Coffee Anyone?

Not a food review but I wanted to show you the new Starbucks which just opened in Tagaytay this week.

can't miss the sign

From Tagaytay Rotunda, go towards Picnic Grove. After passing the hotel Estancia (white and blue greek inspired building), slow down and you'll see the sign for Starbucks.

Outside, the building itself looks a bit stark/minimalist surrounded by all concrete parking lot. It's located down a steep hill. Going down is a feat in itself - not for the faint of heart or novice drivers.

Inside, it was spacious and very very nice. The big windows let a lot of light in. There were a lot of seating areas for groups. Plenty of space to move around. The wood/glass design fits very well with the Tagaytay vibe.

another seating area in front of, what I presume to be, an electric fireplace

high table/chairs

veranda

view from outside - the white concrete square is actually another type of
seating area. For smokers? 

You don't see much of the Taal Volcano but nevertheless, the view is still good. There were still some work being done on the floor below. Hopefully, they put in a nice garden.

view from the deck looking in

Below is another seating area with plenty of tables and chairs. Thankfully, they have another restroom area in this part so no need to go upstairs.

Unfortunately, you won't have much of a view here because of the stone fence.

nice design on the wooden drop lights 

additional seating outside

way to go outside

a bit of zen feeling

plenty of parking space - aside from the one beside the building,
each level down has space for parking

really not for the faint of heart - exit to Starbucks

We came in on a Tuesday morning and the place was practically empty (love it). There's plenty of sitting areas for big groups but not a lot small tables. Might pose a problem if you're alone or with a friend and don't want to hoard the big tables/sofas. Also, if you want to work and need a high table instead of a coffee table. Plenty of areas for smokers. Very nice interior with the big glass windows in contrast to the wooden furniture. The tables were smartly spaced apart. A lot of parking spaces. Exiting could be a problem because of the high incline and little to no clearance room from the exit to the main road itself. Safety is an issue especially at night.

The barista told us that this is the biggest Starbucks in the Philippines. I believe, one of the nicest one too. Try to come in midweek to truly enjoy your coffee in a peaceful surrounding.

Opening hours:

Friday - Sunday
6:30am - 12mn

Monday - Thursday
8:00am - 12mn

Recommendation for the Week : Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie (P220)

I don't like sour things either in drinks, foods or desserts so I usually avoid anything with lime or lemon. My food buddy, Adrian, decided to order the Key Lime Pie at Bubba Gumps despite my reservation and I'm glad he did.

The custard of their Key Lime Pie is velvety smooth, not too sweet and have this perfect amount of sourness from lime. Think of it as good leche flan with a hint of sour. I know it doesn't sound good but it works! If you're tired of the same old chocolate cake, try this and be pleasantly surprised :)

Antonio's: Breakfast with a View

In my opinion, there are only two things worth going to Tagaytay for: the spectacular view and good food. Better if you can combine the two together. That was what we were hoping for, at least, when my friends Gladys, Adrian and I decided to have breakfast at Antonio's.

bright sunshiny day

Breakfast at Antonio's is one of the more high end food place in Tagaytay. Normally, I'd be perfectly content to have pancakes at Pancake House (cheaper too) but we decided to try this place out since everyone has been raving about it.  

busy Sunday morning

No need for reservations. We came in on a Sunday morning but was able to snag a table with no problem. First thing you noticed is that the dining hall was open and airy. The big Veranda windows not only lets you see the unobstructed view of the famous Taal volcano but it also allows a fair amount of the cool Tagaytay air in. Too bad all the tables near the window were already occupied when we arrived. 

Devil's Delight P260
Chocolate Pancake with Strawberries, Cream, Chocolate Ice Cream
and Drizzled with Chocolate Sauce

Of course, we chose the most sinfully described pancake in the menu named Devil's Delight which, unfortunately, wasn't as delightful as it sounded. The pancakes were a bit dense, unlike the fluffy ones at Pancake House and wasn't as chocolaty as I would have liked. I thought there'd be fresh strawberries but it came out in a form of a jam. Nevertheless, the jam was good - not too sweet and had a fair amount of strawberry chunks. I think the best part is the ice cream which my friend swore tasted like the one sold by Magnolia.

Eggs Benedict P400
2 Poached Egg, Smoked Ham on English Muffin Topped
with Hollandaise Sauce

The Eggs Benedict were surprisingly small. The size of the english muffin is comparable to your ordinary pandesal. The eggs were soft but not too runny. Ham was good (not your typical grocery ham) but really couldn't taste the "smoke" effect. The hollandaise sauce was a disappointment. I was expecting this rich, smooth and creamy sauce but instead got a thick, almost dry, bland sauce that did not add anything to the dish. Worst, they put mustard on the bread which overpowered the taste of the egg and ham. 

