A heritage restaurant: Kusina Felicitas
Kusina Felicitas started in 2004 as one of three restaurants housed at Grandpa’s Inn. The boom of tourists going to Vigan prompted the owners of Granpas’ Inn to open up a restaurant that gave their guests a true Ilocandia experience. The name comes from the owner’s mother and mentor.
“Blast from the past” is the best way of describing Kusina Felicitas. Stepping through their doors takes you back to 18th century, with the restaurant retaining the same 18th-century materials used during the construction of the building it’s housed in.
Their dishes are inspired by other parts of Ilocandia (Abra, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Benguet, Kalinga, Cagayan, Apayao, and other towns in Ilocos Sur), giving customers a truly inclusive Ilocandia experience.
One of their best dishes is something that’s unique to Ilocos Sur: the Pipian na Manok (chicken pipian, P180). It’s a dish that’s best described as kare-kare with a hint of sinigang. The soup’s consistency is similar to that of sinigang, but the ingredients themselves resemble kare-kare, all except for the use of chicken and pasotes leaves (a tree found only in Ilocos Sur).
SINANGLAO (P190). If you’re looking for a soup dish, then this one is for you. The people of Vigan love their sinanglao.
No trip to Ilocos is complete without eating two of the region’s signature dishes: pinakbet and bagnet. However, who has the time to take in just one of these meals? Kusina Felicitas solve this by combining these two into a simple yet hearty serving of Pinakbet with Bagnet (P180), a combination of the region’s best and most-loved dishes.
You can find Kusina Felicitas at G/F, Grandpa’s Inn, #1 Bonifacio St. cor. Quirino Blvd., Vigan City. They’re open from 6:00 am to 12:00 mn every day, even during holidays. For reservations, you can call 077-674-0729 or 077-674-0686. You can also contact them via mobile phone (0917-799-0121 or 0920-967-0608) or visit their website at www.grandpas-inn.com.
All photos courtesy of Kusina Felicitas.
