"Gina's Kabayo-an" 5

By: Jhelaica Maglente

This is the quote entered my mind when we invited to eat a mildly exotic food in the famous Carenderia in Dumaguete, Negros city that named Gina’s Kabayo’an. So, okay I was a little bit confused and tensed when I heard the “Kabayo”. I was asking myself: Are they gonna feed us the horse? The horse’s eyes? The horse shoe? and the foot? I’m not courageous enough to eat wild foods, because I’m a bit of a trying hard to be veterinarian. But while inside the car going there, I told myself that I should taste it, “it” meaning to say: whatever it is and what is the taste that will be served on our table.

Gina’s Kabayo-an located in Pinili Street Dumaguete City, just near towards the end of Rizal Boulevard. This eatery is very well-known in the City, it caters different kinds of affordable meals very suit for students and traveler’s on a budget. They offer different kinds of native foods to mildly exotic meals including “horse meat”. The regular customers of the carenderia from the maka-masa, average, conyo to professionals. This is the best place for those who really want to have a taste of how the people Negros City cooks or what we call the authentic local food. 

This place is more of an eatery where you can get freshly cooked or steamed fish, meat, pork, soup and squids. You can choose from several of desserts and other delicious Filipino foods. Once a week you can find a special and different kind of meat in this place. Kabayo stands for horse in the local vernacular and thus Gina’s Kabayo-an serves a horse meat once a week.

We had so much fun of grilled squid on our 2 days stay in Dumaguete. Hello! It’s something we don’t always eat at home and it’s not always available in our market. And hello again, I know we will never say “umay” to this kind of food. The squid was grilled in the right timing and right amount of fire, it’s tenderness is perfect. The stuffing complimented the freshness of the squid that its almost didn't need a “sawsawan”. I’m too preoccupied on tasting everything and my companions are preoccupied of talking political issues. But nevertheless, it is so yummy that I can say that the coconut cream used is fresh which made the dish special.

So what’s my verdict on their very special “Adobong Kabayo”? I can say that if I'm still a meat lover, I would love to eat their single order. It's resemble the taste of a beef, but in an upgraded level. It was so soft that it seems it was cooked in a pressure cooker in the whole day. It didn't leave any bad marks on my tongue. It was juicier, tastier and yummier than beef. It didn't smell horrible, maybe because of the generous amount of the laurel. I know in my mind that if we weren't informed that it is a horse meat, Dhel and Jojo will definitely finish it. As I always say "it’s always in the mind".


When you are in Dumaguete do not forget to visit Gina’s Kabayo’an and try their specialties. It's worth a “break to a strict diet”. This eatery became famous because they cook every dish in an authentic Negros Oriental locale cooks a certain dish. There isn't overpowering taste in a single viand, the mixture of the ingredients was done in a neutralized way, again; it’s not too salty and not bland as well. It’s authentic, sumptuous and most importantly affordable. Have a great foods! :D