Fresh Corned Beef with Swiss Cheese and Russian Dressing Frittata P400
Slices of Corned Beef and Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, Onions and Parsely
with Horseradish, Mustard and Russian Dressing on top of a 3 Egg Frittata
with Hash Brown, Panini Bread drizzled with Sundried Tomato Pesto (whew!) ..
with a small cup of baked beans

The title itself is a mouthful! Among all the things we ordered, I had low expectations for the Frittata since I am not a fan of corned beef or Sauerkraut or Horseradish or ... you get the drift. Also, it didn't look too appetizing and I thought that the black thing on top was bagoong (fermented fish/shrimp paste). Turned out it was the sundried tomato pesto (oops!) :p 

Surprisingly, this was actually good. The corned beef is homemade and not your typical canned variety. It was very tender, flaky, and just plain mmmmmmmm .... delicious! All the things I mentioned I was not a fan of really melded well together and complimented the creamy eggs. Even the baked beans was good. I really liked this dish and was more to my expectations of what was served at Antonio's.

Hot Chocolate Grande P230

I don't drink coffee much so I usually order hot chocolate. The one at Antonio's was good but I had better ones at Cafe Adriatico.  

with food buddy, Adrian

The place is along Aguinaldo Highway and easily accessible by car or public transportation. To go there, turn right at Tagaytay Rotanda going towards Nasugbu, Batangas. Go past Taal Vista and Bag of Beans. Once you reach the turn for Puzzle Mansion (you won't miss it since you will see a sign for this every few meters), start looking to your left. After about 5 minutes, you will see a white building with white picket fences - this is Antonio's. If you see Residence Inn, you have already passed the restaurant. Ample parking space.

The Verdict? 

Expensive for breakfast, a few misses and a hit. The menu doesn't have pictures so you just pick based on how the item is described. The waiters were attentive and patient. Some of the food items were good, others were just too hyped up. The place is simple but very elegant. Too busy, thought, for one to have a leisurely and quiet breakfast. Try to hold out for a table beside the window. Personally, I would think twice before spending P500-P600 for breakfast. If you got money to spend, good for you! There are some items on the menu worth exploring further.

Breakfast at Antonio's

Brgy Bagong Tubig
Tagaytay City, Batangas
Tel (046) 413-0738

Yabu: All Good Things Fried

Yabu restaurant at the Mall of Asia is truly worthy of their moniker House of Katsu. A peak at their menu reveals, what else? Katsu-galore: Tonkatsu, Chicken Katsu, Seafood Katsu, Katsudon .... the list seemed endless!

Black and white sesame seed which you can grind as much
or as little as you like

Pour on top with the sweet and thick Katsu sauce

101 lesson about Tonkatsu: It is salted pork fillet dredged in light flour, beaten eggs and coated with Japanese breadcrumbs before being deep fried. There are two main types, hire and rosu. You choose the first if you want your pork to have a bit of fat while the latter has the fat removed from it. Personally, (don't judge me) I prefer the one with fat. It makes the meat a bit more flavorful. 

Rosu Tonkatsu Set 150g P405

My friend decided to be a good girl and ordered the Rosu Tonkatsu Set. It had 3 fairly large Tonkatsu with Japanese organic rice, Miso soup, Japanese pickles, shredded cabbage and a small bowl of fruits. For each set, the rice, soup and cabbage is unlimited (yey!). 

The miso soup was so-so, the rice was nice and smelled good, the pickles light and crunchy, the fruits were okay but the cabbage with the sesame seed dressing was perfect. The best part is the Tonkatsu. It was crispy outside without being greasy and the meat was really tender and juicy. It could even stand alone without the sauce - it's that good. 

Hire Mixed Set P485

The Hire Mixed Set has Tonkatsu, black tiger prawn, cream Dory and scallop. Like the Rosu set, it also has the rice, soup and cabbage. First, the prawn is really a decent size and not the usual shrimp some restaurants pass of as prawn. The Dory was big enough, flaky but not oily on the inside. The scallop was very big which led me to believe (correctly) that it was sourced outside the Philippines. Again, no complaints. Everything really tasted good. 

ready to attack 

There is a bit of a wait especially during lunch and dinner hour. Their tables are on the small side and narrow spaces between tables can feel make you feel a bit crowded. Not really good for large groups since it's not the type of restaurant where you can linger long. The waitstaff is very attentive and accommodating but becomes easily distracted when the restaurant fills out.  

