1. Cafe by the Ruins
23 Chuntug Street, Baguio City
(074) 442 4010
I think when you go to Baguio, you need to have a dining experience at Cafe by the Ruins. And since it's very near our hotel, we had our first Baguio meal here. The place was rustic and very Baguio, I must say. And coming from a 6 hour trip, we were famished to say the least. I love the pinikpikan and the risotto. The pinikpikan was very savory, the best I've tasted. I also like the creamy texture of the risotto, plus points for the wild rice.
What we ordered:
Tia Olympia's Fresh Lumpia - P145
Julienned vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, string beans, camote, onion, etc. Sauteed with garlic and tofu, wrapped in crepe with sauce and chopped nuts
Pinikpikan - P180
Cordillera ritual chicken soup with etag (salted pork) and ginger
Risotto Rita - P280
Creamy chicken, mushroom and celery served with mountain rice
Ernie's Kamote Bread and Herb Cheese - P80 and P45
Enriched bread with Cordillera camote, milk and honey
Ricotta and yoghurt cheeses blended with butter, garlic, chives and paprika
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Session Road, Baguio City
(074) 445 0777
Since we're dead tired from all the walking and playing for the day, this was a no-brainer pick for us. We saw it and had our dinner here. The place was packed. Gladly, we were able to find our seat. I love that it's cheap and yet yummy and filling. The best for me was their Pomelo Salad.
What we ordered:
Mango-Cottage Cheese Pie - P80
Ripe mangoes, cottage cheese, and organic brown sugar are just some of the healthful ingredients that go into this very satisfying and delightful dessert
Pizza Marengo (6") - P88
Chunks of chicken breast sauteed with mushrooms, onions, and bellpeppers.
Pomelo Salad with Roasted Chicken - P120
A heathful pile of organic, romaine lettuce, tomato, bell peppers, watercress and onions with virgin olive oil and wine dressing. Served with roasted chicken
Four Cheese Pizza (6") - P88
A tangy combination of mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan and blue cheese
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G/F Hotel Elizabeth, Gibraltar St., cor. J. Felipe, Baguio City
(074) 619-0367
No meat allowed. That for me is truly bliss. For a no-pork, no-beef foodie like me, everything in their menu is something I can eat. And you wouldn't know it's non-meat. What I'm truly happy about is the fact that you can eat whatever it is in the menu and not worry about the ingredients that go with it. At masarap siya.
What we ordered:
Dalandan Juice - P40
Freshly squeezed Philippine orange juice
Strawberry Shake - P75
A sweet-sour mix of strawberries and yoghurt
Grilled Cheese with Veggie Sausage - P180
Wheat bread with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and sausage-less sausage served with corn tortillas
Rotini Satorini - P190
Spaghetti noodles cooked al dente topped with a sauce of juicy tomato, olive oil and black olives
Pumpkin-Carrot Soup - P80
A creamy and healthy combination rich in fiber and beta carotene
Frantic Fruit - P200
A fresh mix of bananas, mangoes, strawberries and blue berries drizzled with honey
4. Choco-late de Batirol
Igorot Garden, Camp John Hay, Baguio City
(074) 446-7006
A Baguio experience wouldn't be complete without sampling a merienda fare. And we were spot on with this food place. I think, we picked perfectly when we decided to eat here at 4pm in the afternoon. We were re-charged because of their chocolate drink, which was perfect for the bibingka and suman. And me, being a lugaw-lover, couldn't possibly pass up on the arroz caldo. It was so reminiscent of my youth, how after siesta, we're served these.
What we ordered:
Traditional Blend - P80
Nutty chocolate drink with the right consistency of creaminess and thickness
Suman sa Lihia - P64
Sticky glutinous rice with freshly grated coconut and muscovado sugar
Arroz Caldo - P95
Pinoy congee with chicken topped with crispy garlic bits and spring onions
Choco Banana Shake - P145
Cold concoction of banana and chocolate
Bibingka - P105
Soft and fluffy rice cake thinly slathered with butter and topped with freshly grated coconut
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Km. 6 Asin Road, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet
(074) 442-7165
Sabel is Bencab's muse. If you've toured the place, you would somehow have an idea who she is. So it didn't come as a surprise that the resto is named after her. To be having breakfast at this place, where good comfort food are served, while overlooking the mountains and its lush greenery was energizing. And the morning sun, with all its majesty, casting its glory, not just on the surroundings but on our table was truly mesmerizing. It was for me, the best Baguio dining experience.
What we ordered:
Tarragon Tea - P90
A mild and aromatic beverage
Hot Choco - P90
Not-too-sweet chocolate concoction
Spicy Tuyo Pasta - P180
Tuyo and mushrooms in olive oil over spaghetti noodles served with toasted wheat bread
Taal Rice (Smoked Fish with Salted Egg) - P175
Brown rice mixed with smoked fish or tinapa, complemented with salted egg
Tuna Omelette - P175
A healthy protein-packed scrambled eggs with tuna chunks
6. Hillstation
Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City
(074) 424-2734, (074) 423 9100, (074) 423 9558
It is written in their website - "Included in the Miele Guide of Asia's Finest Restaurants 2012/2013". Ok, that's enough reason for us to try this resto. And we were not disappointed. It has that "poshy" vibe. And the pine trees just outside their windows and the cool breeze probably have a lot to do with it. And oh, I must mention that there's a little bookshop adjacent to the restaurant which was very convenient for me and my kids since we found something to dip our fingers into while we wait for our food to be served.
