the fish, the savory richness of the juicy pork belly, the sweetness of the apples, the vibrant flavors of the calamansi and the bite of the onions come together in a seamless blend, a must-try dish and a tasty starter before the mains.

A wooden chopping board and metal mallet is then placed on the table, and you know the crabs and shrimps are about to be served...

At Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps, simply choose your seafood (crabs, mussels or shrimps), your cooking preference (the Blue Posts Boil, Garlic Fried, or Sambal), your choice of Extras (corn-on-the-cob, potatoes, pork sausage, Hungarian sausage, and plain rice), and your desired level of heat (Regular, Hot, Mild, and Spicy). The Blue Posts Boil with crabs, potatoes, pork sausage, and corn-on-the-cob draped in a rich garlicky and spicy sauce gets your Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps dining experience on the right track. The succulent crabs have a fresh and delicate briny sweetness, kicked up by the bold flavors of the Cajun-style sauce. And yes, use your hands and get messy.

Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps continues to innovate and expand its offerings with new flavors, like the Shrimps in Garlic Lemon Sauce. The nutty garlic and sharp lemon notes bring out the natural sweetness of the plump shrimps without overpowering it, perfect with steamed white rice.

Another new variant is the Crabs in Salted Egg, fried crabs with garlic and salted egg, real salted egg cubes and not just salted egg powder or sauce. Crabs, garlic and salted egg...perfect.

Follow it up with some Garlic Fried Shrimps, and you've got a real seafood feast, from sea to table, Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps style. The plump shrimps are so fresh and crispy, you don't even have to peel it.

The popularity of Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps among locals resulted in the opening of a second branch just a few blocks down J. P. Laurel Avenue at the Lanang Business Park. The close proximity of the branches offer diners an option in case the other branch is packed full, which is normally the case.

Consistent with the "it's fun to be messy" theme at Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps, diners are encouraged to leave their mark on the walls, and the second branch is already getting that familiar signature look courtesy of satisfied customers.

Anthony Ang toured the group at their second location, pointing out key elements that distinguish Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps from the usual casual dining restaurants, including the bright color palette and the graffiti walls. 

After a sumptuous lunch, a short trip takes us to a part of the city close to the hearts of Anthony and Jennifer Ang. The success of Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps have allowed Anthony and Jennifer Ang to support their personal advocacy for children with special needs with the recent opening of Open Hand School for Applied Arts in Davao City.

The trip to Open Hand School for Applied Arts allowed me to see yet another side to Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps. Young children with developmental disabilities, like autism, dyslexia, cystic fibrosis, and Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can find a home at the OHSAA.

Young students go through specially designed training programs to help children with special needs integrate into mainstream society with practical knowledge and applications. At Open Hand School for Applied Arts, students go through a series of learning stages, like Transition Into Employment (TIE), Towards Employment and Entrepreneurship (TEE), Get Ready to Work (GROW), Life Skills Development (LSD), and Enrichment Classes. Students also get to choose their field of interest, including music, culinary, photography, computer, arts and crafts. Anthony and Jennifer Ang's support for Open Hand School for Applied Arts include hiring graduates for employment in their growing chain of restaurants. 

At the upper floor of Open Hand School for Applied Arts, a young child is given a one-on-one session by trained educators. This is one unseen side of Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps that made it even more special...

The aroma of freshly baked macaroons and chocolate revel bars greeted the group as we returned back down, each one created by the staff and students of Open Hand School for Applied Arts. The stop of OHSAA was a pleasant and eye-opening diversion, making this Davao adventure unique and memorable. It also reinforced my respect for the people behind Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps, showing their big hearts and giving back where it matters.

No trip to Davao is complete without a mandatory stop at the market to sample Davao's King of Fruits...

You either love it or hate it, the notorious reputation of Durian presents yet another layer of Davao's rich and diverse flavors.  

And you'll have to try it at least once to complete your Davao adventure. It's been a full day of new flavors and experiences, but there's still more to come...