The Katsu meal we had, although very good, made me wish there were different items on the menu. Maybe more appetizers? The set meal is big enough to be shared by 2 persons but the menu said no sharing of rice, cabbage and soup. Easily solved by ordering an extra rice (P95) which is also unlimited. For the cabbage, just smile innocently at the waitstaff and be discreet about getting this from your friend. 

satisfied customers: mom and me

 The Verdict? 

Their Katsu meals are excellent and big enough to be shared. There is really nothing else in the menu except Katsu so if you're not a fan of fried food, tough luck. Restaurant is small and can be a  bit crowded sometimes. Waitstaff is attentive and accommodating  Price is reasonable if you share the meal. Otherwise, it's a little expensive. Expect to pay P300-P500. I will definitely come back for more!

Yabu 
2/F SM Mall of AsiaMain Mall Atrium, South ArcadePasay(02) 511-7202

Bawai's: Great Expectations

The thing with expectations is that if you set it too low, you tend to expect the worst. Set it too high and you might get disappointed. Well, definitely I had high expectations for Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen touted as one of the best restaurants in Tagaytay.

Dining hall is located above their garage with large open windows to let the breeze in.
There's limited parking spaces in the garage so be prepared to park on the street.

Bawai's is only open during the weekend (Friday - Sunday) for lunch (11am- 2pm) and dinner (5pm - 9pm). I highly recommend making reservations beforehand. Once they confirm the reservation,  they will text you their menu and suggest you pre-order the food at least 6 hours before coming. The text will include the name of dishes, description and price.

We made our reservation the day before and luckily we were told that they can accommodate us for late lunch at 1:30 pm.

had to ring the bell a couple of times before being let in

The place is simple but very elegant. The servers wore a more casual version of the Ao Dai, the dining room was very clean with good quality tables and chairs, the thin, white, muslim cloth used as a window treatment added a romantic touch. The place is small and could probably only accommodate about 30 people.

Tamarind Juice P 95, Pandan Ice Tea P65

Once we were seated, the server confirmed our pre-order food dishes before taking our drink orders. My friend had their Tamarind Juice. We know there was real tamarind in it because there were a lot of cooked, sweet tamarind bits at the bottom. Oddly, they served this hot. Maybe if they serve it cold, the tamarind mixture won't mix properly? I chose Pandan Ice Tea. It was a bit bland even if I stirred in the sugar syrup.

Cha Gio - buttered chicken, pork, herb fried roll 5 pcs P180

Next the appetizers. The Cha Gio were nicely fried (not too oily), neatly rolled but were small - just a bit longer than the length of my thumb. Unfortunately, I could not taste the buttered chicken. Everything was mixed up so I don't really taste the difference. It was a nice lumpia (fried spring roll) but not that spectacular.

Goi Cuon - glazed pork and shrimp with veggies fresh roll 3 pcs P195

The Goi Cuon looked really really nice and perfectly wrapped. The big fat shrimp is positioned just so that you can see it through the thin rice paper. The taste was clean, veggie fresh and the shrimp was big. Each roll had some sliced pork but I didn't taste any glaze. They served this with a thick peanut sauce with real peanut bits. The sauce could have used a bit more flavor. Nevertheless, it complimented the Goi Cuon.

Bo Kho - 12 spice slow cooked beef stew w/ steamed noodle P325

We ordered 2 main dishes.  The first, Bo Kho, was served in this shallow bowl so it looked like the serving was not that much. However, when we put aside the vegetables, we were pleasantly surprised that the meat could easily be shared by 2-3 persons. The beef was very very tender and tasted good with the right amount of fat. Although the broth had good flavor, I don't taste much of the 12 spice.

Tom Rang Me - spicy tamarind prawns with chives and
steamed rice 300 grams  P395

Now the Tom Rang Me was different and a very pleasant surprise. Based on the description I was envisioning this as more of Sinigang with Shrimp dish. What we got instead is about 6 decent size prawns with an amazing spicy-salt-sour sauce combination. I thought: this is more like it! It was so good that even when there were no more prawns, I still use the sauce to finish of the rice. I would definitely go back to Bawai for this.

sarap!

View from the second floor

Location, Location, Location

Bawai is located on Lagusan Drive. They are fairly isolated and not easily accessible by public transportation. If you're coming from Tagaytay Rotonda, drive towards People's Park. Just before reaching the intersection for Sta Rosa Exit, you will see a big green sign indicating "to Manila" and "Dominican House of Prayer". Turn left then just go straight. Follow the signs for Chateau Hestia, another restaurant. Once you see the final sign for Chateau Hestia, stop. Bawai is just a lot or two before it.

The Verdict? 

