A favorite among locals, celebrities, and personalities, it’s a go-to spot for comforting Cordilleran and Ilocano dishes that keep guests coming back.
Balajadia Kitchenette, located inside the Slaughter Compound in Baguio City, might be known for their bulalo. It’s the same one the Balajadia family has been cooking since 1972; the same recipe hordes of locals and tourists has been luring in. But for those who have been stuck to the habit of ordering just a heaping bowl of their beef soup, they might be oblivious to the fact that the rest of the eatery’s menu actually deserves equal billing as their bestseller.
Two huge cauldrons of stainless steel pots scorching over hot charcoals would typically greet guests to the kitchenette. Upon entry, customers are led to either one of two rooms—a space plastered with kitschy bamboo wallpaper and another lined with ID photos of loyal patrons.
Some don’t even bother browsing the menu as they go there for one thing and one thing alone—their claim to fame, as their signage suggests: the bulalo. Those who are in-the-know though or are up for a delicious adventure would be smart to sample the other items, consisting of beef, pork, fish, vegetables and goat. People craving for chicken would be better off somewhere else.
They carry your typical breakfast silogs, two pancits (bihon and canton), and a good number of grilled items, ranging from inihaw na okra to inihaw na sili. But the real standouts are the beef and goat choices, especially the items that include the innards.
The cow’s butt and balls are cooked ala bistek, and the same parts are also used for their version of Soup #5. They have pinapaitan and sinampalukan, both available in cow (baka) and goat (kambing), as well as pigar pigar, thinly sliced beef and liver that’s sautéed with onions. Their goat kilawin comes grilled; the caliente features cow’s skin; and their inihaw na baboy can come with a side of cooked blood as condiment, if requested. These may be the plates made for childish dares, but guests who can get over the initial hesitation will definitely be rewarded with a fine meal.
Go ahead and order a piping hot bowl of bulalo, and while you’re at it, the poqui-poqui, too (it’s the best I’ve ever had!), but be sure to leave space for the innards, which I personally believe, are Balajadia’s best kept secrets.
Balajadia Kitchenette is located at 7 Sto. Niño Slaughter Compound, Lower Magsaysay, Baguio City. Contact no. 0927-7149219.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is located at 7 Sto. Niño Slaughter Compound, Lower Magsaysay, Baguio City, and has been serving its recipes since 1972.
The author gives that high praise to the poqui-poqui, suggesting it shouldn’t be missed alongside the bulalo.
The menu features “butt and balls” (cooked ala bistek or in Soup #5), pigar-pigar, grilled goat kilawin, and caliente made of cow’s skin.
No, the restaurant specializes in beef, pork, fish, goat, and vegetables; the author notes that chicken lovers should go somewhere else.
One room is decorated with kitschy bamboo wallpaper, while the other is lined with ID photos of the restaurant’s loyal patrons.
![Patricia Locsin Cheung of Feliz Dish and Details [PHOTO COURTESY OF Feliz Dish and Details]](https://assets.delish.ph/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Patricia-Locsin-Cheung-of-Feliz-Dish-and-Details-960x960.webp)
