THE Kalsangi Village of Dole Philippines in Polomolok, South Cotabato, is one of the municipality’s hidden treasures.
Located at the foot of Mt. Matutum and surrounded by tall trees and hills of pineapple, the village is home to the Kalsangi Clubhouse, Kalasangi Golf Club, and the Dole Philippine School.
Aside from its natural charm, the village’s exclusivity makes it an attraction to visitors coming to Polomolok or those who have heard stories of the place. This exclusive village only allows guests of and invited by Dole Philippines executives.
A few weeks my family and I, together with our friend from New Zealand, visited Kalsangi for lunch.
This is not my first time in Kalsangi because when I was in high school, I usually watch plays being staged by DPS and my aunt, who used to work for Dole Philippines, would bring the family here every once in a while.
During our visit here, we spent most of our time at the clubhouse, where we had lunch. However, my cousin and I did explore a bit while waiting for the food to be served and found our way to the school.
On the outside, the Kalsangi Clubhouse is not very exciting in terms of design but its interior is pretty nice.
I think the interior exudes somewhat a 1990’s vibe with its wood finishing and rattan furniture. I just love how well lighted the place is too.
Sadly, it was sort of a mess when we went in as some of the chairs and tables were a bit scattered. It might probably be due to the peak hours as there were I think around four other groups who were at the clubhouse for lunch.
Outside the clubhouse are some benches overlooking the golf course. There is also an open spaces where kids and families can play. The pool and playground are also just a few steps away from the clubhouse.
Another great thing about Kalsangi is the climate in the area, which was generally cool.
The food served at the clubhosue are mainly Western dishes like steaks, burgers, hot dogs, and pasta, among others. Price of food ranges around P80 to nearly P700.
For our lunch here we ordered the Fettuccini Slow Cooked Beef (P190), Clubhouse Old Timer (P88), Clubhouse Giant Burger (P180), Fillet Mignon (P580), Shrimp and Pomelo Salad (P175), and the Tuna Salad (P160).
Unfortunately, I was only able to try the Fettuccini Slow Cooked Beef and the Clubhouse Giant Burger. However, the rest of the family enjoyed the other dishes here; so I can safely say that the food here is overall good.
The Clubhouse Giant Burger was big enough to satisfy two people. It was a great burger and I find the patty to be juicy. The bun, which is baked by them, was also good.
The Fettuccini Slow Cooked Beef was flavorful and the pasta was wonderfully cooked. However, I find the sauce to be too dry for my liking.
For dessert we ordered a fried cheesecake and another dessert that I forgot about. While most of the dishes we had were good, their desserts were not good. The fried cheesecake was not very good. You can barely taste the cheesecake itself.
The other dessert, which was a cookie topped with two scoops of ice cream, was also not good. The cookie was not chewy and was almost bland.
Meanwhile, the service we receive was just okay. The waiter was professional and attentive but not the friendliest. The food was served within 20 minutes.
If you ever find yourself in Polomolok and you have friends here that can get you to Kalsangi, I do recommend you visit the place. You can also drop by here to play golf. As for the food, avoid their desserts but be sure to order the Clubhouse Giant Burger.