Cottage Kitchen Cafe: Comfort Food in Pampanga

Whenever my work takes me to Angeles, Pampanga, my co-workers and I always go to Cottage Kitchen to taste some Southern cooking. This time, we weren't sure what we would find since we heard that the original owner, Jim, died and the restaurant was under new management. 

Cottage Kitchen : Cajun Creole Restaurant and Jazz Pub

The restaurant is still at its original location at Don Juico Ave. They renovated the place to make it bigger, put a couple more tables, made it more brighter and attempted to put some privacy between tables by putting some white muslim curtains. Before, it was very dark and you could barely see what you were eating. 

big bright painting of jazz singers are put around the room

Ahhhh ..... nice Corona 

My co-workers ordered Clam Chowder which came in a very big bowl with a couple of Sky Flakes. The chowder had a nice, clean, fresh flavor. The clam taste was not really overpowering. The broth was thick and creamy enough. Plenty of bits and pieces of fish, potatoes, clams and whatnot. Good soup on a cold night.

Clam Chowder P270

The Southern Fish Fried Dinner came with fries and coleslaw. Coleslaw was good -  crispy lettuce/carrots/onions with a tangy/sweet mayonnaise. Fries were hand cut and big. Instead of using the usual Cream Dory, I was informed they used Red Snapper (my friend immediately Googled it and found it was locally known as Maya-Maya). The fish was quite firm and meaty. They used some kind of breadcrumb as opposed to flour. Surprisingly different from the other fish and chips I've tasted.

Southern Fried Fish Dinner - P350

Of course you don't go to Cottage Kitchen without trying their famous Barbecued Ribs. 2 of my co-workers decided to share the Jimmy's Red Hots full order. Each order comes with coleslaw, baked beans, and your choice of french fries, potato salad or rice. I grabbed a piece of barbecued ribs to taste and all I could say was "Hot!!!"

Don't get me wrong .... it was really good; very tender meat with little fat, the smoky flavor and the right sweet/salty/sour combination of the barbecued sauce which does not taste like it came from a bottle. But I already drank my beer, ate some fries and I could still taste how hot it was.

The baked beans was really good as well and the potato salad would have been better with less dressing.

Above is 1/2 order of Jimmy's Red Hot. Full order - P445

 Even though we were full, we decided to try their dessert.

Pecan Pie - P190

 Pecan Pie was a real disappointment. The filling was just not good and the pecan was too stingy.

Apple Pie ala Mode - P160

Apple Pie fared better. Nice crust, apples were cooked enough that it was soft yet firm, Vanilla ice cream was different (we suspect it was Blue Bunny - an ice cream being sold at membership only store S n R). 

blurred image of the barbecues being offered

Final Verdict?

Liked their food. Dishes were great, tasted good and fresh (as opposed to having a dish cooked then frozen for a couple of days). Serving time was not too slow (waited about 10-15 mins). The price is a bit high but the serving is good for two. We had to raise our voices a bit to call a waitress' attention since they were all at the bar. Wish they would have pictures on the menu or even a description so you would know what you're eating. Dessert was a bit of a bust. However, over all, I look forward to eating here again once I'm in town.

Cottage Kitchen Cafe

#582 Don Juico Ave

Angeles, Pampanga

Tel 045-8932599

Zubuchon : Not Everything It's Cracked Up to Be

Last month, I had to fly to Cebu for work. I took the opportunity to try Zubuchon, touted as the "Best pig ... EVER!" by chef/critic Anthony Bourdain.

Lechon, for those who don't know (where have you been, people?) is roasted pig. In the Philippines, it's cooked over an open fire pit and rotated slowly for several hours. Zubuchon lechon, I was told, is bathed in coconut milk and rubbed with different spices such as lemon, thyme, olive oil. No MSG. While roasting, the skin is pricked so the flavor of the rubs penetrate the meat.

Who says pigs can't fly?

There are about 4 outlets of Zubuchon in Cebu. Since we came from Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, it was easier to go near the one at Capitolyo building on Escario Street just beside 7-11 and before McDonalds. It's less than 2km away from the hotel but with traffic it took about 20 minutes. 

Nice, clean and cool restaurant

There were plenty of tables on a Tuesday afternoon. The restaurant was nice, clean and had big floor to ceiling windows on 2 sides. Even though it was located just along a busy street, the bamboo trees outside gave the customers some privacy. 

Some items on display:

Chicharon galore! P100 for 100 grams and P200 for 200 grams

they sold some marmalade as well

looks interesting

At the end of the restaurant is the room where you can see your lechon being chopped up. White, easy to hold boxes are ready for those who want to take some for pasalubong.

Kamias shake P95

My friend Ana insisted that I try their Kamias drink. Despite the fact that I don't like sour drinks, I decided to try one and boy, was I glad I did. Really refreshing, right amount of sweetness and did not have the cringe tingling sourness of the raw kamias fruit. There is some sourness but it was not too much that it overwhelms you. Really, really excellent.

Of course, we were there for the lechon. 

which to choose? 

Aside from the obvious, the waiter couldn't tell us the difference between boneless and with bone-in Zubuchon. I gather it has something to do with "dark meat" vs "white meat"? Nevertheless, only the Boneless Zubuchon was available so that settles that. 

Zubuchon Rice Meal P160

The lechon meat was not as salty as the other ones I tasted in Cebu. The skin was a bit thick but still crunchy and nicely flavored. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the layer of fat sticking to the skin. It was oily. I couldn't help but compare it to another store selling lechon which is CNT. At CNT, the skin is like really sinfully bad potato chips with little fat. Maybe the fat on Zubuchon lechon has something to do with the pigs coming from non-commercial piggeries?

Mungo with Zubuchon Meat and Chicaron Bits P190

The mungo is good for 2, packs a good flavor and plenty of meat but a bit watery.

Slow Cooked Adobo Rice Meal P110

Nicely caramelized bit of pork. Reminds me of my mom's adobo when she would simmer it low for a couple of hours until all the sauce is cooked out. Unfortunately, it was too much fat that you really couldn't taste the meat itself.

Sylvannas

I couldn't remember how much the Sylvannas were but it was really nice. I like the original one - not too sweet and just the right amount of crunch. The oreo one was also good but the original one was the best. 

rice meals good for 1

The Verdict? 

For the ambiance, cleanliness and variety of the food not to mention excellent Kamias shake, I would go to Zubuchon. For lechon pasalubong? I will still go to good ol' CNT. 

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They have 4 branches throughout Cebu for dine in or just to buy kilos of lechon for pasalubong. However, if you don't have the time to go, they have a small kiosk at the pre-departure lounge of the airport where you can buy pre-packed 1 kilo lechon to take home or eat a simple meal like the one above. They would even pack the meal for you should you want to eat on the plane. Note that the prices at the airport is about 30% more. 

Location: 

Zubuchon Escario

Escario Bldg. Escario St.

Cebu City

Tel #: (032) 583 – 5699

Zubuchon Capitol

Capitol Site, Cebu City

Tel #: (032) 254 – 7342

Zubuchon Mango

Mango Ave. Bldg

Cebu City

Tel #: (032) 239 – 5697