Hukad sa Golden Cowrie - Dumaguete City

I never expected to eat out in Dumaguete at this fairly new place called Hukad (because there also branches I could've tried in Metro Manila) But nevertheless, this is worth the visit. Food was good and aptly priced. Try the Tuna Belly, Sinigang w/ Baby Prawns and their buttery baked scallops. Also, the staff were accommodating and attentive to your needs. I also appreciate it when they speak in Tagalog because most of the people we've encountered in the city will turn to their native language when speaking with us.

Had the scallops and the lechon with garlic rice and calamansi juice. The scallops were advertised as bantayan scallops. Having just been there, I would say they are on the smaller side,and the scallops were a little tough. Still delicious. I usually dislike lechon as it is usually very fatty. This lechon was fairly lean and was infused with herbs. Superb. Garlic rice was ok. More fried garlic on top of plain rice. The calamansi juice was strong, just how I like it. Service was fairly good. Friendly ppl outside the restaurant replying accurately to my questions and attentive service throughout the meal. Only at the end did I have trouble finding the person to pay the bill. I am still thinking about that Lechon.

We came here to try local food in a nice atmosphere and it didn't disappoint! They have a wide menu variety with many dishes to choose from, really impressive. Service is friendly and quick. Food is fresh and tasty, good portions too. Highly recommended!

Its honestly a very nice place that has great service (they managed to keep their cool despite the rush hour their food is great and if you want to try local Filipino food, this is a good place to do it. If you have a lot of relatives and/or friends, you can all eat here since they hve a function room (two long tables in a somewhat secluded part of Hukad and I assure you they can keep their cool despite how noisy you or your friends can be (two hyper kids, three noisy teens, a very very hyper infant, and several adults who haven't eaten together in a year or two. we were noisy. Honestly I'm becoming hungry while writing this review.

There are plenty of larger plates and tables at this restaurant, but unfortunately the food lacks flavor. The true Malay food identity has been lost over time, with Filipino cuisine now being a mix of Chinese and bland combinations of Spanish and American influences. The overall dining experience was unimpressive and not worth a return visit. It's unclear who is at fault for the subpar food - the Americans and Spanish for displacing Malay culture, or the Malays themselves for allowing their food identity to be taken over.