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Monday, May 12, 2014

Café Asuncion: Cagayan’s Culinary Gem

Café Asuncion 
Cagayan’s Culinary Gem  
Tuguegarao, Cagayan Series 9

 Long before our trip  to Cagayan, I have
been researching for a Cagayano restaurant 
that serves the region’s specialties, so my
family could experience its culinary culture.


 But aside from the local panciterias,
that serves the iconic Pancit Batil Patong, 
I have not found any restaurant being
recommended on the net and on travel books.


 We even asked for recommendations from
the Pulsar Hotel front desk of a place  where my 
family  could dine in a restaurant  that  serves authentic
Cagayano dishes, but they are also unaware of any.


 So we were left with no choice, but to dine at
the Café Asuncion, but little did we know,  that 
we didn’t have to look far as one of Cagayan’s
best  restaurants is right below our hotel room. 




 Café Asuncion had a contemporary ambiance,




…located on a slightly elevated 
level overlooking the hotel lobby.


It gave us the our very first taste of 
Pancit Batil Patong, which we liked, 


…but what we loved most of this 
restaurant’s version of this popular dish
is the crab meat tasting soup that was 
served together with the noodles.

 

The restaurant had provided us 
delectable set breakfasts everyday,


…and particularly worth mentioning 
is the delicious Tuguegarao Longanisa,
also known as Longanisang Ybanag.


 Tuguegarao Longanisa, is tangy and a
little garlicky and amazingly not greasy 
compared other Pinoy native sausages.
It is delightfully crunchy and the savory 
flavor bursts in your mouth when you bite it.


The good thing though, it isn’t like other 
 native longaniza versions that are horribly
sweet and coated with caramelized sugar 
and disgustingly tasting like candied meat.
   

Another delicious breakfast is the chewy 
Bangus Bonoan Daing, that was not salty,  
and I even thought that it was a salt- free 
dish but amazingly flavorful and delicious. 


 Café Asuncion serves some best fish dishes 
and they seem to have re- invented  the simple  
fried fish and served it as a newly recreated 
fusion recipe like the Fried St. Peter’s Fish.


 The ‘tilapia’ was fried to a crispy perfection
and served lying on a bed of Eggplant Salad,


 …and Atchara. It was served with
a soy sauce and kalamansi concoction 
in a small dipping dish, which we never
get to use as the fish was already very tasty.

 

 Another fish dish that we got addicted to was
 the Fried Hito , where  the native catfish was cut 
crosswise into medallions and fried to perfection.

 

 It was crispy on the outside, but very
succulent  inside. It is  so tender and the flesh
seem to melt in your mouth when you eat it.
Just like the tilapia it was also served lying in
a bed of Ensaladang Talong or Eggplant Salad.

 

 The divine Grilled Pork Ribs, was so tender 
and tasty that even the fatty parts are edible.

 

Café Asuncion also serves some
of the best tasting pasta dishes,



 ... refreshing drinks, 


...delicious,  moist cakes,


…and this is for the record- one of
the best tasting  Sugar Raised Donut


 It reminded me of the yummy Pike’s Peak Donut 
as the texture was doughy, not puffy, it wasn’t so 
sweet,. Unlike the later that is only available at a donut
shop perched up on a mountain top in Colorado,.


.... there’s no need to scale a mountain peak 
 in Tugugarao. One can enjoy this pastry, right 
at the comfort of a hotel based Cafe Asuncion.


Watch out for my other 
Tuguegarao Blog Series

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