Eat all you can with Officemates at Cabalen, A Filipino Cuisine.

For the past two years, we have not celebrated Christmas at work or what we often call a Christmas Party. Before the pandemic, it was scheduled for the first week of December, and the venue was out of town. The company pays all expenses, including food, accommodations, transportation, and drinks. Speaking of drinks, different types of beverages/liquors. The food committee would provide a stub as they often say drinks/beers, etc., were limited. Still, it never followed as Boss allowed us to have as much as we wanted. Drink until we drop, lol. Ahhh, those remind me of happy days; cheers!
Yet, since many things happened, we are thankful that this year we were given a budget but only for dine out. No more, no less. So the HR group decided to book a reservation in the nearest eat all you can restaurant chain ( pay for the standard fee, and in given time you can eat anything you want from the food displayed).
We chose CABALEN.

A well-known restaurant that serves Filipino food, mostly Kapampangan cuisine (from the North Luzon area of the Philippines).
Source.

Price on weekdays: P558 or around $10
Price of weekends: P588 or around $10.58

We arrived earlier than our scheduled reservation time, but since it was a weekday, the management allowed us to sit inside while waiting for some of our workmates.

Yes, we are still wearing facemasks here! Though it was already optional.
I was starving a little bit, but the party hadn't started yet! I just made myself busy for a while and saw the mirror behind me. So why not try a mirror selfie?

It's been a while, though, and since it's dinner, I choose to wear a dress rather than denim jeans. Hehe, it would be uncomfortable if my stomach was full! And here the party started! Let me show you some Filipino foods;

Pritchon (fried pork) is usually supposed to be letchon - pork is roasted using charcoals. Thus, since the restaurant is in the city and letchon here is quite expensive, they opted to fry.
If you are not fond of pork, you can choose fried fish: Tilapia (St.Peter fish) and Hito (catfish).

To balance your diet after eating those fried, you may pick steamed veggies, lady's fingers, and eggplant. Perhaps some tofu?

I was about to take some Maki, but it still needs to be refilled! See? There were only a few left 🤣. Instead, I pick some vegetable Tempura. It has two flavors; sweet potato and squash. It tastes good, but also it can make you easily full.
See that leaves I am holding? It was delicious! Crispy Kangkong.

There was also a kare-kare, but I forgot to take a picture but got these to show you. Laing and unwrapped lumpia

Isn't it look delicious? Too many choices that I couldn't put them all on my plate! Wait, have you tried kuhol?

Honestly, it was my first time eating these, also known as apple or golden snail (correct me if I am wrong, though. Since it was cooked with coconut milk and you need to hold it, I used some tissue. Pardon me; I am just avoiding the long queue at the restroom. If it is some other place or time, I will sip, but since I am dining outside, I use some toothpick.

And hey! Try this if you don't want to eat rice but want something solid still. We called it Valenciana or Arroz Valenciana. This is one of my favorites, but it can't cook. I mean I don't have a talent in cooking plus this dish"? I find it complicated to prepare. In our family, it was my Father who cooked a delicious one!

I write too long already and have yet to share the dessert! Perhaps some other time but wanna shared the foods that I picked. (I wasn't able to take photos of some deli)

I know, I ate a lot, it was eat all you can after all, carbs after carbs! Hehe Asian thing!

Hello to all the members, admins, and moderators of this community. It was my first time writing here as I am not a good cook and seldom cook. Yet, for today, I just wanted to share some menus in Filipino cuisine.

Thanks for dropping by!

Lead Image was edited using Canva
All photos are mine

Lhes
December 17, 2022
Manila, Philippines

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