The bucolic charm of Tagaytay

TAGAYTAY is one of the most popular tourist destinations due to its outstanding scenery and cool climate. Only 55 kilometers away from Metro Manila (an hour’s drive, that is, without traffic), this bucolic paradise overlooks the famous Taal Lake and Volcano, an iconic view that has placed the Philippines prominently in the international tourism sphere. This breathtaking scene was recently used by “Roar: Queen of the Jungle” music video of popular American singer, Katy Perry.

An easy escape to get away from the hustle and bustle and heat of the city, Tagaytay never fails to fascinate me. More than the sophistication of the fast-paced real estate development hand-in-hand with its tourism growth, I simply love Tagaytay for its countryside life and scenery. Covered by rolling hills and mountains, this component city of Cavite lies along Tagaytay Ridge stretching 32 kilometers some 2,000 feet above sea level. Getting there is actually more than half the fun, stopping along the scenic way where fruit, vegetable, delicacy stalls line the ridge.

To avoid the weekend traffic, my son, Jason, drove us once again to Tagaytay with his wife, Jenny and her mother, Marlene Villegas, on a weekday. It was, as Jenny said, bonding time with their mothers. Our last meaningful trip to Tagaytay was for the wedding of Jenny and Jason last December 2012, the lovely reception of which was held in Sonya’s Garden. Running a bit late, our first stop had to be lunch, not in any of the sophisticated restaurants that has been booming in Tagaytay but in LZM Lutong

Bahay Restaurant, recognized by Sooo Pinoy as one of the country’s best restaurant in serving “Daing na Bangus” and “Bulalo.”

Unilever Food Solutions created Sooo Pinoy in partnership with the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Philippine Star with the aim to help Filipinos find identity through food, feeding national pride through an appreciation and awareness of Filipino cuisine. The “bangus” or milkfish, which comes from Dagupan, Pangasinan was huge and has the perfect seasoning blend that truly merited recognition by Sooo Pinoy. Both Jason and Jenny are pesco-vegetarians so our “bulalo” was all soup and strips of cabbage. The “Pinakbet” was good with fresh vegetables—okra, ampalaya, sitaw and talong that are locally grown.

After a satisfying lunch, we were craving for dessert and coffee. Cruising along the Tagaytay Ridge, Jason made a stop at Breakfast at Antonio’s–casual all-day breakfast dining owned by renowned Chef Tony Boy Escalante of Antonio’s, which has been consistently making it to Asia’s Top 20 Restaurants by The Miele Guide. Overlooking the unobstructed panoramic view of Taal Lake and Volcano, we marveled at the sight while enjoying our Salted Caramel Cheesecake with coffee, Vanilla and Chocolate Milk Shakes. We promised to come back for breakfast, where breads are freshly baked and jams, marmalades and curds are house-made.

The best deal was buying the fresh produce from stalls along the ridge: senorita bananas, juicy, sugary sweet pineapples, dalandan for juicing, jackfruit, huge cucumbers and assorted greens for salad. We also picked several packs of dried tawilis (small fish indigenous to Taal Lake).