Travelers look forward to heavenly food in Baguio

(Second of two parts)

Last week, we gave a list of enjoyable restaurants in Baguio City. These were: Chef’s Home by Alvin Emuang for Southeast Asian cuisine, Le Chef at the Manor by Billy King for continental cooking a la King, Mama’s Table by Vicky Tinio Clemente for an elaborate fine dining experience, Hill Station by Mitos Yniguez for hearty Spanish and Mid-Eastern influenced flavors, Ketchup Food Community for tapang usa, O Mai Khan for cheap Mongolian food and Ozark for American soul food.

Here are a few more yummy Baguio finds:

Forest House

Forest House is one of the prettiest restaurants in Baguio City due to its country home atmosphere with display sunflowers and comfy couches. It would be good enough to get a seat inside the restaurant, but I personally prefer eating at the terrace where you have a view of the city skyline.

Coffee and a book would suffice here, with Baguio imagery for dessert, but if you are hungry, try its homemade bagnet, one of the more popular dishes of this restaurant.

Forest House. 16 Loakan Road, SW of Camp John Hay, Baguio. Call +63744470459 or +63743044553.

Eve’s Garden

For a taste of fresh Baguio greens, the pot of gold at the end of the long rainbow drive is Eve’s Garden in La Trinidad, Benguet. Eve Acosta Bond is a health advocate and you can even consult her about your own wellness concerns.

The restaurant is by reservation only because Eve does the cooking herself and the space cannot accommodate a large crowd. When you call, you will be given choices for your main course—fish, chicken or beef, and then you can place your order.

When you arrive, you will be greeted with a drink and welcome to tour the grounds. Try to visit the terrace with the monkey bars as it offers another breathtaking view of the north.

Then prepare to be amazed at how your plate comes alive with simple greens, carrots and edible flowers. Nature truly offers us the greatest beauty, with something as simple as nasturium brightening up an otherwise boring green plate!

Eve’s Garden. 132 Upper Lamtang Road, La Trinidad, Benguet. Tel. 0920-9476264. Reservations required. Open for lunch only from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Not wheelchair accessible.

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Here are a few more restaurants loved by Baguio residents. Admittedly, they have better counterparts in Manila given the cuisine they serve, but they nonetheless exude that Baguio charm.

Secret Garden is known for its pizzas. Although it is a far cry from Gino’s Brick Oven, which we love in Makati, Baguio residents recommend this if you need a pizza fix or if you would like to just hang out.

Chaya is another go-to, this time for Japanese food. Again, Manila does Jap food better although Chaya has a distinguished Baguio charm to it as it is another house converted into a restaurant.

For Chinese food, Star Cafe has sadly closed, breaking the hearts of old-timers. But Baguio has Fortune Restaurant, its answer to Gloria Maris. This huge Chinese resto is also booked for weddings and corporate events.

Finally, there’s good ol’ Cafe by the Ruins. With its Perry Mamaril lights, this resto-cafe reeks of Baguio culture and art. You can almost imagine Santi Bose and other Baguio artists enjoying a beer here on an extra cool evening. The Baguio bagnet is still a favorite. Or just have a cup of coffee with the strawberry shortcake. I usually make this either my first or last stop, just to pay respects to the community, before heading home.

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Easter egg hunt

For those who are going to Baguio with their kids, there will be an Easter Egg Hunt at Forest Lodge on April 5 (today!) from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. You may register at the front desk. Forest Lodge is the hotel beside The Manor at Camp John Hay. It used to be The Suites but has been repackaged as an affordable version of the Manor. Still a gorgeous lobby with cuisine also by Billy King … but the rooms are far more affordable.

Now if you do make it to Baguio … lucky you as it is so hot in Manila! It is still absolutely worth the drive in spite of the Holy Week traffic. Baguio business is truly always a pleasure.

Hope you are having a great food trip… But don’t forget to hear mass today and say thank you to the Lord for your blessed bilbil. Happy Easter!

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Chef’s Home. No. 13 Outlook Drive cor. Romulo Drive. Tel. 0916-4445756. Open this Holy Week for lunch 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wheelchair accessible.

The Manor, Camp John Hay. Tel. (074) 4240931 to 43. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wheelchair accessible.

Mama’s Table. 888-A Ambuklao Road, La Trinidad, Benguet. Tel. (074)4421794, 0915-6438775. Reservations required. E-mail: mamastableph@yahoo.com

Hill Station. Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road. Tel. (074)4239100. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wheelchair accessible.

Ketchup Community. Romulo Drive, Barangay Lualhati (near Wright Park). More details in their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ketchup-The-Food-Community/188561991243684

Secret Garden Resto & Cafe Co. 34 Paterno St., Southdrive Rd., South Drive Rd., Baguio City (074)4420406, (0915)9359865, (0908)4152056. Chaya. 72 Legarda Road, Baguio City, Philippines +6374424 4726.

Fortune Seafood Restaurant. Otek St., Baguio, Benguet, Philippines

+63744429773. Cafe by the Ruins. 25 Shuntug Rd, Baguio, 2600 Benguet, Philippines +63744424010.

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