The location is a problem because it's a little bit inaccessible. The setting was very nice and elegant perfect for a romantic lunch/dinner. The food was simple, tasted fresh and clean, well executed but aside from Tong Rang Me, lacked that final oomph. Definitely better than the food I have tasted in Vietnam but I feel they could have pushed the taste a bit further. Saying that, I am still intrigued and won't mind going back again to try their other dishes.

Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen
Hernandez St.
Purok 5
Bucal, Silang
Cavite

Tel 0920 972 2924

Going Bananas over Banapple

Whenever I want good food but don't want to spend too much, I head to Banapple located at Ayala Triangle. This tiny restaurant is always crowded even on a Saturday afternoon but if you're patient enough, you won't regret it.

Saturday afternoon

My favorite is their Creamy Cheesy Penne described perfectly in their menu as a dish of luscious white cheese sauce and meaty tomato sauce with al dente penne pasta and sauteed hungarian sausage served with pesto bread. I assure you that this is not false advertising at all. Even their pandesal is delicious! Although the serving is good for more than one person, I really don't mind going solo on this.

Creamy Cheesy Penne ((P185)

Their Bacon Fried Chicken Steak is a also very good. After eating this one, I don't think you'll go back to eating boring chicken fingers. The chicken fillet is crispy yet tender and the gravy has just the right amount of saltiness. The actual surprise is their rice which I found to be very flavorful. I can't quite put my finger on what they added to make the rice delicious.

Bacon Fried Chicken Steaks with Milk'shroom Gravy P175

Their Hickory Ribs is meaty, very tender, good enough for two and really had this smoky hickory flavor. My only complaint is that they used too much sauce and sometimes the hickory flavor overwhelms the meat. When you order this, try to ask if they can put the sauce on the side. You might be tempted to order another plate of rice.

Hickory Smoked Barbecued Ribs (P185)

The Banapple Beef and Sausage Stew is my least favorite. Although the beef was tender, I was looking for that "hibla" (lack of a better term) effect when you use a fork to cut into it. Their sauce does not taste stew - like and the sausage is not that good.

Banapple Beef and Sausage Stew P195

The Trio of Sausage Fettuccine was a surprise.The menu described this as protein packed pasta with crumbled chorizo, garlic longganisa, and hungarian sausage, tossed in garlic parmesan cheese and a very light cream sauce. First, the sauce was not really that light. In fact, it reminds me of Carbonara. I'm not sure, though, if the different kinds of meat go well together. Saying that, this pasta dish is a good enough dish.

Trio of Sausage Fettucine P180

If you are a fan of cheese (like me), their Lasagna Roll Ups might be what you want. Its lasagna rolled up with herb cream cheese filing topped with their tomato meat sauce and mozarella. This dish is meant to be shared since the serving is more than enough for one person. The filing is not stingy and is, indeed, creamy. My philosophy has always been : cheese makes everything better :D

Lasagna Roll Ups P180 (photo courtesy of www.philippine-travel-guide.com)

Ironically, for a place known for their pies and cheesecakes, I am not that enamored with their desserts. Their signature dessert, Banoffee Pie, has too much whipped cream and not enough filing. Unfortunately, their other desserts were not that memorable either.

Banoffee Pie (P110)

Desserts were not that spectacular but that doesn't prevent us from
trying most of them ;p

My niece with their Hallow Mallow S'mores Pie P110

What I Like About Banapple

Their food is usually very very good. I don't mind ordering the same dishes over and over again since I know I won't be disappointed. Servings is good for 1-2 persons but best of all - the price is really reasonable. Main dish costs cost less than P200, dessert about P110. Tax already included! For a group of 2-3 persons, expect to shell about P200 - P250 each.

What I Hate About Banapple

Their place at Ayala Triangle is sooo tiny. They only have about 8 small tables inside and 6 small tables outside almost spilling out on to the sidewalk. The counter where you place your order doesn't have enough space and customers line up in between tables. There is no separate counter for take outs so while waiting, you just stand in the middle. They don't announce when your food is up so you just watch the servers and ask them occasionally if your order is ready.  Tables are cute but small and uncomfortable. Same with the chairs. Due to the small space, there are a lot of people waiting in line and you cannot reserve a table in advance. Have a big group? Forget about it. The likelihood of 2 or more tables freeing up at the same time is almost nil.

The Verdict?

If you're hungry and want to enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace, forget about it. This place is not for you. But if you want very good yet affordable food and you're willing to be patient, then I highly recommend you try Banapple.

Happy Eating!

Banapple Pies and Cheesecake
Ayala Triangle Gardens
Ayala Avenue, Makati
Tel (02) 7562675