Al Rigga Restaurant, located near the corner of Safadi Restaurant a few minutes from the Al Rigga Metro Station in Deira, is a popular go-to place for expats stopping by for a quick breakfast on their way to work in the morning; supper upon their return in the evening; and hot soups like the exotic balbacua and soup number 5 in the wee hours of the morning.

“We are right in the middle of everything,” says owner, Amiebeth ‘ma’am Ambhing’ Caintoy, who hails from Bukidnon, referring to the flats and bars in the adjoining streets.

Perhaps the stars of the show are the balbacua and lansiao or soup number 5.

“Diyan kami naging kilala (We became known because of these dishes),” said ma’am Ambhing.

There are two types of balbacua, ma’am Ambhing explains: the Cebuano one, which comes in a thick gravy, and the Bukidnon range, which is more like a stew.

“When I was young, my father would usually cook balbacua. It is the favourite meal of truck drivers when stopping by eateries along the highway for their meals,” narrates ma’am Ambhing.

“I brought that balbacua here in Dubai.”

Another exotic Philippine dish is the lansiao – or soup number 5, which is well-known for its supposed aphrodisiac properties.

Men believe eating them will enhance their libido. The delicacy is also popular among tourists.

Soup #5 is made from the bull’s sex organs, mainly the penis and the testes.

In Central and Southern Philippines, this dish is called ‘lansiao’ from the Chinese ‘lanciao,’ which means male’s genitals.

Aside from these dishes, Al Rigga Restaurant also has all-time Filipino favourite meals like bopis and raw jackfruit sauteed in coconut milk, among others.

Al Rigga Restaurant opened in March last year.

Ma’am Ambhing have worked as accountant in various reputable, Dubai-based companies before embarking on a successful food and beverage business.