What we ordered:
Penne ala Vodka - P290
Penne pasta lavished with a peppery, vodka-laced cream and tomato sauce
Vanilla Cinnamon - P110
Creamy vanilla with a mild hint of cinnamon
Crispy Duck Flakes - P380
Flaked and fried duck meat over mountain rice served with laing sa gata
Grilled Juicy Chicken Breast - P195
Grilled chicken breast with dijon dressing on baguette topped with mango chutney, paired with crispy potato chips
Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip - P135
Creamy and cheesy baked dip served with Melba toast
7. Central Park Restaurant
Kisad Road, Baguio City
(074) 447-0659
It was a cold night and we got hungry, and we're bitten by the lazy bug. Since this was just around the corner from our hotel, it was hard to miss. We went in and ordered. Lo, and behold. We were very pleased with our food. And we don't have to pay for cab fare. We specially liked the Roasted Duck Noodle. We really felt it was sulit.
What we ordered:
Chicken Feet - P55Fried, marinated and steamed dim sum
Roasted Duck Noodle - P140
Sweet-salty roasted duck paired with a steaming bowl of noodle soup
Seafoods Noodle - P95
Noodle soup with assorted seafood balls and crab sticks
Buco Pandan - P60
Chewy pandan flavored gelatin and buco strips with not-too-sweet cream
8. Oh My Gulay
La Azotea Building, 108 Session Road, Baguio City
(074) 446-0108
Our last stop before we leave for Manila was yet another vegetarian restaurant. It is really for me. I love Baguio. It offers a lot of choices for a non-meat eater like me. And with two kids in tow, the food adventure became even more exciting and fun. This restaurant is located on the fifth floor of a green building somewhere in the middle of Session Road. Had we not read about it, we wouldn't be able to experience the uniqueness it has to offer. The atmosphere is artsy, being owned by one of Baguio's renowned artist and film maker Kidlat Tahimik. Vegetables served in unconventional ways, surprisingly, were pleasant-palate treats.
What we ordered:
Lumpia Salad - P130
Crispy tofu spring rolls on a bed of mixed greens tossed with honey mustard and Asian dressing
Gulay Burger with Kabute Sibuyas at Gravy - P140
Brown rice topped with two pieces veggie puso ng saging burger, mushroom, onions, and gravy
Anak ng Puttanesca - P130
Spaghetti topped with a sauce of tomatoes and garlic, simmered with mushrooms and olives enriched with cayenne pepper
Saging at Mani Love Affair - P80
Crepe stuffed with banana and peanut butter topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce
Dayap Iced Tea - P75
Lime-infused brewed iced tea
Limonada - P75
Freshly squeezed native lemonade
Oh My Gulay Rice - P140
Native brown rice with ten vegetables in season mixed with Mongolian sauce, topped with steamed tofu and omelet
Superwomom's Top Pick (Baguio Food Adventure Edition)
All the restaurants I've mentioned above, I must say, were worth our time, our effort and our money. But if I would really need to choose the best, this would be my lean mean list.
Best Appetizer - Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip of Hillstation
Best Salad - Pomelo Salad of Pizza Volante and Lumpia Salad of Oh My Gulay
Best Rice Dish - Smoked Fish Rice of Cafe Sabel
Best Viand - Pinikpikan of Cafe by the Ruins
Best Pasta - Spicy Tuyo Pasta of Cafe Sabel and Penne ala Vodka of Hillstation
Best Drink - Traditional Blend of Choco-late de Batirol and Dalandan juice of Bliss Cafe
Best Dessert - Vanilla Cinnamon Ice Cream of Hillstation
Here's wishing that you'll also have a great food adventure.
This is the food portion of my Two in Tow: Baguio Adventure Series. Other posts can be found here:
Day 1 - http://www.superwomom.net/2013/03/two-in-tow-baguio-adventure-with-kids.html
Day 2 - http://www.superwomom.net/2013/03/two-in-tow-baguio-adventure-with-kids_5.html
Day 3 and 4 - http://www.superwomom.net/2013/03/two-in-tow-baguio-adventures-with-kid.html
Two in Tow: Baguio Adventures with Kids - Itinerary, Expenses and Some Tips - http://www.superwomom.net/2013/03/two-in-tow-baguio-adventure-with-kids_6.html
P.S. These are personal picks. We paid for everything. I'm in no way tied with any of the mentioned establishments.
Were you paid to say good things about Volante? That's not a pizza. It's a piece of thick bread with (whatever) on it.
ReplyDeleteHi! No, we're not paid by Volante. It's not the best pizza. But it was ok for it's price. But I really like their pomelo salad. :-)
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