The first-ever buffet restaurant in the Philippines opened in 1986

In a recent “Pina Sarap” episode, journalist Kara David uncovered the first-ever buffet restaurant of the Philippines: Cabalen, which opened in 1986. It was the brainchild of Maritel Nievera.

She opened a store that sold Kapampangan pasalubong in 1974. Soon, she turned it into an eatery that served delicious Kapampangan dishes. She called it “Ituro Mo, Iluto Ko.”

In 1986 on West Avenue in Quezon City, she finally opened Cabalen, an eat-all-you-can, eat-all-you-want restaurant.

Cabalen,”means “Kababayan kong Kapampangan,” started as a turo turo. “Yung mga restaurants sa Pampanga, kung makikita mo, mga turo-turo. When I was conceptualizing Cabalen, [I thought] anong pwede kong i-offer that will not be the same? Binakilan ko each town in Pampanga, kung ano yung mga specialities nila."

And thus, Which Cabalen was born. Watch the episode below: