Arsenia’s Hapag Kainan Sa Kabukiran: Home-cooked Food And Holistic Spa In One Place

It’s the 296th day of quarantine period in our region and it’s a shame that I only got the chance to feature Arsenia’s Hapag Kainan Sa Kabukiran just now. The restaurant has been there for a long time, offering homecooked dishes mainly for travelers. The spot is a usual stopover in Calapan if one wants to take a quick lunch.

Arsenia’s Hapag Kainan sa Kabukiran started as a simple carinderia with huts along the highway of Biga. But due to the restaurant’s strong presence to the customers, the place kept improving. Yearly, you would see something new in Arsenia’s from fish pond to garden. Now, they own a stunning building, which houses Twin Gems Spa.

We haven’t tried the spa yet. But we will soon. In the meantime, let’s talk about Arsenia’s delicious and affordable home-cooked food and farm fresh produce.

order Soma WITHOUT SCRIPT Salmon Belly Sinigang

Wow! This restaurant just leveled up Sinigang with this hotpot. I like the presentation. It has a lot of vegetables that beautifully colors the soup. You can never go wrong with a salmon. No matter where you put it, it will totally make the dish incredible. I’m glad that Arsenia’s gave justice to this pink belly. They let the fish’s natural flavors spread into the broth. I just think the soup lacks tanginess or is it just me because I want my Sinigang super sour.

doctor shopping for soma prescription Grilled Pork Ribs

I was really attracted with Arsenia’s Grilled Pork Ribs when it was still in their food warmer so I ordered a platter. I just don’t know what happended when it came to our table. But it was surprisingly luscious! It was barbecued the inasal way. The sauce they used to drench on the ribs is kinda sweet. I also like the flavors of the charred parts. Perhaps, my only concern was the fact that the meat was sticking into the bones and there were a lot of bones.

Ginataang Sitaw | Eggplant and Tofu

I’m not a fan of veggies but here I am ordering not just one, but two vegetable dishes at Arsenia’s. The Ginataang Sitaw was crunchy, milky and yummy even without the squash. It definitely reveal the essence of coconut milk. I wasn’t just used to spicy Ginataang Sitaw, making me choose Eggplant and Tofu over it. It has a sweet sauce like teriyaki, which makes it easy to love. The vegetable were just cold when served.

Ampalaya | Dinuguan

The ampalaya is just like any other ampalaya every household cooks. I’m not complaining though since this is what Arsenia’s really offers. It is indeed bitter. I just hope it has more egg. I like that the Dinuguan has a hint of tanginess because I an fond of sour food. However, I just think it is saucy. Well, there is no problem with that except for the amount of meat. In every spoonful, I was only getting two small cuts and lots of sauce.

Bopis

One advantage of living in a province is eating Bopis that is legitimately made of pig’s organs. Arsenia’s Bopis has pig’s heart and lungs that are consistently chopped into hash. It’s satisfying to feel and hear the crunch of the innards. Bopis sauce is sweet and has a hint of chili. At this time, we also had Ginataang Gulay. It is  peppery, gingery and bitter. I didn’t like it but my mom does. I think it really depends on the person.

Papaitan

When it comes to Papaitan, my favorite is from Ate Vi’s Kambingan. I’ve tried other Papaitan and nothing beats it. Arsenia’s Papaitan is close to it. Both are absolutely bitter, which is how I like Papaitan to be. It looked little but when I dug into it, it has generous amount of goat innards. Yep! I approve that the innards are undoubtedly from goats. I truly appreciate that they are in small cuts so it’s easier to eat. And I give plus points for the boiled egg.

Special Bibingka

This one is a great pasalubong. It’s delicious but as I feel it, it is evident that it isn’t made directly from rice. I’m guessing that it’s made of glutinous rice flour. It also lacks this creamy flavor Bibingka usually have. Now, I’m starting to think that they are just making these Bibingka cups for commercial use. Nevertheless, it’s good that it’s cheesy, having two kinds of cheese on top. In fact, I only like it because of the toppings.

Fruit Coolers

One time, we went to Mangangan, Baco on a scorching hot summer day. Thankfully, there are fruit coolers available when we stopped at Arsenia’s. I chose Guyabano flavor and I didn’t regret. It’s creamy, sweet and refreshing. It has the flavor that I’m looking. Mango is also sweet and yummy but I think, the Guyabano is better. My mom ordered the Durian flavor. She liked it but I just can’t stand the taste and smell of Durian.