Epic Boracay Launches Its First-Ever Seafood Menu

When it comes to dance-inducing beats and fun island night outs, Epic easily comes to mind. The two-storey establishment offering breathtaking Boracay views opened last 2010, and has since been creating world-class social events with the hottest DJs, both from the local and international scene. On top of that, they curated their menu with refreshing cocktails, craveable comfort food, and unforgettable desserts, because we all know that a party goes from good to great when the grub is a big hit, too. 

“To be honest, it was a slow and steady climb for our food menu. It was our drinks that racked in sales, since the habit of party-goers is to eat elsewhere before their big night out,” Francesca de Leoz shares, Marketing Lead for the brand. But as they say, slow and steady wins the race. The challenge of the pandemic became a blessing in disguise as it pushed Epic to tweak their menu to create a more day-dining vibe which was proven to be a success. The island’s club has since been offering a family-friendly dining experience during the day before it transforms into a pulsating dance haven by night. 

Now that diners started coming in not just for their yummy cocktail drinks but also their delectable food, more and more began to request for seafood dishes. Why wouldn’t they? The central front beach view of Epic is a perfect spot for a seafood feast. And just this January, they finally did. With their executive chef Chris Delos Reyes’ concept and recipes, their new offerings are an instant hit, making tourists and locals come back for seconds.

EPIC'S SEAFOOD MENU

Look at the size of those fresh Aklan oysters! Served on a bed of crushed ice with special vinegar and their addictive cocktail sauce (it’s the right balance of sweet and spicy), the world-famous shellfish has a very subtle fish flavor and let’s you taste the deliciousness of the ocean, with hints of sweetness in between.

“We have to make sure that the temperature of the oysters are consistent throughout delivery,” Chef Chris shares, when I asked how they manage to keep the oysters fresh and safe to eat. With the right storage, handling, and bacterial tests, Epic makes sure their oysters won’t disappoint (stomachs, included). 

It’s the perfect pulutan for fish lovers! Epic’s take on the Latin American classic dish is a pure delight. The Fish Ceviche has diced fresh fish marinated and “cooked” in pure lime and lemon juice, garnished with crispy sweet potato strips and chopped hot chili. This dish explodes with a variety of textures in the mouth, making you want to order an ice, cold beer. It goes well with toasted bread slices, squeezed with a bit of orange juice for a little citrusy sweetness. It was so refreshingly good. 

I hope you don’t have seafood restrictions because this one is simply too hard to resist! The black tiger prawns are grilled to a succulent finish, topped with a generous amount of fresh mango salsa, served with Epic’s own grill sauce and house salad. The vibrant colors on the plate are so visually pleasing and the juiciness and natural sweet & salty taste of the prawns are really satisfying! As a big fan of salsa and prawns, this dish gets my seal of approval.

Whoever started pairing noodles with crab is a genius! The Black Pepper Crab is Chef Chris’ take on the Singaporean crab, and partnered with soba noodles, it was just the ultimate duo. The steamed crab is fresh, juicy, and pre-cracked so you can easily eat it, although they still do provide a cracker and a picker (plus points for these helpful tools)! The sauce is super smooth, very peppery and bursting with umami, you’d think that’s a lot since the plate is drenched, but once it tickles your taste buds, you’d wish you could take home a jar. This is my favorite, along with the Crab Al Ajillo.

Taking the cue from its name, al ajillo is Spanish for “cooked in garlic.” Now who doesn’t love the pungey, sweet, and spicy taste of this root vegetable? The mixture and richness of the sauce on Epic’s Crab Al Ajillo is insanely addictive, you’d scoop spoonfuls of it and just sip on it all through out the indulgent seafood experience. The crab is steamed to tender, succulent perfection, served with mouth-watering aligue (crab fat) rice, and with its special sauce packed with flavor and spices, this one is quite hard to forget. 

If you like Asian-style steamed fish, this is your pick. This dish consists of one whole red snapper infused with ginger, onion leeks, and a generous amount of their special soy-based sauce, topped with lots of fresh cilantro leaves and a bit of chopped red chili. Drizzle that light sauce on steamed, fluffy, white rice, get a chunk of that flakey fish, and you’ll be ordering extra cups of rice in no time. 

Epic has always offered paella, but they had to make this one a seafood special! One of Chef Chris’ biggest challenge on the menu is the Paella Negra, because they have to prepare it upon the diner’s request. But with his team and expertise, they’re able to make this Spanish classic one of the crowd-favorites. The saffron rice cooked with squid ink, topped with fresh prawns, Chilean mussels, tender squid, and juicy fish chunks is a harmony of robust flavors that leaves you wanting for more. Drizzled with Epic’s classic aioli sauce, squeezed with a bit of lemon juice, it’s an instant hit for paella and seafood lovers.

Dining with friends and family? The Seafood Platter offers a bit of everything for everyone! It consists of steamed crab, grilled squid, octopus tentacles, fish ceviche, and grilled prawns with their special salsa and dipping sauces, sprinkled with sweet potato chips, this is an arrangement that’s hard to miss. I remember seeing other diners look at our table and order this glorious seafood spread for themselves, too! If you think it’s a feast for the eyes, wait till you feast on it with your hands. Gather your favorite (sea)foodies and it’ll be a fun shared gastronomic experience. 

Epic once again proves to be excellent in what they set out themselves to do, whether it be curating the best, world-class nightlife experience for club-goers, or giving in to their diners’ seafood cravings and requests. “We just wanted to give our guests a great dining experience by highlighting the freshness of the seafood, while adding ingredients that complemented it,” Chef Chris shares. 

From drinks to food, the island’s premiere club lives up to their name, striving for people to always experience something epic. 

All food photos by Tin Lucas

Epic is open 9AM onwards, located at D’Mall Station 2, Boracay Island. Follow Epic on Instagram @epicboracay.