Chekesh Casa

Chekesh Casa is a small guesthouse restaurant with a garden terrace near Tubod Beach in San Juan, a short walk from the Coco Grove stretch. It's popular with guests from the resorts nearby, who often come for one dinner and end up eating here most nights of their stay.

The menu covers Filipino and Western food. The orders people keep recommending are the sweet and sour chicken, pork and chicken adobo, pancit bihon, kinilaw, vegetable curry, grilled tuna and the fish fillet with garlic and lemon, plus a chicken cordon bleu that gets serious praise. Squid adobo and grilled squid are worth grabbing when they're in. From breakfast to lunch there are 10 to 12 home-cooked dishes in pots by the counter, around ₱70 each: just point at what you want. Fruit shakes and mango coladas are cheap and good.

It's open 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily. Portions are big for the price, and two people can eat with drinks for around ₱700. Staff are warm and helpful with island tips, but the kitchen can be slow when it's busy, so don't come here right before a ferry. Ask what's on special that night before you open the menu.