Goat Head Dish at San Carlos City

Chevon, or goat’s meat is the fourth most consumed meat in the world, the top three being pork, beef and chicken. However, it is the most widely consumed meat in the world considering Muslims do not eat pork.

In the Philippines, I observed that there are a lot of people who don’t eat goat dishes. They say it’s the smell that turns them off.  That, I believe, has something to do with our misconception that goats are afraid of water thus they are not bathe and so they smell. I eat goat meat but I don’t notice any unpleasant smell. It does have a certain smell which they call “gamey” but I don’t find it unpleasant at all. It’s probably an acquired taste just like eating Durian.

Most of us are already familiar with the goat dish “Caldereta” and those who are not so familiar with how a goat meat tastes may not even know it’s goat meat. Most people eat with their minds and knowing a certain dish comes from something they consider gross will turn them off even before tasting it. Exotic is rather subjective. What you consider exotic may not be exotic for me.

I recently went to San Carlos City and my host, knowing my companions and I eat goat meat, treated us to dinner.  Our host ordered for take out  Caldereta and a Goat Head Dish that looked like “Linaga” from 10-9 Resto Bar.

The dish has a name but our host don’t know what it is and since she ordered for take out, I have no way of asking. She said when she ordered she told the waiter she wants the dish of goat head and feet. At P350, the dish is already good for 4-5 persons.

Like linaga, the dish has been slow cooked for hours since the meat already falls off the bones. Others may find it gross since you can still recognize the parts of the head such as the eyeballs and tongue. I’m not brave enough to look for the brain.

Other than chillies and bell peppers, the dish has no other veggies. It’s hot and has the distinctive gamey flavor of goat. The meat is really tender and since it was slow cooked, the soup is very flavorful. Although lower in fat than beef, the dish should be eaten while hot since the goat fat easily solidifies into sebo.

Their Caldereta was also good but it’s the goat head dish which you should try if you happen to be in San Carlos City. 10-9 Resto Bar is easy to locate, it’s near Gaisano Capital.

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