Fresh seafood, reasonable prices, an atmosphere where you can eat with much gusto, good service, a menu of how you want your food cooked, a little shopping while you wait for your food… you do know that I’m talking about Dampa sa Libis, right? 
This has become one of H and my favorite places to eat in. In one word: SULIT!
The whole Dampa is divided into three areas. The first part is the wet market, the second part is the eating area, and the last part is the bazaar.
Stop by the wet market first to pick out your seafood. I suggest going around the stalls first before zoning in on one. The seafood is fresh and you can haggle if you want. I’m not good with that (marketing AND haggling) so my mother-in-law usually takes care of this part of the Dampa experience. As you walk through the stalls, watch out for the puddles! And if you’re not into seafood, there are also stalls selling meat for inihaw, etc.
I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
After you pick out your ingredients, pay the market stall vendor. Then proceed to the weighing station. On your way to the station you’ll see a huge sign with the different ways you can have your ingredients cooked and their corresponding prices. Get ideas if you’d like your shrimp cooked in garlic and butter, as part of a sinigang, as halabos, with chili… you make the choice! When you arrive at the weighing station, have your ingredients, uh, weighed, and let the lady in the Dampa sa Libis t-shirt know how you’d like your food cooked.
Also tell the lady which cooking station you’d like to have your dishes prepared in. Some swear by Manang’s, others by Lola’s. They’re all the same to me, really. We usually pick the one with the shortest line so we get our food right away! Do ask the lady for a recommendation.
The lady will then give you a number. Go pick a table — you can sit in the air-conditioned room or the wide-open space. While waiting, you can go around the bazaar. There are reasonably-priced clothes, toys and other stuff. You can even shop for cars!
Order your drinks, extra rice, and don’t forget to ask for the usual calamansi and toyo, patis, vinegar. What’s a Pinoy dinner without those condiments? At the time this pic was taken, we ordered softdrinks, crispy tilapia, adobong pusit, halaan soup, rice, and the lato salad. There are lots of other dishes you can also try. Shrimp in garlic butter is heavenly. Steamed crab is deliciously juicy. Sinigang na Hipon is a winner! Calamares is also good! The Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs are divine.
Dampa sa Libis is near Eastwood. You’ll see a huge sign so you won’t get lost as long as you know where Eastwood is, hehehe.
I think I just heard my tummy grumble.
Tara. Kain tayo!
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
JO
June 20, 2006 at 3:14 am (18 years ago)wow! sarap!
Rey
June 20, 2006 at 6:02 am (18 years ago)toni, car dealer inside the dampa? Galing nang post mo ngayon, nakakagutom. Nakikidaan lang
Pao
June 20, 2006 at 8:40 am (18 years ago)ah yes, nakakain na rin kami jan. sarap!!!
pero konti lang choices compared to the one in pasay. nevertheless, it’s still food!!! 😆
barbara
June 20, 2006 at 8:49 am (18 years ago)it’s interesting how different countries have their markets – here sa land of oz everything is in a refrigerated area even if it’s in the open market – i think for hygiene reasons.
it’s really cool to see this open market style thing naka display lahat.
im inspired to cook seafood marinara spaghetti from your pics!
petite
June 20, 2006 at 1:46 pm (18 years ago)WINNER! sarap ng seafood, yum! i wanna go here too.
Kay
June 20, 2006 at 2:21 pm (18 years ago)Try DAMPA in P’que. It’s really good as well.
mare
June 20, 2006 at 3:32 pm (18 years ago)Hungry now! Everything looks so fresh!
annabanana
June 20, 2006 at 6:32 pm (18 years ago)tones,
im definitely trying this when i get home…thanks!
North
June 20, 2006 at 8:28 pm (18 years ago)Nagutom ako sa post mo. I’m a great seafood lover. Have tried Dampa in south and that one in Libis. It’s cleaner there in Libis.
missyosigirl
June 20, 2006 at 9:42 pm (18 years ago)I’ve been to dampa sa libis, in ortigas too, and sa south.
and i always always always go for the oysters! yum! 😀
pinayhekmi
June 21, 2006 at 3:51 am (18 years ago)I think our Philippine visit isn’t complete now. We didn’t visit Dampa Sa Libis!
tanya
June 21, 2006 at 4:39 am (18 years ago)ang daya mo!!!!
I want i want! grabe i miss dampa! :-p hehehe!
ela
June 21, 2006 at 8:33 am (18 years ago)natakam naman ako sa pictures! hay miss ko na ang dampa!
jey
June 21, 2006 at 10:39 am (18 years ago)nakakagutom!
ade
June 21, 2006 at 5:27 pm (18 years ago)the best sa dampa!!!
DanieL
June 24, 2006 at 2:21 pm (18 years ago)shrimps…i love. the rest i can live without. =)
Lissa
July 4, 2006 at 1:51 pm (18 years ago)Oh my gulay.. nakakagutom!!!! I want some seafood.
AILEEN
July 11, 2006 at 10:28 pm (18 years ago)super dami ng tao nung fathers day, buti galing ng mga employees. tnx 4 a great time!!!
aris
July 27, 2006 at 4:22 pm (18 years ago)meron ba lobsters sa dampa?
aris
July 27, 2006 at 4:49 pm (18 years ago)hello aileen! nan dun kba nung fathers day? wla nman eh!
rowie
August 31, 2006 at 8:40 am (18 years ago)have you tried the dampa in the newly-renovated farmer’s market? it’s even cheaper, tsaka ok kasi totoong palengke — pwede ka ring mamalengke talaga pagkatapos, hehe! there are two nights of the week where it gets a bit noisy because an “acoustic” (na hindi talaga acoustic) band plays, but it’s really good, really cheap, and you can choose between eating in the air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned area (mas mahal nang konti sa air-conditioned).
netski
February 18, 2009 at 1:05 am (15 years ago)ibalik nyo ko sa Pinas!!!