OVERHEARD at Big Bite: “Unsa ning taas kaayo nga linya?”

Her friend’s reply: “Halo-halo.”

So, yes, of course I heard that convo because I was there lining up for that halo-halo.

Carbs are attracting the longest lines at Big Bite, the Northern Mindanao Food Festival at Ayala Malls Centrio here in Cagayan de Oro.

With 100 exhibitors, those long lines can be a gauge on who has the yummiest menu items. Because it’s simply impossible to try each of the 100 from March 28 when Big Bite opened up to its last day on April 6. That’s ten days of gluttony. Oops.

As one exhibitor said, Unyag mabudol ka. Ouch. Relate na relate. I bought this one particular item that people were lining up for, only to find it wanting. I thought it was the result of my taste buds not used to carbs anymore. I shared the food item with a friend and he had the same comment—it’s not yummy.

So, what were those viral Facebook posts for? A marketing strategy? Or it was a case of mass production while there’s a demand for it, thus, sacrificing its quality. Or, in car lingo, my order was the lemon. Tsk tsk.

The only carbs that are worth their carbs at Big Bite are MiMo Cafe’s baked goodies and Jacks Halo Halo’s taro-ube overload. Puera buyag.

My taste buds have changed. For me, the texture and taste of most carbs are that of plain flour now. Rice, pasta, potatoes, pizza dough, bread—ho-hum. No wonder viands, toppings, and sauces are added to them to make them palatable. So, remove the carbs and focus on the beef, pork, chicken, fish, and other animal-based ingredients, and that’s the carnivore diet.

Thursday was my last carbo-loading at Big Bite. Because by then I was already convinced that animal-based food is the yummiest. As if I needed to be convinced pa more. Haha.

If you’ve not been to Big Bite yet, here are my top five picks as of Thursday: MiMo Cafe, Manoink (order their grilled pork), Stibs House (their rib eye is yummiest!), Jacks Halo Halo (taro-ube overload), and Cucina Preciosa. This list may level up to Top 10 by Friday.

The foodie who’s on the seafood diet will be happiest at Big Bite. That means, “I’m on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.” Anything and everything. Absolutely no discrimination. Fair to all.

Since I’m now trying so hard to be carnivore, Big Bite has become a test of my resolve to stay on the diet. Which I obviously failed. Still, it’s only up to April 6. Three more days.

I had already experienced the perks of sticking to a strict carnivore diet, that’s why I can definitely see the changes now that I’m carbo-loading. Thus, while watching YouTube videos about the carnivore diet to remind myself of its perks, my thought bubble is asking if I should taste-test more carbs at Big Bite. Hmmm.