While I was in CDO, I met up with some friends and they brought me to Cucina Higala, which is a restaurant located in the city proper. It's name came from "Cucina” which is the Spanish word for “kitchen" and “Higala” which is a local or vernacular word that can either mean "friend' or "family".

Cucina Higala is one of the most recommended local restaurants in CDO, as it features Filipino cuisine with its signature modern touches.

Pancit Palabok, with sauteed shrimps, baby squid, hard-cooked quail eggs,
crumbled chicharon, and tinapa flakes
Chicharong Bulaklak - deep-fried ruffled pork fat, served with vinegar
Sinuglaw - a mix of sinugba and kinilaw, which is composed of
grilled pork belly and fish ceviche
Callos - a Filipino-Spanish stew with beef tripe, ox feet meat,
and smoked meats, served with bread

And now for my verdict. Everything tasted great. I found the callos a bit too runny compared to what I expected, but the taste is still good. I really liked the pancit palabok and the sinuglaw. The service was good, and the staff was quite accommodating.

Overall, I had a good dining experience at Cucina Higala and I would highly recommend it.