There are two kinds of people on the dining table when the discussion veers towards bagoong territory: First, are the die-hard lovers who would swoon and salivate at the thought of the shrimp paste condiment next to a steaming bowl of kare kare or a plateful of sliced green mangoes. then there are those who immediately pinch their noses at the thought of its pungent smell and complain about how it’s overwhelmingly salty.

I belong to the first group and wouldn’t mind having bagoong on its own and not playing supporting roles to any main dish. so imagine my amazement when I discovered Bagoong Club, a restaurant in Quezon City that promises to satisfy anyone’s craving for the fermented delicacy. While Bagoong Club sounds more like a hush-hush organization than an actual dining place, the inspiration behind it, the bagoong, has some links to a secret group: the Katipunan, at least according to its owner rosky sevilla, the grandson of Filipino food historian Mila Enriquez.

“My grandmother used to say that bagoong is survival food,” rosky said. “Katipuneros would usually include in their bolo holder an anting-anting (amulet) and a small bottle of bagoong.” so much was the love for the bagoong that some would even dare smuggle them inside Japanese concentration camps during the second World War, added rosky.

Bagoong Club is located in a quiet residential area tucked along Scout dr Lazcano, away from the busy main street of tomas Morato. rosky acquired the house and transformed it into a spacious and homey dining place that’s made to appear like an old ancestral house. since it opened in January 2007, Bagoong Club has gained quite the following, owing mostly to word of mouth. the receiving area, which is also the house’s sala, acts like a tribute room adorned with framed photos of celebrities (from Judy Ann Santos to Susan Roces) and politicians who already dined at Bagoong Club; several write-ups from various publications; and recognition from various organizations including the Quezon City government.