Kanin Club, Alabang… and my first taste of ‘dinuguan’!
Kanin Club in Paseo de Santa Rosa has been on the radar of foodies for over a year now. Either I’ve missed one opportunity to go there, or I haven’t been to the Laguna-Tagaytay border for some time. However, a good restaurant shouldn’t stay rooted in one area for long. I was certainly happy to know that they’ve opened in Alabang, which is nearer where we live. The location is that quiet,uncrowded restaurant row called the Westgate Center inside the Filinvest Corporate City.
As its name implies, Kanin Club specializes in rice dishes and some other savories which shall be dealt with later. Photo shows their Sinigang na Sinangag – fried rice that’s flavored like sinigang, with all the sinigang bits like sliced tomatoes, green pepper and pork. It is crowned with vegetables fried in tempura batter, which gives one a crunchy intermission before you wade your spoon into the rice. Taste was not too sour or overpowering. The only thing missing from this concoction was the soup!
Even in its secluded location and the fact that it was past 1 p.m., the restaurant’s tables were full. Waiting time was a good 15 to 20 minutes. My twins (the future foodies) sat in the wooden staircase and scrutinized the menu.
Our first order was the crispy liempo – fried pork belly with a trio of sauces: Pinoy vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce. Nothing outstanding,but this is home cooking. I am reminded of my childhood when I sat in my aunt’s kitchen and munched on fried pork that was meant for sauteeing.
I consider crispy dinuguan the star dish in Kanin Club which is full of “crispies” on their menu (crispy pata, crispy tenga, crispy pork binagoongan, to name a few.)
Am not a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo, but I wouldn’t touch dinuguan (the Filipino dish translated as stewed pork blood) even if you present me with the most mouthwatering puto. Dinuguan and puto are what some people’s merienda dreams are made of. However, the KC menu was encouraging to say the least, and coaxing was all I needed. It claimed that crispy dinuguan was a dish that even non-eaters have learned to love…which made me think, “I can do it, too!”
True enough, am the only one from our table to try this, as my daughters aren’t too adventurous yet to eat dinuguan. A spoonful became a couple of spoonfuls and I sit there mystified by my conversion. The answer was simple really: crispy dinuguan was pork blood sauce on the outside, and crunchy lechon kawali on the inside. I have to admit, it made for a wonderful pairing. There was some to take home, and the crispy dinuguan was still good the day after. I give this offering a definite thumbs up!
MY son, the picky eater, ordered his favorite pancit canton, and the piniritong manok (fried chicken) which never came. The pancit was ordinary, am surprised it’s included in the menu when it rightfully belongs to a panciteria. After the crispy dinuguan, the Club would do well to include other out-of-the-way dishes. How about balut??
Itsi Bitsi is sauteed Sitaw, Bitsuelas, Sigarilyas mixed with what appears to be ‘pulled’ beef strips. This was kinda try, but tasty.
Two of Kanin Club’s popular desserts: the leche flan generously topped with macapuno (sweetened young coconut) as well as Turon KC, with or without ice cream. The turon is especially a bestseller. That’s because it’s not only made of caramelized banana, but also ube haleya, macapuno and red mongo beans. As good as a heavenly serving of halo-halo itself!
Kanin Club Alabang
Telephone Number 771-1104
Kanin Club, Paseo de Sta. Rosa
Sta. Rosa, Laguna
Telephone Number (049) – 771 1400
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Blogging since 2004 and recently married to Mr Z. I can't live without coffee....and brown sugar.
You live near Alabang? Me too! Yay! But I haven’t tried this coz whenever we go to Westgate, the place is always full! I need to try this sooo soon!
Hi Dyanie, near the airport ako. I recommend going to Kanin Club very early, like 11 am. You’d be one of the first customers, am sure
Ive been hearing a lot of praises about this resto.. too bad its to far from my place… maybe i can invite my friends para matry ko hehe
Mr. Pinoy Cravings, Heard a lot about the resto too.. until I made the effort to try it
more so that it’s been included in the Miele Guide…
Strange… I never knew there was any other version of diniguan other than Lechon Kawali Dinuguan – which is the only way my Mom makes it. Always. My mom’s version doesn’t have much ‘blood’ it it, not thick and pasty… and always only has lechon in it. She’s kinda famous for it in her inner circle of friends (they always pay her to make it for them for parties). She says using lechon removes the ‘lansa’ taste. Also, apparently… you shouldn’t stir the vinegar too much so that lansa taste will disappear. I have no clue as to what she’s talking about. I sense my Mom is trying to impart her Filipino cooking knowledge to me. I grew up in Canada and I usually cook non-Filipino food.
I’m totally well… not a dinuguan fan, despite the fact that I’ll concede that it’s really quite tasty. Mostly, I just find it kinda well… umm. It’s not so much the blood thing that disturbs me… It’s the visuals… the colour.
Hi Fruityoaty. What region in the Philippines does your mother come from?Crispy dinuguan is certainly not common here. It’s usually cooked with blood, pork and some innards. Hence, the ewwwe!factor.I guess the lechon kawali gives it a degree of wholesomeness, especially if you’re a foodie who’s nottoo adventurous, like me
No more food posts! Not fair! Am halfway interested in the Dinuguan (translation = am ready for lechon, but not the blood sauce
)
Of COURSE they have Pancit, otherwise, folks that aren’t ready for Dinuguan will go hungry. Or just pout, while everyone around them fill their bellies.
The Turon does look great. Can’t say that it would need ice cream alongside. Would probably prefer it to Halo-halo, myself
Hey Ajay,
Your twins are growing up to be so sooo beautiful! I hope you won’t encounter any boy problems with these two come teen years!
Jane
Between Bites
http://www.janedchua.com
Hmm they sure look inviting! Im lucky my folks live in Las Pinas. Perhaps we could swing by that place soon when I’m in town.
Mr. Z, Only 30 food posts remaining for the rest of the year, don’t worry
I prefer not having ice cream with turon KC myself..that would dilute its crunchy goodness.
Hey Jane, thanks. Am keeping my fingers crossed they will grow up fine. Wait,did you encounter boy problems?
Linnor, oooh, it’s so near Las Pinas!
Mmmmm. Their Crispy Dinuguan was so delicious! Very sinful but sooo delicious! And yes, that turon! Out of this world!!!
I liked their Seafood Salpicao
sobrang nalaway ako sa mga pagkain dito..grabeh! i want to try dinuguan, tagal ko nang hindi nakakain! heck, i want to try everything you’ve shown here LOL!
I LOVE Kanin Club. I go home to my mom’s house in Sta. Rosa every weekend kaya suki ako ng Kanin Club.
I LOVE the Crispy Dinuguan (mahilig kasi ako sa isaw and chicharon). The binukadkad na tilapya is good also. So is the Crispy Tenga (better than the Crispy Liempo in my opinion).
I also LOVE the Turon/Halo-halo. Goldilocks tried to make this (it’s called Crispy Halo-Halo yata) pero my gosh, wala sa kalingkingan ng sarap ng sa Kanina Club. It’s the best!
Obvious bang fan ako ng KC?
The crispy dinuguan does not contain lechon kawali but chicharon , try slicing it. In Ilocos some have this version. There is a foodstall in SM MOA food court ( its Laoag something , I forgot) that offers the same but is not that very good as the one in KC.