We were on our annual daytrip to Tagaytay with my parents, and as usual, we were unprepared on where we would eat. I’ve tried bringing them to the Mahogany Market bulaluhan the year before, but they don’t seem to fancy the food being hawked there.
With a couple of hours to spare en route, I Googled for some of the most interesting places to eat in Tagaytay—there are a lot, but I’m particularly looking for a somewhat inexpensive one. What I found was a pancit batil patong place in Tagaytay, with prices that seemed friendly enough.
So, before heading to the Tagaytay City Hall, which is what we really came to the city for, we stopped at MASINGngo Restaurant first for lunch.
►TRAVEL MORE: TAGAYTAY TRAVEL GUIDE
Tagaytay is the nearest and most accessible weekend getaway from Metro Manila. Located in the province of Cavite, a Tagaytay daytrip from Manila is very popular with tourists. And even with its proximity, it hosts a number of scenic spots, delectable food places, and fun activities suited for couples, families, barkada, and even the solitary traveler. It is, arguably, one of the most famous and loved tourist spots in the Philippines.
The city provides a cool and breezy holiday—the so called Tagaytay weather—to soothe frayed nerves and bestow a renewed sense of vitality to city-worn souls. Much has been written about this place, but for those new to the city, this Tagaytay travel guide (with a sample itinerary and a budget guide) is an invaluable resource for a trip to literally one of the coolest places this side of the Philippines.
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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
CAVITE | Taal Vista Hotel, Two Nights on a Tagaytay Classic
[HOTELS & RESORTS] Thursday, October 05, 2017
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.
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| 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.
Besides beer, coffee is the next best beverage for me. I’m not the grind-your-own brew, nor the sip-your-hundred-peso-fancy-coffee type—I like my 3-in-1’s. Sacrilege it may seem, but yes, I like my instant coffee. Well, okay, sometimes, I do indulge with a Venti of Frappucino at Starbucks, granted that it’s free. I collect Starbucks Icon Mugs and I usually buy them using Starbucks cards, which gets you a free cup of coffee. Cheapskate, I know.
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| STARBUCKS DOWNHILL TAGAYTAY |
During our recent staycation at Crosswinds Tagaytay, it just so happens that I have a couple of cards with free drinks with me. So, on our way home, instead of dropping by the Bulalo Stalls at Mahogany Market like we usually do, we instead went to one of the newer Starbucks Coffee in Tagaytay.
