Lakad Pilipinas

Straight from our Tagaytay trip, our van from Taal Vista Hotel took us straight to Quezon City’s Maginhawa Street to check out The Wander Space, a travel-related café right in the middle of Quezon City’s premiere food hub. Together with my traveler friends, tired as we were, we cannot be more excited, our destination was right within our alley.

THE WANDER SPACE CAFE AT THE THIRD FLOOR OF MAGINHAWA’S BUILDING #80

Located on the third floor of the eponymous Building #80, right beside the famous bookworm hangout Bookay Ukay, The Wander Space blends café culture with travel. Put up by Kim and Bam, two young entrepreneurs who are themselves true blue travelers, one can immediately feel that this is a passion project upon entering its wood-framed glass door.

Tagaytay City, the nearest and most accessible weekend get-away from Metro Manila, is one of the most loved tourist spots in the Philippines. Located in the province of Cavite, it hosts a number of scenic spots, delectable food places and fun activities suited for couples, families, barkada, and even the solitary traveler. Located a couple of hours away from the bustle of the metro, it provides a cool and breezy vacation place to soothe frayed nerves and bestow a renewed sense of vitality to city-worn souls. Much has been written about Tagaytay, but for those new in the city, a travel guide and a sample itinerary is an invaluable resource for a trip at one of the coolest place this side of the Philippines.

An islet within a volcanic lake within a natural lake, all within another island—Luzon Island, that is. It took me a while to figure out what the island within a lake that is on an island within a lake that is on an island phrase that kept coming up whenever Taal Volcano is mentioned, totally forgetting that Luzon is an island too, lol!

VULCAN POINT, AN ISLET IN THE MIDDLE OF TAAL VOLCANO’S CRATER

I visited this conundrum of a volcano a couple of years back, remembering it after a failed hike from our Taal Vista Hotel staycation. Tired from always looking at that volcano in the middle of Taal Lake from the many restaurants lining the Tagaytay ridge, I, together with a few companions decided to finally take that ride down to the town of Talisay and see the volcano up close.

I’ve always thought that the best bulalo in Tagaytay is located at one of the many fancy restaurants fronting the Taal Volcano. Boy, was I ever wrong! I’ve heard about the best bulalo being sold at one of Tagaytay’s many markets, but have no idea where it was. Little did I know that I’ve been passing through it countless of times, it was just at the Mahogany Market all along.

CARINDERIA STALLS AT TAGAYTAY'S MAHOGANY MARKET BULALOHAN

Half a day of walking around the drizzly pathways of Caleruega made some dents on our tummies, immediately turning our mini tour into a Tagaytay food trip. We immediately headed towards the bulalohan area along the Nasugbu Highway to replenish our batteries but were immediately turned off by their prices (PHP380.00 per bowl).

We packed up and boarded another jeepney, this time to Mahogany Market, there’s also a bulalohan strip there that’s much cheaper, although sans the view, my friend says to me.

As if we weren’t gut-bustingly full yet, after another sumptuous dinner at Taal Vista Hotel’s Lobby Lounge, we went out into the chilly Tagaytay evening and off to another food place. We weren’t just going to any old restaurant, we’re going to a full blown food park, the Barracks Food Camp.

FRESH BIBINGKA AT BARRACKS FOOD CAMP, WE CAN’T EAT NO MORE

Alright, we really didn’t go here to eat. Heck, with our shirts bursting from the seams from non-stop eating in Tagaytay—we can’t eat even if you treat us and force it down our throats. What we were here for was to drink. Yes, Taal Vista Hotel has beer, but the ones at The Barracks Food Camp was a third of the price from those at the hotel; an easier, and far cheaper, way to get inebriated.

A spread of eight sumptuous dishes were laid on our table for what was supposed to be a simple brunch. Yes, there were also eight of us—one for each—but the problem was each serving was almost good enough for three persons. We’re stumped on how we’d finish everything! We definitely have one deliciously huge problem on our table.

WEEKEND OF NOTHING BUT FOOD AT TAAL VISTA TAGAYTAY

With traveler friends in tow, we headed off to the highlands for the long weekend. While we have only the vaguest Tagaytay itinerary, what’s clear was that we’re gonna eat. A lot. Billeted on one of the three Lakeside rooms of Taal Vista Hotel, we did nothing that weekend but cram our tummies full—a food binge worthy of the seven deadly sins. And we didn’t even have to go out of the hotel to commit it too.

It was thirty minutes to midnight when we arrived at Taal Vista Hotel’s front porch and there’s a chill in the weather, typical of evenings in Tagaytay. Tired from dodging the weekend traffic and the long drive from Manila, we mightily slumped ourselves on the comfy couches littering the lounge. A singer was crooning out sonnets for long lost loves and a fire was quietly smoldering at the fireplace. Some minutes later, a menagerie of food were slid on our table. Welcome to Tagaytay, it said.

TAAL VISTA TAGAYTAY’S ICONIC FACADE

Taal Vista Hotel is one of the pioneer Tagaytay City accommodations. Its history dates all the way back to the end of the thirties when then President Quezon expressed his desire to develop the area as a tourist destination. Eventually, the same guys that did Manila Hotel constructed a Tudor-inspired lodging on a ridge overlooking Taal Volcano.

We were on our way to a foodtrip weekend at Taal Vista Tagaytay, call time was still at five in the afternoon and the meeting place was in Cubao. With a few hours to spare, I was racking my brains on what to do to while away the time when I remembered a comment I received on my Facebook page about a pancit batil patong place near Cubao.

Together with my constant pancit companion, C, we headed to Anonas to find Jenter Food Hauz Pancit Tuguegaro. Going there was easy enough. From the corner of EDSA and Kamuning, we boarded a Project 2-3 jeepney and alighted at the corner of Anonas and Bigna Street. From there the panciteria is just a hop away.