During our stay at the wonderful Cebu City, I was brought to a Cebuano native restaurant, Hukad, Sa Golden Cowrie.  The branch we went to was at The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu.

If you are looking for a "lutong-bahay" Filipino dish and you want to satisfy that craving, Hukad Sa Golden Cowrie is the place you should be going to.

But first, what does "Hukad" mean in Cebuano?  In my research, "Hukad" means to serve food on your plate.  As a noun, it literally means "sandok" or a ladle, a big and deep serving spoon that transfers food from the casserole to your plate.  Hence, the main subject or photo on their Menu is the "Hukad".

Other than Hukad Sa Golden Cowrie restaurant being Filipino, it definitely has a Cebuano signature to it.  Their ceiling lights are designed to look like Cebu's "Puso".  "Puso" or hanging rice, is a native dish of Cebu made up of rice, boiled and wrapped in weaved coco or palm leaves.  For me it also looks like a Heart which is "Puso" in Filipino translation.

We dined in Hukad twice and in both times, the place was packed with local and foreign tourists alike.  There is something comforting in sitting and savoring Filipino food in this Cabuano restaurant.
I didn't know what to expect when I first came here, so their flat rectangular plates with banana leaf on top was something different.
We ordered one of their bestsellers, "Baked Scallops."  When you go to Cebu and decide to dine at Hukad Sa Golden Cowrie, you have to try this dish.  The melted cheese blankets the flavorful scallop and it's perfect with rice!
Here's what I found experiential during my visit in Hukad restaurant.  They serve unlimited rice!  Plus, their rice servers go around tables with the casserole in a wooden bucket.  The rice is transferred to your plate using a wooden ladle or the "Hukad".
To complete the meal, we ordered Sago't Gulaman for our beverage.  What's new to me was, their version of Sago't Gulaman was more of a dessert than a beverage.  It was a glass-full of these colorful jellos rather than the sweet syrup, that I had to request for water to be added to it.