If crabs and shrimps were war generals on a seafood table, Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps (BPBCS) is an imposing and intimidating armada.
For foodies who lust for anything crabs and shrimps, the Davao-based restaurant chain is a foodporn cul-de-sac. Imagine a bag of shrimps cooked while wrestling with garlic, sausages, potatoes and corn cubs or a giant crab whipped and charged with spices before heading to battle. The result is a victorious seafood warfare that turns diners, whose only shield is a plastic bib, into nothing but willing victims. Damn hypertension because crabs and shrimps as the enemy’s ammunition will make you just eat…and eat more.
At BPBCS, diners can choose from a wide roster of seafood placed in a boiling bag mixed with their signature Blue Posts Cajun Special Sauce with adjustable heat factors (regular, mild or spicy hot), all of these are guaranteed fresh, specially picked for their customers from sea to table. Alongside these freshly caught dishes are the local dishes such as Native Chicken, Sinuglaw with Green Apples, and Pomelo Salad.
“This ‘from sea to table’ is our concept. As far as I’m aware, we are the first to use this tagline, which guarantees the freshness of the food we serve,” Anthony Ang, (BPBCS) owner, told Manila Standard during the grand opening of the restaurant’s third branch in Ecoland SM City Davao.
Established in December 2013, Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps (BPBCS) wasn’t always the go-to seafood restaurant in Davao. In fact, it wasn’t even supposed to be a restaurant in the first place. Originally envisioned to be a bar by a group of college friends, BPBCS had their revamping when couple and owners Anthony and Jennifer Ang were traveling in the US west coast and found themselves in the famed Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.
“When we were there, I got curious when we chanced upon a popular local restaurant. People were queuing nonstop. They open at 3 p.m. but the line already starts as early as 11. So, we tried the food. And then I also noticed that the servers were Asians. This gave me the idea that we can take this concept to the Philippines and give it a local twist,” Anthony Ang said.
They noticed a growing market for casual-dining seafood restaurants, with lines that would snake outside the establishment, hours before opening time. Messy and finger-licking kind of dining was encouraged and it reminded the couple of home and the Filipino concept of kamay-kainan.
Determined to bring the same concept and ambiance home, the Angs encouraged a revamp of ideas, thus the BPBCS’s way of messy eating was born. Within the graffiti drawn walls of the restaurant, dining with your hands was highly encouraged to get that full feel of a fun and messy eat adventure. A food-grade wax paper is set before you accompanied by a Blue Posts bib and the messier you got with every bite, the better your dining experience becomes.
“When you eat crabs, in Chinese restaurants or even in seafood places, a lot of people don’t want to use their hands. It’s fun to use your hands when eating crabs and shrimps. We’re hyping this concept because you don’t always get the same kind of experience and it’s fun to be messy,” Ang said in animated fashion.
Recipe for success
What once started as a small branch along J.P. Laurel Avenue and between Davao Water District, and SM Lanang Premiere has now continued to grow both inside Davao and out to the Metro. Blue Posts success continues on with the newly opened branch in SM Mall of Asia.
And the restaurant chain is bringing the Davao taste and flavors to the rest of the Metro by opening three more branches in SM Megamall, O-Square Greenhills Shopping Center, and Seascape Manila.
“Contrary to what people say, we are not that aggressive in terms of opening new branches. Our every move is well thought. Before we open any branch, we wanted to ensure that we (sic) can provide the same high quality in terms of service and product. I’d like to think that we are more strategic than aggressive,” Ang explained.
BPBCS will give thanks to their loyal customer and will launch the Bucket Listers Loyalty Program. It is a loyalty rewards program that aims to give back to their loyal customers both in Davao and Manila, and to create an avenue to encourage new users to experience fun, messy, and high-quality sea to table seafood dining experience that only BPBCS can offer.