When in Tagaytay: Aozora Japanese Restaurant

It has been a long while since R and I drove to Tagaytay. As much as we would like to have a quick getaway, the horrific traffic discourages us from heading anywhere on weekends. But this long weekend's festivities sure made us change our minds. Our first stop, Aozora Japanese Restaurant.

Hello, Aozora. 

Aozora has been one of the popular dining options in Tagaytay that it finally expanded and opened a second branch, across One Tagaytay Place.

First Bite: Café Viola

R and I always see this quaint looking restaurant whenever we visit Crosswinds for a short weekend getaway. We never bother to stop and check though as the place is always packed with diners. We did try though during Valentine’s and failed as all tables were occupied and the ones that will clear soon were reserved. But we finally got to successfully visit it a few weekends ago.

Hello, Café Vio La! (Yes, there really is a space in between Vio and La.)

The place was quite full at 8 p.m. on a Sunday but we managed to get a table for five.

Famished from swimming, we ordered Pork Crackling (PHP595), Grilled Norwegian Salmon (PHP595), Homemade Chicken Pork Adobo (PHP425), Garlic Longganisa (PHP295) and Garlic Beef Tapa (PHP375). L also ordered a pot of hot Camomile tea (PHP85). 

First served was the pot of tea which tasted like hot lemon water. The tea taste was so mild. 

The Homemade Chicken and Pork Adobo was served next and B who is not a local was looking for the adobo sauce. This one was the type of adobo where the chicken thighs and pork spare ribs are slow-cooked and simmered till dry in its natural juices, vinegar, palm sugar and lots of garlic and spices. I wasn’t able to take a photo of it as B was hungry. 

Restaurant Love: Highlanders Steakhouse

I still remember the first time R and I went to Tagaytay Highlands. It was a perfect weekend getaway and what made it so special was because R planned the whole trip himself. It was our first out of town trip together. And since then, I could no longer count how many times we went to Tagaytay Highlands or Tagaytay itself for a short escapade. And a couple of weekends ago, we went again, this time with his friends.

Hello, Tagaytay Highlands.

We got to the place a bit past noon and R was rushing for us to get to The Highlanders Steakhouse for lunch. And we made it!

R and I ordered our usuals, John Wayne’s Prime Rib (PHP2,998, 20oz.), Sautéed Scallop of Hudson Valley Foie Gras (PHP920) and Cream of Butternut Squash Soup (PHP158). S suggested that we also get Seared Chilean Sea Bass (PHP1,180) and Baby Back Ribs (PHP820). 

While waiting for our orders, we enjoyed the complimentary loaves of bread and butter. L almost finished one whole loaf by herself. I am amazed with this petite girl’s appetite!

My squash soup was served after a few minutes and it was as good as before. It was creamy and slightly sweet and salty. You could definitely taste the delectable taste of pumpkin and the subtle flavor of nuts. It is best with a dash of pepper.

Next served was our favorite foie gras and I still find it the best foie gras around. The generous cuts of foie gras was flavorful and succulent. It went so well with the Hibiscus Tea sauce and caramelized pineapples which balanced off the saltiness of the foie gras. 

The other three dishes soon followed.

First Bite: Siglo Modern Filipino

R and I decided to avoid the Valentine's Day mayhem in Manila and went to Tagaytay for a nice short break. We arrived in two hours on a Friday night and enjoyed the cool breeze of the city. Thinking that most people will celebrate Valentine's on Saturday, we decided to head back to Manila early afternoon of the 14th but we were stuck in traffic and Waze said that it will take us a long time before reaching Nuvali. Without hesitation, we made a U-turn and opted to head back to R's apartment. But since we were hungry, we made a quick stop at this Filipino restaurant called Siglo. 

Hello, Siglo Modern Filipino.

I was a bit iffy to stop by this place as I couldn't find reviews about it. But hungry people stuck in crazy traffic cannot be choosy. 

The restaurant serves typical Tagaytay specialties such as Bulalo (PHP350) and Tawilis (PHP150). We opted to get those as well as Chocolate Milk Shake and Strawberry Smoothie (PHP125 each) from its neighbor Adam's Cafe. 

Our drinks arrived in 15 minutes or so and both were very sweet. In fact, too sweet. It was like slurping dessert on a hot day. Not exactly something ideal to be paired with our meal but it was okay to battle the early summer heat.

After almost an hour, our dishes were finally served. The waiter apologized and said that it took them a while to make the bulalo as they had to make sure that the meat's tender. (True enough, it does take at least 3 hours to make really good bulalo. But the long wait was not acceptable.)

