My Top Five Restaurants of 2011

“You are what you eat” they say. Judge me then as I reveal myself with this list of my top 5 restaurants of 2011.

1.       FORREST HOUSE, Baguio

     Baguio’s temperature drops the lowest during the month of December. And with these cold summer nights, a western inspired restaurant has a way to keep their customers warm. Located along Loakan St.,Forrest House, offers scrumptious dishes and an ambience of warmth.

                There’s a couch set and a fireplace as you enter the restaurant where you can warm yourself for

a while, or have some photo ops. Tables and chairs are made up of woods, positioned closely with each other. Bottles and wines serve as the tables’ centerpiece. The place is decorated in such a way that customer would feel and enjoy the closeness with their friends and fellow diners. The place is well-lighted adding to its coziness.

    Soups are served inside the buns with some inspirational quotes placed on it.  Another reason to love this place is the live band serenading the diners.                                     

                  Location: 16 Loakan Road, Baguio City

                  Telephone No: 074-447-0459; 074-304-4553

         

2.       KA LUI, Palawan

Barefoot eating. This is the trademark of Ka Lui, a bahay-kubo style restaurant in Puerto  Princesa, Palawan.  Before entering the dining area, customers are required to take off their footwear and placed it inside shelves that corresponds their table number. This idea of ethnicity creates excitement for many customers, especially when their feet start to feel the wooden floor. They dress their restaurant in Filipino way; open-air, floorings, tables and chairs made of woods, they used fresh fruits and wild flowers as ornamentals. You could see a stairway of guyabanos and watermelon and a bouquet of bananas and mangoes. Even their comfort rooms complement the concept.

It’s quite an experience dining in at Ka Lui. One has to make a reservation first if you plan to dine in at Ka Lui’s Restaurant, that’s how in demand it is. Luckily, we have a friend in Palawan who did that for us or else we could have waited in vain.

Location: 369 Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Telephone No. 048-433-2520; +639287539621

3.       BAG OF BEANS, Tagaytay

I’ve been to Tagatay many times because the company I am working with has a project there.         These site visits served as opportunity for me to dine in some popular restaurants in the area like RSM, Leslie’s, Carlos Pizza and Sonia’s, but when I thought I have tasted the best Tagaytay has to offer, Bag of Beans proved me wrong.

It was one weekend in October when my friend and I decided to have a quick weekend getaway. We planned of going to Tagaytay and climbed the chapel on the hill “Caleruega Church”.

Before we hit the road for our Caleruega visit, we had our breakfast first on a café called Bag of Beans located in Mendez along the national high-way. We took advantage of their breakfast buffet at Php350. They have eat-all-you can Filipino breakfast meals, pancakes, breads, fruits and drink-all-you can coffees and chocolates.

You can eat in their covered dining room, or on the cottages, or on one of the tables set in the garden.

Bag of Beans also has also store where one can buys coffee beans, tablea or the cookies.

Location: 115 Aguinaldo Hi-way, Mendez Crossing, west Tagaytay

Telephone No: 046-413-2724; +63-916-525-2382

4.       CAFE BY THE RUINS, Baguio

         It was my 5^th visit at the City of Pines, and this time, I made it a point to do the two things I ‘ve been longing to do in Baguio; First is to visit the flower farm at La Trinidad, Benguet and Second is to dine at the famous Café By The Ruins.

And yes, I’ve done them both. After my eyes got thrilled by the colorful roses and chrysanthemums at the flower farm in the La Trinidad, we went straight ahead to Café by the Ruins, and got our belly’s tempted by the their sumptuous menu.

We ordered for their Fried Stripped Adobo Breakfast which comes with the organic brown rice, egg, vegetable salad and their signature Ruins Coffee, and their own version of Tortang Talong with cheese.

You can either be seated on the covered area or on open/smoking area. The restaurant is accessorized with antique materials, woods and bamboos.

What I love about Café by the Ruins is that they make a popular food their own by giving it their own kind of style and taste.

Location: Chuntug Street, Baguio City.

Telephone Nos. : 442-4010; 446-4010; Fax: 442-5272

5.       HAPAG VICENTICO, Nueva Ecija

Known for its pinakbet, Hapag Vicentico, is one of the most-visited restaurants in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.

From the town center, you can ride a tricycle and be at the site in 5 minutes.

Hapag Vicentico was an old house that was later turned into a restaurant. The windows are made of capiz shells and the floorings are made of Vigan tiles.

                We ordered for Kare-kare, Ensaladang Talong, Leche Flan for deserts and Buko Shakes.

Location: 1077 Del Pilar Street, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija

Telephone No. : 044-600-3237

   Food is a major part of our trips, so if you come visit these places why not try dine at the following restaurants for you to personally know why they make it to my list. Happy eating!! =)