Buglas Isla Cafe in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

Lately, I noticed I get attracted to places with an ancestral vibe. When I was young, ancestral houses gives me an eerie feeling. Yet now, I began to appreciate its architectural design and the history behind it.

Last December, we went to Dumaguete City to attend a friend’s wedding. Thinking of where to eat for lunch on our last day in the city, I remembered The Moonlighting Doctor’s post on Facebook about Buglas Isla Cafe, and told my friends about it.

Buglas Isla Cafe is a restaurant cafe with an ancestral structure located in Dumaguete City. Originally, the structure is built in another city of Negros Oriental. It was then dismantled, transported, and reconstructed to where it is now. You will notice that the wood and some other materials used are indeed old.

The ambiance, especially outside, is great for picture taking. Therefore, an awra photo is a must! Kidding aside, the whole area is spacious, peaceful, and very presko. The main structure is surrounded by plants and trees. At the back, they have a mini garden of herbs such as mint leaves, thyme, and rosemary.

WHAT WE ORDERED

Buglas Isla Cafe serves all day brunch meals, breads, pastries, coffee, and more. It is not only a nice and relaxing place to dine, but the food is also good.

They actually offer breakfast boards which are good for groups, but we decided to order individually. I had Angus Beef Tapa which is very tender. It is served with garlic rice, fried egg, atchara, and spiced vinegar.

I like the spiced vinegar, but I would like it even more if it is a bit more sour in taste. Nevertheless, it is still a great pair for my tapa.

Glenn on the other hand ordered Lechon Kawali which is somehow pricey for me. It’s fine. It’s crunchy. It’s tasty, but nothing extraordinary for me. Lechon kawali will always be lechon kawali. We can never go wrong with what to expect about this dish. Anyway, the thing I liked about this dish is that two kinds of sauce were served — soy sauce with onions and liver sauce (di ka na pahihirapan to just choose one).

For my panghimagas, since I am fond of rice cakes, I made sure to order and try this known delicacy in the Visayan Region called budbud (sticky rice) at sikwate (chocolate). The rice cake, mango, and chocolate complement with each other. Perfect combination! Medyo nakakabitin though. Yung tipong naubos mo na yung rice cake at mangga, pero ang dami pa nung tsokolate. Nevertheless, you should try it if you happen to visit.

HOW TO GET THERE

Via Private Vehicle: You may use Google Maps or Waze. Just make sure you’re in EJ Blanco Drive once nearby. Because if you follow Waze all the way, it will take you to Amigo Street, and it’s a dead end.

Via Public Transportation: If you are in the city, you may opt to ride a tricycle and ask the driver to drop you off at Buglas Isla Cafe at EJ Blanco Drive.

MY THOUGHTS

I think more than the food and the indoor and outdoor ambiance, the structure and the little trivia about this place is what makes people visit Buglas Isla Cafe. Somehow, it also makes you feel like you traveled back in time as if you were in a setting described on one of our history books.

I can say our experience at Buglas Isla Cafe was great. We were accommodated well by their staff like recommending what to try, tending to our many requests, and so on. I would recommend dining here when in Dumaguete.

By the way, to make sure we are able to try this place, we made a reservation prior since we went on a Sunday.

BUGLAS ISLA CAFE

• EJ Blanco Drive, Piapi, Dumaguete City
• Cafe Hours: Monday – Sunday | 7:00am – 5:00 pm
• Contact Number: (035) 402-0867 | +639175003953
• Buglas Isla Cafe: Facebook | Instagram