St. Patrick's

Found this nice pub at the Kapitolyo area called St. Patrick's. They've only been open about a month and still currently on soft opening. We were trying to look for a place for dinner last night and couldn't find one that could readily accommodate us (we were super hungry and couldn't wait). Luckily, we saw this nice facade and decided to try it out :)

Interiors are pretty straightforward and we headed for a seat at the bar. There was a kickass TV and an NBA game was being shown, so Rob was really happy. Crowd was okay too.

Rob got a Draft beer (P70) while I had Cranberry juice (P100). Since we were famished, we ordered St. Paddy's Original Wings (P180), Fish n Chips (P280), and Salisbury Steak (P245). 

There were 6 big pieces of Wings with raw veggie dips on the side. We liked the sweet and spicy flavor, although it was more sweet than spicy. That could be improved a bit. 

The fish was huge. Wasn't expecting it to be that big, but I liked that it wasn't all extenders or breading. We loved the seasoning on this one. Could use a few more potato wedges (me being the potato freak).

The Salisbury steak was a bit bland (we did tell the server  to inform the chef so they can improve it next time). But it was a huge cut of meat with a generous serving of mashed potato and some veggies on the side. 

We were so full after! There's no dessert on the menu (thank God 'cos I can't eat another bite) yet. Maybe they're still figuring it out. We were given complimentary Rainbow Shots, which looked really yummy but sadly I can't drink yet; so Rob drank my share.

Definitely a great place for a night cap and a couple of drinks. Bring a date or a couple of friend! They're currently open 5pm to 2am. 

22 Prime

Birthday dinner a couple of weeks ago was at 22 Prime, Discovery Suites. They say it's one of the top steak places in the metro.

Now, I am not that fond of steaks (sorry!), but I'm always eager to try new places. Was happy that Rob thought of this restaurant.. superb date place, perfect for birthday dining :)

There was of course complimentary bread and dip. 

We had Ribeye Steak and Chops. The serving was quite HUGE. Apart from the actual meat, the plate came with other items that The food could've been perfect with a glass of wine, but I can't drink so had to settle with juice while Rob got the wine.

We enjoyed our food immensely. The Chops came with a side salad and a kind of wild rice that was really yummy. You can see the size of that porkchop, can't you? Filled up almost half of the plate! Despite the sauce, I found the chops a bit too dry for my taste. Nevertheless, it was packed with flavor. Salad acidity complemented the entire package.

The Ribeye came with two tiger prawns, some greens on a bed of mashed potato, and baked potato (carbs, carbs!). Now, having potato cooked two ways in one plate is my kind of dish, haha! Had the steak cooked medium rare and it came out just right. Juicy and not too gummy, seasoned perfectly and with yummy potatoes to boot :)

Needless to say, we were way too stuffed for dessert. I couldn't say no to some cappuccino though. 

Definitely a birthday treat to remember :) 22 Prime does hold it's end of the bargain in providing quality service and good food. Great for a date night. 

Chateau 1771 Breakfast

I didn't go on leave on my birthday a couple of weeks ago, so it was pretty much normal. I did get treated by Rob to good food :)

I'm glad he reserved a table for breakfast at Chateau 1771. I love that place: nice crowd, good food, and I find the place ideal for both business meetings or catch-up with friends. Plus, I love breakfasts.. there's something always nice about sharing the first day's meal with someone you love (cheesefest alert). And due to schedules, it's sometimes difficult to have an unhurried breakfast at home. 

We got the Eggs Benedict and the Banana Maple Pecan Pancakes. Coffee is a must too, can't get going without it. Loved everything! What could go wrong with breakfast food anyway? Flavor of the pancakes was not too rich or overpowering. The Eggs Benedict was of perfect consistency and had a great mix of flavor. 

