Cabalen: Pigging Out - Pinoy Way

We're sort of on a diet, if you call "eating whatever you like now and don't eat anything later" a diet, so despite having a food blog, we almost never go to buffets. They are the temptress that challenges our will. Resisting the urge to eat more is oftentimes futile and giving in is the only way to ease the heavy psychological burden it entails.

This time though, I was curious as to how this buffet-style Filipino restaurant, Cabalen, is faring since I last I there, maybe 7 years ago, so I forced pleaded Anne to eat there after our weekend French lesson. I was curious for two things: 1) Has the taste changed since I last ate there, and 2) Has my taste changed since I last ate there. That was last week but I just succeeded bargaining this week and so off we went into this obesity-encouraging Filipino restaurant.

As this is a buffet, we didn't really have any set meals since we just got a plate and filled it with whatever we liked that's on display.

He says...

I have this gut feeling that Filipino restaurants or any other Filipino establishments degrade in taste and quality as time goes by probably because of the whole "ningas kugon" thing. I was a but surprised because the taste wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. In fact, it was tres bien (very good in French; Shut up, I'm just practicing!). They had most (if not all, I can't tell since there are so many!) of my favorite foods like longaniza,  tocino, crablets and many more and they all tasted as good as the best ones I've tasted in my life. Note that we had this meal on a half-empty/half-full (pessimistic/optimistic?) stomach. Hunger and fullness more often than not skews our taste in food.

Possessed while Eating. DO NOT DISTURB.

One bad thing I can say about the whole experience, though, is their iced tea. It was horrible. I don't know if it was watered down or they were intentionally trying to kill us with bad taste.

He rates: Food 4.5/5; Iced Tea 0.5/5

She says...

I'm really not fond of buffets. I always end up getting a tummy ache. Often times I throw up due to too much ingested food. This time though, not sure if I moderated my consumption 'coz I did have 3 platefuls plus a glass of halo-halo for dessert, but Cabalen day was a no throwing up day for me. Sure my tummy did ache a while and I felt so horrible (and guilty) after that lunch but I really did enjoy the crablets and the other dishes there. They were cooked in a classic Filipino way, no fancy dishes with elaborate presentation, just good Filipino food. 

I was disappointed though of the kare-kare. It just didn't have a balance of slightly sweet and creamy pea-nutty dish I had always look forwarded to each time I see one served (even in our hospital cafeteria).

Apart from that, the fondue was tasty as usual, although they didn't have plenty of treats for the fondue, just marshmallow and a few variety of fruit slices. 

Over-all, the lunch experience was pleasant.

She rates: 4/5