GenSan Revisited: Kiko’s Family Restaurant

Greaseless Fried Chicken

Lyle and I went to General Santos City last April 3, Saturday, upon the invitation of Avel Manansala. Lyle and Avel had to do some site maintenance tasks for Avel’s high-traffic, much-loved website and as Lyle’s Girl Friday, I had to tag along.

When Lyle broke the news to me (during lunchtime of April 2) that we will be traveling to General Santos City at 8:00 a.m. the next morning, I was a little put off. I don’t normally travel on such a short notice but since we were both bored and it has been more than five months since my last trip to GenSan, I let him coax me into making the trip.

We arrived at General Santos City around lunchtime of Saturday. Avel and Marzz picked us up at the bus stop and brought us to Dolores Hotel where we stayed for the night (Thanks, Ate Jinky!). I have stayed at Dolores Hotel during the MBS2 and I say that as a business hotel, Dolores Hotel really delivers.

For lunch, Avel brought us to Kiko’s Family Restaurant, an unassuming restaurant along South Osmena Street, beside DTI Office. At Kiko’s Family Restaurant, owner and manager Gary Ocampo (a very nice guy, I must say) treated us to an al fresco lunch of homestyle fried chicken, laing, big eye tuna belly, grilled pork chops, and imbao soup.

Everything was delicious– from the succulent homestyle fried chicken to the spicy laing to the grilled pork chop and tuna belly. I am a big fan of Bicolano dishes (I should really try their Bicol Express next time) and even a bigger fan of savoury grilled dishes so lunch that day was nothing short of a great dining experience.

However, if I have to choose the highlight of my meal, it has to be Kiko’s homestyle fried chicken. Dipped in special gravy, Kiko’s homestyle fried chicken simply rocks with it’s home-cooked goodness– golden brown in the outside and juicy and moist in the inside.

Tinolang Imbao

Grilled Pork Chops

Grilled Big Eye Tuna Belly

Spicy Laing

The imbao soup, too, came as a surprise. I found it flavorful after giving it a try and thankfully, Kiko’s special ingredient neutralized any aftertaste so I somehow enjoyed the soup– remarkable as I do have an acquired aversion to shellfish-based concoctions.

For dessert, I opted for ube while Lyle and the rest had halo-halo. I enjoyed the ube’s melt-in-your-mouth sweetness but I also eyed my companions’ halo-halo with envy. A spoonful of Lyle’s halo-halo confirmed my suspicions– it is, indeed, very appetizing. But I was really stuffed to the core so sadly, I couldn’t have another mouthful even if I wanted more.

Ube

Halo-Halo

Another treat for first-timers at Kiko’s Family Restaurant is their indoor garden complete with artificial rain. Trust Mr. Gary Ocampo to come up with something really innovative to keep Kiko’s Family Restaurant cool even in this excessive summer heat!