Looking forward to more breakfast/ brunch visits here. More good food :) 

Baguio Eats II: Volante, Cafe Sabel

VOLANTE

During a late dinner out with Rob, we were able to try VOLANTE and their signature pizzas. There was free music, and apparently, they were open 24 hours. We tried the small-sized pizzas in 4 different flavors :) Of the four, I liked Pizza Hanna and Kenny George. Worth trying, especially since the prices are fair. Not on my 'must' list though...

Lemonade (P24) and Calamansi Juice (P20)

Pizza Hanna (all meat), P75

Veggie Pizza (basil, broccoli, mushroom, onions), P89

Kenny George (Hanna sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, bell peppers), P87

Pesto Pizza, P79

CAFE SABEL
We also visited the BenCab Museum, which is definitely a must-see when in Baguio. After touring the museum, you can drop by Cafe Sabel for some light food and drinks. The view is incredible :)  Food was okay; we tried native snacks Camote Fries, Suman with Latik, and Turon ala Mode -- my favorite was the turon :)

Inside the Museum

View from the Cafe

View of the mountains, with very low clouds

Strawberry Shake (P120) and Lemongrass Iced Tea (P100)

Suman with Latik, P100

Camote Fries, P80

Turon ala Mode, P100

Baguio Eats I : Batirol, Forest House, Ketchup

First family trip with our new baby Tala! It's been quite some time since I've last been to Baguio and I was glad for the opportunity to bring the kids :)  It's really quite a handful but we managed beautifully, I must say. Even had the time for a pizza dinner date with Rob :) 

There are three restos I try to visit when in Baguio: Forest House, Café by the Ruins, and Chocolate de Batirol. This time around, just got to visit Forest House and Batirol. I always love Batirol's chocolate and this time it was no different. Had their chocolate with strawberry -- perfect for the cool weather :)

CHOCOLATE DE BATIROL

Chocolate de Batirol

Hot Chocolate with Strawberry

We were pretty disappointed with Forest House this time though. Although my Salpicao was flavorful and soft to the bite, Rob's Pork Chops was not well-seasoned. Fish fillet was just okay too. To top it off, although we knew that the resto was quite pricey, we kinda felt that the food we had wasn't worth it.

FOREST HOUSE

Salpicao

Fish Fillet

Pork Chop with Maple Glazed Sauce

One of the new places we tried was Canto at the Ketchup Food Community. Ketchup houses around 5 food establishments with different offerings -- Filipino, Indo-Malay, Thai, and American cuisines. It's quite a cool concept.

KETCHUP FOOD COMMUNITY

Happy Tummy

Rancho Norte

Green Pepper

Rumah Sate

CANTO AT KETCHUP FOOD COMMUNITY

We really enjoyed Canto. Very laid-back, value-for-money, and yummy! I really enjoyed everything we ordered; pizza, burgers, and the beef meal just hit the spot :) Next time, will definitely go for Ribs!

Canto

Almond Lychee Gulaman, P20 

Veggy Pizza, P150

Canto Burger, P130

Beef Kalbi, P130

Buon Giorno!

Tried Buon Giorno! with the family last weekend at The Cliffhouse in Tagaytay. I liked the place, and if it wasn't rainy and windy, we probably would've stayed outside, overlooking Taal lake. I was actually surprised that there were a lot of interesting restaurants at the place, might also try them out next time. 

Restaurant Interiors are bright, but cozy:

Loved the Tarragon tea, perfect for the weather :)

We had the Pollo e Funghi (Chicken and Mushroom) Risotto, Vegetarian and New York Pizzas, and Eggplant Parmigiana. Prices weren't bad, especially for the serving size.

Food was okay. I liked the Risotto and the New York pizza; the flavors work well together. However, Piccolo Padre's risotto still tops my list. 

Chicken and mushroom Risotto, P310 :

Eggplant Parmigiana, P310 :

Vegetarian Pizza P270 :

New York Pizza, P300 :

Of course, dessert was in order. The Chocolate Pistachio Sansrival was good, not too sweet, and a good mix of chocolate and pistachios :)

Buon Giorno would be a good place to hang out in when in Tagaytay. When the weather cooperates, better get that table overlooking the lake.