Restaurant Review: Asiong's of Cavite (Maragondon)

 

Asiong's of Cavite

Part Six of "Drive, Dine and Discover" Cavite Caravan

 

From Cornerstone Pottery Farm, we capped AAP Lakbay’s (the travel and tourism arm of the Automobile Association of the Philippines), Cavite Caravan with a late merienda of heirloom delicacies at the family-run, must-visit Asiong’s of Cavite.  Established in Cavite City in 1960, it actually started as a sari-sari store and eventually developed into a hole-in-the-wall karinderia. Perennial flooding made them move out, from the original site in Cavite City, to Silang. 

Check out “Cornerstone Pottery Farm”

 

Interior of restaurant

This restaurant is famous for its heirloom Caviteño dishes such as the traditional kare-kare (Php570), milkfish belly sinigang (Php450) and adobong pula (cooked with fish sauce instead of soy sauce, and colored with atsuete, Php520) which is unique to the province. The herbs (some of them for sale) and vegetables garden provide their greens in the kitchen. Located in the most hidden part of Silang, Cavite, closer to Tagaytay City, the place gives a strong feeling of an ancestral family home which was turned into a restaurant.

 

The place was named after its patriarch Ignacio Lua, nicknamed Asiong, who passed away in 1972. The charming and very friendly Mr. Sonny Lua, an interior designer and youngest son of Ignacio, is the current owner, a wonderful host and very much a part of the Asiong experience as he is the restaurant’s chef.

 

We dined, at traditional Filipino wooden tables and chairs, at the open al fresco dining area, for flow-over guests, within an extensive and refreshing garden landscape at the back.  Here, we tried Asiong’s famous, savory and filling bestseller - pancit pusit.  A different take on a paella negra, it uses vermicelli noodles cooked in squid ink and is garnished with thin slices of fresh green kamias, adding a refreshing tart taste and a different twist to the usual use of calamansi as a sour agent.  It is topped by sautéed vegetables and chicharon. Make sure to wash your mouth afterwards as the sauce will stick to your teeth.  This was supplemented by turon (fried banana rolls) and puto. 

 

Other bestsellers include dinuguan (Php420), crispy pata (Php720), crispy fried ukoy (cooked in an uncommon way-like one thick omelet, Caviteños also call this ukoy version biyak ulo, Php210), tinolang manok,  daing na bangus (fried milkfish marinated in vinegar), laing Kabite (taro leaves cooked in coconut oil, Php300), shrimp with rosemary and garlic (Php480), morcon, fried tawilis (a nod to its close proximity to Tagaytay City, Php340), bulalo (beef shank soup, Php710), crispy tilapia, binagoongang fish eggs (the original and the one with squid ink), sizzling sisig (on the sweet side, Php500), longganisang Cavite (Php190), kaldereta, asado de Ignacio (made of pig's ears and tendons, Php500) fresh pako salad (with homemade vinaigrette, Php270),  bakalaw (shredded salted codfish with potatoes, garlic, and onion, Php150) and Dalahican soup (a savory soup with a tomato based broth, Php440).

 

For breakfast, try the carioca, a dish of ground pork (giniling), carrots, garlic rice, cucumber, fried banana and sunny side up egg (Php260).  For drinks, order the tanglad lemon mint tea (Php100/Php300), Kapeng Amadeo (roasted rice coffee, Php100), dayap juice, hibiscus juice (with its deep red color, Php140/Php370), Pahimis Blend coffee (a blend of different types of coffee such as excelsa, arabica, robusta and liberica, Php80), cucumber-kale juice  (blended leaf cabbage) and hot chocolate tablea (Php120).  

 

Al fresco dining area

Before leaving for Manila, some of us bought some pasalubong at their cute and well-stocked Country Store, a mini deli by the entrance.  They sell many of their home-made products such as quesillo (kesong puti or white cheese in olive oil and herbs, Php290), bagoong, kaong suka, baked chicharon, the best leche flan (Php50/Php300), unique sapin-sapin (with ube, langka and buko and topped with latik, a sweet caramel sauce, Php250), carrot cake, bibingka (coconut rice cake), halayang sampalok, bread with longganisang Cavite or spam, bottled delicacies, among many other things. 

 

Participants of Cavite Caravan

The pan de troso (rosemary baguette, Php160), a 1950’s inspired pan de sal made with a hint of rosemary and garlic, is best paired with quesillo dip made with kesong puti in olive oil and herbs.  The unique, 3-layer carabao milk Cavite cheesecake (to die for), a local rendition of this classic American dessert reverse engineered by Sonny, uses local ingredients sourced from different parts of Cavite.  Instead of Graham crackers, he used Jacobina cookies from Mendez.  For butter and sugar, Sonny sourced the cream cheese and milk from the dairy farmers of Tanza and General Trias and the tablea chocolate and coffee from Amadeo.

 

Pansit pusit with turon and puto

If you are into peace and quiet and nature dining out of town closest to Manila, this is your best “pig out” hideaway. Though its location is a bit “hidden,” it’s still worth the drive.  The airy and spacious restaurant is cozy, the ambiance relaxing and invigorating, the servings were very generous and the cooking was truly impressive. Sumptuous food at very reasonable prices. They do not accept Visa or Master Card, cash only.

 

Country Store

Asiong's of Cavite: Buenavista St., Brgy. Bucal, 4113 Silang, Cavite.  Mobile number: (0918) 565-2691 and (0926) 713-9400. Open 8 AM to 8 PM. Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AsiongSilangCavite. 

How to Get There:

From Manila, board a bus to Tagaytay and get off at Gov. Camerino Drive (before the Phoenix gas station). Cross to the other side of the road and ride a tricycle to Asiong’s (Php45 per ride). 

Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP): AAP Tower, 683 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City 1112. Tel: (632) 8723-0808 and (632) 8705-3333. Website: www.aap.org.ph. E-mail:  info@aap.org.ph. 

AAP Lakbay, Inc.: G/F, Sea Tower Bldg., 332 Roxas Blvd. cor. Arnaiz St., Pasay City.  Tel: (32) 8551-0025 and (632) 8403-543.  E-mail: aaplakbay.caravan@gmail.com.  Coordinates:
14.5456531, 120.9914728.