2 /5 Nina Lin: Tried out Cafe Kusina for dinner and ordered a few Filipino staples — pork sisig, garlic rice, tapsilog, and of course, halo-halo for dessert.
To be honest, the presentation was quite different from what I saw on Instagram. While the savoury dishes were flavourful, but the portions for the pork sisig and tapsilog — felt on the smaller side.
The biggest letdown for me, though, was the halo-halo. It looked nothing like what I’d seen in influencer posts or even on the café’s own page. The photos had set up an expectation of a vibrant, generous dessert packed with colourful layers and toppings. What I got instead was mostly shaved ice, two thin, flat pieces of ice cream, a single brûlée slice, and barely visible mix-ins underneath — even in photos, it was hard to tell what was inside.
I understand that presentation can vary, but when something is promoted so visually, it’s hard not to feel let down when it doesn’t quite match what’s advertised. The flavours were there, but the presentation didn’t match the expectations set on Instagram.