Fried Day at Golden Cowrie

CEBU, Philippines - Having developed a steady patronage of social eaters since it opened its first branch along the now commercial strip of Salinas Drive, Lahug in 1982, Golden Cowrie continues to remain significant in the local dining scene by having opened more branches in  different locations in Cebu and outside the Queen City, as well as to other key areas of the country, to be a top-of-mind celebration venue.

Highlighting straightforward Filipino cuisine, basically regional fares though not strictly Cebuano, the restaurant recently added more tasty dishes to its extensive menu that is divided to Fresh Starters, Simply Souperb, Veggie Entrée, Meat Dishes Galore, Seafood Platter, Sweet Somethings and Cool Wash Downs. Aptly named as Frieday, Golden Cowrie Filipino Restaurant features fried food choices namely, Golden Fried Scallops, Chipirones con Tinta, Deep-fried Liempo and Ngohiong starting this month.

Aside from the bestselling specialty baked scallops, a winning recipe from the previous owner Tina Ebrada, the Golden Fried Scallops is a star in the making. The batter-fried bite-sized crisp scallop served with aioli dip that looks like my favorite KFC Hot Shots is a good starter.

The adage “Looks can be deceiving” holds true to Chipirones con Tinta.  Deep-fried stuffed baby squid in ink batter may not be all that appealing but it doesn’t disappoint the palate.

Juicy and succulent than lechon kawali, Deep-fried Liempo (pork belly) is richly marinated with a special mixture of sauces with a liberal addition of aromatic herbs and spices to make it extra special.

Delightful to the last crunch is Golden Cowrie’s version of a Cebuano lumpia spin-off, Ngohiong, golden fried vegetable lumpia with Chinese Five Spice powder stuffed with heart of palm paired with a mix sauce of thick chili sauce and soy sauce.

Owners, couple Kenneth and Kristine Kokseng who are no strangers to the food business, don’t entirely claim that the restaurant was the trendsetter for the “unlimited rice” offer, which they are famous for, but rather that they made it part of the whole dining experience. In a native ambiance that truly is Filipino, the resto is mostly frequented by families or groups to celebrate milestones.

Golden Cowrie Filipino Restaurant/Hukad has 14 branches in Ayala Terraces, Salinas Drive, Lahug, SM City Cebu, Robinson’s Cybergate, Marina Mall-Mactan, Tagbilaran City, Boracay-Uptown Hotel, Limketkai-Cagayan de Oro City, Dumaguete City, Abreeza-Davao City, SM Annex-Davao City, SM Lanang-Davao City, Centrio Mall-Cagayan de Oro City, and Royal Garden Hotel-Ozamiz City. — Photos by Reynan Villena (FREEMAN)