First Bite: Big Ben's Gourmet Imus Longganisa

Big Ben's is one of Imus, Cavite's gems when it comes to longganisa. It has been known for its delectable Original Garlic Adobo Longganisa which is packed with bold flavors along with crowd favorites Garlic Hamunado and Gourmet Bottled Longganisa. But this charmer down south has a lot more to offer.

Hello, Big Ben's Gourmet Imus Longganisa.

Big Ben's has been around for a couple of years now but I haven't had the chance to drop by its Cavite restaurant. And I wouldn't have guessed that my first time to try it was during Manila's lockdown. 

Staycation Chronicles: Bayleaf Cavite

I hardly consider Cavite as a location for a quick getaway. In fact, I couldn't think of a single thing to do in the area. But who would have thought that there's a gem waiting to be found along the long Governor's Drive? 

Hello, Bayleaf Cavite.

Bayleaf may not be exactly a new name in the hospitality industry as its Intramuros branch has been around for over five years. Built as an extension to Lyceum of the Philippines, Bayleaf served as the culinary arm of the university. And it was not long after the success of Bayleaf Intramuros when the Laurel family decided to open another one, this time in Cavite.

Weekend Getaway: Highlands Prime Steakhouse

[Part 2 of White Day Weekend Getaway] After lunch, R and I decided to ride a cable car to explore Tagaytay Highlands and it turned out to be a not so good idea because it was a really hot afternoon. Good thing we were prepared to swim. (Okay, I was prepared to just dip and do nothing else.) After bringing out the mermaid and merman in us, we decided to have dinner.

Hello, Highlands Prime Steakhouse!

The place has a very cozy feeling. Despite being a steakhouse, it didn’t have a snobbish ambiance to it.

R wanted to eat outside for the view but it was rather chilly that night. Anyway, we still went for it.

We decided to go for the following: Westfalian Barley Soup (PHP158), Sautéed Scallop of Hudson Valley Foie Gras (PHP920), Norwegian Salmon Steak (PHP880) and John Wayne’s Prime Rib (PHP2,598, 20 oz. | PHP1,998, 14 oz. | PHP1,380, 10 oz. | PHP1,008, 7 oz.). We also got some fruit shakes.

The barley soup, which was a mix of ham, carrots, celery and potatoes and blended with cream and egg yolk, was a good appetizer. It sure warmed up the tummy and was pretty light too.

The foie gras was also delightful! I loved the contrast in flavors of the foie gras and the pineapple bits.

Birthday Lunch Surprise: Sonya's Garden

I have been targeting to visit a hidden yet well-known “gem” near Tagaytay for quite some time now. Fine, it has been years, two or three years to be more precise. But for some reason, my parents were always busy and my friends were not very fond of out of town adventures. But this 2012 seemed to be nice to me as I finally got to cross out one of the items on my to-do list—a trip to Sonya’s Garden.

I am the type of person who plans out my own birthday. I make sure that I will get to eat good food on my special day (and the day before and two days before that too as I just love birthdays). Hey! I don’t think it is being a spoiled brat or anything like that. I only get to have the right to demand to be special in one out of 365 days! Anyway, going back to Sonya’s Garden…