Morning Catch, Discovery Samal’s seafood destination, turns the island’s best catch into the kind of meal that’s worth the trip from Davao. Here, today’s locally sourced fish, prawns, crabs, and shellfish take the spotlight, cooked exactly how you like – grilled, fried, or gently steamed – and finished with bright, familiar Asian flavors of ginger, soy, chili, citrus, and fragrant aromatics.
Come for the catch-of-the-day and stay for the seaside setting, an easy, sunlit lunch that stretches into the afternoon, or a shoreline dinner that feels like a mini escape. If you’re craving seafood that tastes like it just left the ocean, Morning Catch is your best reason to travel to Samal Island.
Openers and light plates with Southeast Asian lift
Starters hit that sweet spot between comfort and coastal zing. Freshly caught Tanigue is flash-marinated in coconut and tuba vinegar with coconut softening the vinegar’s snap. Mindanao tuna and salmon sashimi keeps it pure and pristine, letting the seafood’s natural sweetness and silky texture shine. For something warm, Tom Yum Goong delivers a fragrant rush of chili and lime, lifting the prawns with every spoonful.
For crunch, go for baby squids and shrimp tempura with ginger soy. Lighter plates keep the same vibrant, island-fresh energy such as Davao green mango salad with bagoong and shrimp for a salty-sour punch, and Samal pomelo salad with shrimp, chili, and peanuts, refreshing, zesty, and deeply satisfying.
Hearty mains with wok heat and curry comfort
Hearty dishes keep seafood at the center, mixing it up with noodles and curries that deliver the cozy side. Enjoy Pad Thai which comes topped with shrimp while Seafood Laksa runs rich with spicy coconut and mixed shellfish, and red or green Thai-style curries pair well with fish or prawns. The wok-friend dishes push bolder flavor with garlic, chili, soy, and basil, moving from Seafood Kung Pao and salted egg prawns to share-ready crab plates like Singaporean chili crab and Davao crab finished with garlic, butter, and lemon.
From the market board to the plate
Market Specials put the day’s catch up front in straightforward, aroma-driven preparations. The charcoal roasted catch of the day comes with pandan and lemongrass, finished with a chili garlic dip for clean, savory heat.
For a lighter approach, the steamed catch is layered with ginger, leeks, shiitake, premium soy sauce, and coriander. There’s lapu-lapu for diners who want a crisp bite, finished with chili sauce or a sweet-and-sour glaze, plus grilled stuffed squid when the table wants variety without over-ordering.
Tropical desserts and easy pairings
Desserts keep the finish light, from mango sticky rice and mango sago pearls to fresh fruits from Davao market and halo-halo served in a coconut shell. Drinks run from fruit-forward signatures like Datu Budas and Dafu Tagahingog to non-alcoholic refreshers such as Apple Pumpkin Spiced and Blueberry Basil Herb, alongside coffee, tea, beer, wine-by-the-glass, and spirits.
An easy escape, served seafood-first
For diners coming in for a long lunch or an unhurried dinner, Morning Catch offers an easy reason to stay a little longer—fresh seafood, Asian-forward flavors, and a setting that feels like a mini escape.
For reservations and further details, guests may contact [email protected] or call +63 084 308 2998, and find Morning Catch on Level 1 beside the beach club at Discovery Samal, open daily for breakfast from 6 am to 10 am, lunch from 11 am to 3 pm, and dinner from 5 pm to 10 pm.
