Kusina Salud: Culture and Cuisine

One of my great loves, a longing that's simply hard to resist, is to embark on a food-hunting adventure. Yes, it's bound to make me gain more weight. But then at the same time, it's also a guaranteed way to reward my palate and to make me relax and enjoy after a burdensome week or month of work.

My fiance and I at the entrance of the restaurant

This sign hangs at the gate of the garden

On one of my out-of-town trips, I was fortunate enough to uncover the rare beauty of Kusina Salud in San Pablo, Laguna, which is owned by the family of renowned fashion designer Patis Tesoro. Indeed a fusion of culture and cuisine, its natural exquisiteness lies in the indigenous interiors that make you feel instantly at home and in the luxuriant gardens that provide an atmosphere of serenity. There's even a collection of beautiful birds with vibrant-colored feathers that add to the environmental feel.

Totally unique design of the receiving area

Different ornaments add character to the place

A funny sign on the wall

The counter at the receiving area

It's almost chow-time!

Nice garden landscape

Such a great place!

This place is a haven for food lovers, nature lovers, and love-your-own Pinoy advocates alike. As for me--- I'm a mixture of all which explains my euphoric state at having discovered such a restaurant. Even the toilet's an assortment of artsy and cultural ornaments.

This is so cool, but would probably be creepy at night

Waterfall decor beside some tables

Mysterious faces on a post

It's quite famous for its Sunday lunch buffets, with varying dishes of Filipino cuisine. The buffet costs around P400, if I'm not mistaken. When I was there, I chanced upon their water buffalo (a.k.a. kalabaw) dish and to my surprise, it was actually as tender as beef. It was my first time to eat such meat but I honestly enjoyed it very much.

The Pinoy-inspired buffet table

My first plate...of course I came back for more!

Pako Salad

Guinataang Kalabaw

Lumpia Sariwa

I also remember smiling at the taste of their unique Pako Salad, Pochero Laguna, and Kulawo with Crispy Pork. Yummm... Plus the good thing is you can actually keep on coming back without tiring of it because they offer different sets of dishes every Sunday, depending on the theme. Some of the themes they have had in the past were Jose Rizal Day, Kambingan, Cocofest, Mother's Day, and Laguna's Specials (the one I was able to try).

Kulawo with Crispy Pork

Sinugno na Tilapia at Mustasa

Turon with buko

The overall experience certainly left me feeling full and contented. =)

Sherwin and I got free giveaways from Kusina Salud...Yipee!