the Paolo and Debbie timeline

january 2007. vudu, cebu. debbie and pao met. this is not your love at first sight kind of story.

some months after, in manila. frequent bump ins at uno bistro.

those nights in embassy superclub, manila.

and another random encounter at alchemy bar, manila.

are we seeing a trend here? 

june 2007, alchemy bar. their paths crossed once again. guess drinkers' paths goes in the same direction.

pao offered debbie the fabled vapor shot.

i could say the rest was history, but someone needs to finish this timeline.

after that love potion of a vapor shot, pao and deb started dating. 

September 21 or 22 (depending on who tells the story), Linden Suites, Manila. after a near-fail Transformers movie first date and a few happy hours here and there later, they were finally official.

made cebu their second home. or third, if it's debbie telling the story.

october 2007. pao's first bacolod and masskara experience. and that dreaded meet the parents experience.

january 2008, cebu. pao and debbie went back to sinulog once again, this time as a couple.

april 2008. debbie left for dubai. it would have ended there. 

instead, pao followed her after a week. there's your awww moment.

a few costume parties.

some trips to the beach.

a lot of food quests.

a whole lot of killer shots.

 and travel adventures later... 

pao popped the big question. by showing off his remarkable drawing skills. 

September 21 or 22 2011, Al Maha Resort, Dubai. Debbie said YES!

October 12 2013, Bacolod. now i can say, and the rest was history. 

Bu Qtair Restaurant

inspiration strikes. in this case, inspiration is in a form of tasty deep fried fish, prepared Keralan style. Bu Qtair is a shack by the sea that serves up only the catch of the day, bathing in curry and spices and offers no frills, modest dining experience. interesting contrast to it's neighbor, the 7-star hotel a few blocks away.

there's usually a long queue to the order counter, i would assume this is caused by Bourdain's visit here a few years back. so i suggest to come just before dinner time to get ahead in line. although even with the crowd, the staff seem to deliver the food just in time.

step 1: choose your fish. it's usually a no-brainer. they would have two or three choices of fish. we chose the Sherry. and we had a few prawns too. you pay by kilo.

step 2: grab a chair and waited for about ten to fifteen minutes for your order to come in. order what you'd like to have with your mains. rice and extra curry for us. they also give out a salad with it. the paratha here is not to be missed, too.

step 3: dig in.

the crisp and the tenderness of the fish, makes it a mouth-watering combination. and with that perfect spice, topped with that curry sauce on the side, this meal is something you won't be able to stop eating. even though the curry may be burning your tongue, in a good way, you end up stuffing your mouth with some more. take it from me.

something so basic and unpretentious, with plastic mismatched chairs by the street, a portacabin tucked in a dark alley in Jumeirah, that offers the freshest of the day is sometimes all we need to hit the spot.

with sand on my feet, fingers covered in fish grease and curry sauce, i give this place two thumbs up.

Bu Qtair Restaurant
4D Street, Dubai
near Burj Al Arab