IF YOU’RE craving to taste Filipino dishes cooked into perfection at affordable prices, try Doki’s Kambingan At Iba Pa, known to be the best kambingan in Cagayan de Oro.
Kambingan is the first in the country that serves very affordable goat dishes and other animal dishes, which is a fusion of Ilocano and Cagay-anon way in a casual dining, country setting restaurant that caters to Class A, B, C and D clients -- a perfect “tambayan” for family, friends and officemates alike.
Specialty of the house is the sizzling kambing and sizzling tapang kambing. At a very affordable price of P59, costumers are given the choice of of kaldereta, papait, sinigang na kambing, kilawin, adobo, paklay, haling-haling and sinuglaw.
Aside from the goat recipes, Kambingan also serves rice toppings and other dishes such as isda best, shrimps, squid, bisayang manok, pork and beef cooked in a very delectable way.
To top it all, Kambingan serves unlimited red Dinorado rice to satisfy the customers craving.
Dr. Jun “Doki” Prejas, who owns Kambingan, is a veterinarian by profession and a native in Vigan who spent his 20 years working in the city. He has a passion for cooking just like the nature of some Ilocanos and was encouraged by friends and colleagues to put up a restaurant so they would be able to taste his recipes.
Dr. Prejas resigned as a production manager of Swift Inc. and used his separation pay of P300,000 to put up the restaurant’s first branch in Puerto, this city.
He says he always make it a point that no “foul odor” of the goat dish would come out when served in the plates of costumers.
Due to demands from loyal costumers who traveled from the city to the restaurant, Dr. Prejas thought of opening a new branch within the city proper so costumers will not be hassled to travel far. So the second branch was born, located at Julio Pacana Street, with a much bigger area complete with live acoustic band. New recipes are also added to the menu.
As part of charity works, Dr. Prejas contributes food to the less fortunate children in his neighboring restaurant every year as a way of sharing his blessing.
As what he learned from his previous employer, Dr. Prejas said he really values “pakikisama” for the business to prosper since at least 90 percent of his employees are with him ever since his first restaurant started.
With his business, he also contributes to the economic upliftment of small time farmers whom he gets his weekly supply of about 40 goats for his two branches.
Dr. Prejas said he wants to share to the people who does not eat goat the facts and trivia of the goat, where it is among the cleanest of animals and is much more selective feeder than cows, sheeps, pigs, chickens and even dogs.
“Goats do eat many different species of plant but do not want to eat food that has been contaminated on the floor,” he said.
Archeological evidence suggests that goat were domesticated about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Goat meats are being used in Latin America, the Carribean and many Mediterranean countries but has gained more popularity in the US.
Dr. Prejas said goat meat is lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than beef.