KABAYAN KUSINA — Restaurant in San Antonio

None of us felt like cooking, we found that Kabayan Kusina was up the road. Getting to this Filipino restaurant is annoying, because the traffic at that intersection of DeZavala has traffic coming from/to I10, and there are a bunch of stores in the vicinity, like HEB. That's not something you can get upset at, but you should be aware that traffic will always be when arriving and departing. The restaurant is in a strip mall that shares parking with the other tenants, so parking may or may not be available when you arrive. We were able to find parking easily at 6PM on a Tuesday. The aesthetic of KK makes me feel like I'm in a restaurant or beach hut in the Philippines. Not only is the decor cozy, but it's also clean. I always hunt for dust or dirt and was unable to find either. I did notice that they store food in cases on the floor under their small market shelves, but that's a pet peeve of mine from working in the industry. Speaking of the small market, they have a handful of items, which I can only assume are hard-to-find desirables from the Philippines. As I was perusing what they had a very helpful woman, who I assume was the owner, was conversing with me and my family and told us a little about their start and what they had to offer. I considered purchasing a bottle of spiced vinegar and their house-made papaya relish from their market. I decided to wait on both since the papaya slaw/relish comes with some of the stuff we ordered. We went HUNGRY, and we're also greedy, so our order reflects that. For drinks, we ordered two glasses of water and two pineapple juices. The pineapple juice tastes canned, so I don't recommend spending the money on it. I would've been happy to pay the same price for fresh pineapple juice. I'd probably shell out more for it, actually. I would love to see them offer more in the way of tropical fruit juices like mango or guava. I don't know if that's a good idea for them economically, but I'd definitely pay for it. They could collaborate with the Tealicious next door to cut down on costs. I'm just spitballing here. For our starter, we ordered 2 portions of the lumpia. The lumpia is absolutely divine. Perfectly crispy, with a flavorful filling that wasn't hard, which often happens with lumpia filling. The best thing about these lumpia is that they are LONG. Like, I even said, "Had I known they were THIS big, I would've only ordered one." My family laughed because they knew we'd crush double the amount we ordered. One of these things is roughly the size of 2 lumpia. Absolutely worth the $$. For dinner, we ordered the Pancit Bihon with shrimp (I felt the pancit noodles were overcooked and underseasoned), Lechon Belly Roll (GET THIS, it's sheer perfection, and the crispy skin is heavenly), Sisig (delicious, but you should know that there's some amount of cartilage in this), Tortang Talong (a pretty good eggplant omelet), Chicken Adobo (which had the texture of day-old chicken and was barely warm, but flavored well), and the Garlic Rice (just a touch bland). Our orders came with white rice, and the Belly Roll and Tortang had that papaya relish. I recommend to the owners/chef to remove large pieces of the green pepper used to spice this relish. Assuming it was a milder pepper, my daughter ate the entire thing and was brought to tears by it. I suggest cutting the peppers down or not adding them to relish in such a big quantity. I let the friendly lady know about the temperature of the Chicken Adobo. I strongly believe that the chicken was cooked very early in the day or even the day before because it was very dry and tough. It would've been perfect had it been fresher. I would also love to see chicken thighs in place of or in addition to drumsticks (but that's because drums are my least favorite part). Our family of four paid $160. I'm unsure if they offer military discounts because we didn't ask. We really enjoyed the ambiance, most of the food, and the service. I can't help but recommend this restaurant. I look forward to returning often and hope to give them...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Kabayan Kusina, a Filipino restaurant located in San Antonio. As a fan of Filipino cuisine, I was eager to try their offerings, and I must say, I was not disappointed. From their lumpia and pork pancit canton to their sinuglaw and sago gulaman drink, each dish was a delight to the senses.

Let's start with the lumpia. These crispy Filipino spring rolls were bursting with flavor. The filling was well-seasoned and perfectly balanced, and the accompanying dipping sauce added an extra layer of tanginess. Each bite was a delightful combination of crunch and tenderness, making it a great appetizer to start the meal.

Next up was the pork pancit canton. This classic Filipino noodle dish was a standout. The noodles were cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of chewiness. The dish was generously loaded with tender pork and a colorful medley of vegetables, resulting in a satisfying and flavorful combination. The portions were generous, making it an ideal choice for sharing with friends or family.

One of the highlights of my dining experience was the sinuglaw, a fusion of sinugba (grilled meat) and kinilaw (raw seafood marinated in vinegar). Kabayan Kusina's version of this dish was exceptional. The combination of grilled pork and fresh, tangy seafood created a harmony of flavors that was both unique and delicious. The dish was beautifully presented, and the freshness of the ingredients shone through in every bite.

To quench my thirst, I opted for the sago gulaman drink. This traditional Filipino refreshment was a sweet and refreshing way to complement the meal. The combination of chewy tapioca pearls (sago) and jelly cubes (gulaman) in a sweet syrup created a delightful texture, while the subtle flavors of pandan and brown sugar added a pleasant twist. It was a perfect accompaniment to the flavorful dishes I had enjoyed.

In addition to the delectable food, the service at Kabayan Kusina was excellent. The staff members were friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. They were more than happy to answer any questions I had and provide recommendations based on my preferences.

The ambiance of the restaurant was warm and inviting, with Filipino-inspired decor and a cozy atmosphere. The seating arrangements were comfortable, making it a great place to dine with friends or family.

Overall, my experience at Kabayan Kusina was a memorable one. The restaurant impressed me with its authentic Filipino flavors, skillful preparation, and excellent service. If you're a fan of Filipino cuisine or looking to explore new flavors, I highly recommend paying a visit to Kabayan Kusina San Antonio. You won't be...

The food altogether was decent, even though one of the samplers (we think it was a side-dish that had a lot of vinegar in it) gave us explosive diarrhea. The lumpia and pork BBQ sticks were excellent. The crispy belly roll was ok and they didn't have the fruit salad available. We got a few other things I can't remember right now that we're decent. Service is another story. We were the only non-Filipinos dining in, and we were definitely reminded of that through the service. We were about to get up (wether to go to the counter and ask if that's where we needed to order because no one came to the table, or after we were finished and thought we had to go to the counter to pay because no one came to the table), and each time we went to get up out of confusion after waiting around, someone magically came to the table. Not to mention that no one really attended to us during the meal while other guests who showed up later were attended to first. All the non-Filipinos there were accompanied by their Filipina significant others who spoke Tagalog. We saw non-Filipinos came in to pick up their orders, or order at the counter and leave to come back later, they didn't stick around. The starters were excellent, main dishes ok, but not a very welcoming place to dine in if you're not Filipino, accompanied by a Filipino or don't speak Tagalog. We ordered a lot of food and spent a lot of $ like we usually do when going somewhere new, needless to say, it'll be the first and last time we do. We prefer going to Sari-Sari on Warzbach or the Filipino food truck at the 1604 Cantina Food Truck Park (can't remember the name but...