Antonio's Tagaytay: One Memorable Meal

My food buddy has upped and left me to live somewhere else (traitor). But before she left, I asked if we can finally go to Antonio's in Tagaytay since we have been talking about it for so long. In case you're not familiar, Antonio's has been consistently on the top ten list of must-try restaurants in the Philippines.

So, one rainy Saturday in October off we went!

Love the simple sign at the entrance

Once there, you will be asked if you have a reservation (we did) because their website shows walk-in guest will not be entertained. We made our reservation 2 weeks prior and luckily they were able to accommodate us but based on the other blogs I've read, call at least 1 month in advance.

Entry way (view from the main door) 

Even though the grounds were small, they have valets to assist with the parking. Take note: their valets were in barongs. Sosyal :) 

table beside the windows

2nd floor air-conditioned dining area

                                       

ground floor indoor dining area (that'a a looong table tho)

view from the reception area showing the veranda/garden area

We opted  to dine in at the second floor

Sufficient to say, everything was so a bit more expensive than what I'm used to. I don't think I would be able to afford this on a weekly, monthly or even a yearly basis. Maybe more of a very-special-occasion thing. I didn't even glance at the other dishes (especially the steaks which I can't afford anyway) but went straight to the set menu. A more comprehensive list of their menu is shown here.

kalula ang presyo

bakit may plantsa??

Excited!!! It's been so long since I've looked forward to a meal.

My friend and I each had the set menu but planned to share so we can get to taste the most number of dishes.

Portobello Mushroom 
with Balsamic & Garlic

I've only tasted Portobello Mushroom once before and that was at the Cru restaurant in Marriott. I like the one at Cru better because the mushroom was bigger and juicier - it felt like you were eating meat. The mushroom from Antonio's was smaller and thinner but had more intense flavor due to the sauce. Nice enough appetizer.

Ravioli of Veal Cheek, Goat Cheese and Mint 
with Creamed Tartufo

I'm torn on this one. The pasta dough is thin (not gummy or chewy) and tasted freshly made but did not care much for the filling. I did not taste much of the goat cheese and what the heck is a creamed tartufo?

Can't remember what my friend ordered but it had mango
and a little bit of alcohol

Antonio’s Organic Mesclun Salad, Bleu d’Auvergne Crumbled,
Glazed Walnuts, Dried Currants & Cranberries with Raspberry Vinaigrette
and drizzled with Basil Oil

The house salad was a mouthful - the description, not the actual salad. I liked the raspberry vinaigrette and glazed walnut. The sweetness of the dressing with the salty/sweet combination of the fruit, walnut and cheese complimented the greens.

Soup of the day

Okay, there's a story to this. We were given this humongous plate with a shallow middle. Inside was a raw quail egg, crumbled chorizo and some green things (I assume was spring onion and kinchay/wansoy?) My first thought was, Ano to (What's this)?  After putting this in front of me, the waitress paused for a long while before pouring the broth from a copper pitcher. Ayyyyy .....couldn't help but feel disappointed that I didn't take the before picture! Sorry naman, slow ako to react.

Moving on to the main course!

Duo of Mayura Beef and Roasted Lamb Cutlet 
Mayura beef with caramelized black garlic and mascarpone, gratin potato
Roasted Lamb cutlets with caramel and prunes, buttered thyme potatoes

The picture above is a little bit misleading. The actual dish had small portions but sufficient for one person. The lamp was cooked enough that it was still pink but not too raw. I did not care too much about the sauce for the lamb because I felt the flavor overpowered the meat.

The beef, though, emeyged. Super tender, juicy, sarap (delicious) and masyadong kulang (literal translation: too insufficient). I would have gone back to Antonio's for this. Cooked just right and very flavorful. The potato gratin was perfect together with beef. So good that I actually did not want to share it. I looked at the other table sharing a Ribeye steak and felt jealous.

Grilled Black Tiger Prawns with Sweet Paprika 
with a Vegetable Rice Pilaf

My friend was served 2 big prawns and again cooked perfectly. The sweetish taste of the paprika grilled together with the prawns blended nicely. The vegetable and rice pilaf was also good.

Harmuwhatta? Seriously, that is the name of the tea

Pannacotta with Orange and Pomelo

The Panacotta dessert is very light and refreshing. The combination of the sweet orange and the slightly bitter pomelo works on the creamy panacotta.

Felchlin Maracaibo Chocolate Terrine with
Double Ice Cream & Roasted Pistachio

Not sure if this is the actual name of the chocolate dessert. In any case, the dish was rich, creamy, sweet and cold. Perfect.

Final Verdict 

The place is really beautiful. Not a place where you can just drop by in your flip flops. You have to be at least dressed casually smart. No denying that the food is expensive. Expect to spend at least P2500 +++ each and most of the servings are only good for one. Some of the food were exceptional (the beef!) while others were only okay. However, there is no denying the quality of the ingredients used (some I don't even know or can pronounce).

Is it worth it? For special occasions or romantic dates, definitely.

P.S. The service was slow in between some courses. We waited about 15-20 (?) minutes after finishing the salad before they gave us our main course. I didn't mind as much because my friend and I were planning her party and was engrossed. But the wait was long enough that I began to wonder about the delay.

Direction:

Once you reach Tagaytay Rotonda from E. Aguinaldo Highway, turn right and drive straight past Taal Vista Lodge and the big antennae (can't miss it - there are a lot of bulalo restaturants on the side of the road). After the turn, a couple of meters to your right is a big white sign of Antonio's pointing you towards the road going to the restaurant.

former food buddy
(she'll probably kill me for posting her photo)

ANTONIO'S TAGAYTAY
Purok 138, Barangay Neogan, Tagaytay City, Batangas, Philippines
Mobile Number:  +63 (917) 899.2866 or +63 (918) 899.2866
Email: reservations@antoniosrestaurant.ph
Website: http://antoniosrestaurant.ph