First Bite: Fire Lake Grill

Celebrating new year's with R's family was fun. There were several kids running around and their reaction to fireworks was priceless. I also learned a bit of mahjong which is a more sophisticated and complicated version of well-loved Filipino card game Tong Its (rummy-type game). When the clock hit 12 midnight, we all cheered for 2016 and also greeted cutie pie P a happy birthday. It must be fun to have the whole world anticipate your birthday with you. And to celebrate P's birthday, we all headed to Cliffhouse Tagaytay for lunch.

Hello, Fire Lake Grill! 

It was drizzling when we arrived but that did not hinder us from enjoying the nice view Cliffhouse offers. 

When we got settled, I realized that the P's parents already had everything prepared. All we have to do is choose between steak or salmon for our main course. R opted to get the grilled pepper-rubbed Australian strip loin steak while I went with the baked Norwegian salmon fillet. 

First served was our Greek-style petite salad tossed with red wine-oregano vinaigrette. 

Presentation-wise, it was like I plated it myself. The dressing had that slightly bitter after taste which I dislike. The greens though were fresh and I loved the tangy flavor brought by the small cubes of cheese.

A small cup of leek and potato soup in demitasse sour cream and chives was served next and it was probably the best leek and potato soup I have ever tasted! It was creamy and rich in flavor! I went to soup heaven when I got a taste of the sour cream that balanced off the saltiness of the soup. The only thing I did not like about this dish is that I could easily finish it in one gulp!

Weekend Getaway: Balay Dako by Antonio’s Chef Tony boy Escalante

I am a fan of Chef Antonio “Tony Boy” Escalante. Ever since he took pity on us and fed us steak during our event, I loved him. And when I heard that he has a new restaurant, I just have to visit.

Hello, Balay Dako!

The quaint ancestral looking green house is the new restaurant of Chef Tony Boy. The place is so charming and the view is beautiful. 

The mosquito net ruins it a bit but you could always go to the second floor’s al fresco area for the unobstructed view.

R’s family took the lead in ordering and they ordered a lot! They ordered Laing na Gabi at Tokwa (PHP280), Adobo (PHP435), Calamares Fritos (PHP350), Sizzling Bulalo na Baka (PHP920), Grilled Chicken (PHP320, half), Prawn Salad, Sinuteng Pusit (PHP535), and Turon con Tikoy at Ube (PHP160).  I also ordered Sago’t Gulaman (PHP140). I’m sure I missed a few more orders.

Love at First Bite: Breakfast At Antonio’s

These past weeks have been stressful. Deadlines, projects and other concerns drained me (and especially R). We even stopped our swimming and basketball nights just so we could rest (and eat) some more. And a few weeks back, we opted to have a mini getaway and drove to Tagaytay for a nice relaxing Saturday. And for brunch, R and I opted to visit… Breakfast at Antonio’s!

Hello, Breakfast at Antonio’s!

The place was packed when we arrived and we were on the waiting list for a bit over half an hour before we got a table. While waiting, I bought some breadsticks to calm the grumpy tummy. (And the breadsticks were great! I got the garlic flavored ones.)

I was unsure of what to order since there are a lot of mouthwatering options. The server then suggested tapa and even said that if it turns out to be not satisfying, it will be free of charge. How can I resist that? So we ordered the suggested Beef Tapa (PHP510) and Fresh Corned Beef (PHP465) each having one sunny side up and poached egg. I also ordered a bowl of Basil Tomato Soup topped with Cream (PHP165).

Our mains were served at the same time and both looked lovely.

The soft marinated sirloin tapa had the delectable sweet and salty flavor. I enjoyed it with the jellied atsara and vinegar. The beef was also very tender. It went really well with the eggs too. Tapsilog… <3

Love at First Bite: House of Bawai

A few weeks ago, R and I decided to go to Tagaytay for a short weekend getaway. I was looking forward to do the Chicken All-You-Can of Max’s but on our way to Tagaytay, I felt car sick. So instead of munching on some fried goodies, R and I opted to visit House of Bawai. I have never been to House of Bawai but I heard that it’s better than Banoi’s, a Vietnamese restaurant I like.

Hello, House of Bawai.

The place was packed when we got there so we had to wait for a few minutes. I was actually worried since it was already 9PM then so I thought that they will just shoo us away. But I was signaled that they will just clear and we’ll be set for a warm and filling dinner.

We quickly chose Bahn Xeo (PHP280), Pho Bo (PHP365) and Banh Da Lon (PHP55). And while waiting, we tried to make the set up romantic by asking for more candles and the server obliged to our request for more candle table ornaments.

Soon, our appetizer arrived.

The crispy savory crepe was a great start. Drizzling the mushrooms, sprouts prawns and pork filled crepe with the sweet sauce made it even more delightful!

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…