BAGUIO:

NOT THE USUAL DELIGHTS

Words by Vic Sevilla
Images by Emman Peregrin

Along with the surge in tourism, Baguio City is seeing the emergence of restaurants, eateries and cafes offering a gamut of culinary persuasions and mouthwatering delights that are definitely far from the usual. Writer Vic S. Sevilla and photographer Emman Peregrin discovered some of Baguio’s scrumptious culinary treasures.

Apart from the cool weather, what normally comes to mind at the mere mention of Baguio are the delicious edibles associated with this mountain getaway: strawberry jam, newly-harvested vegetables, peanut brittle and treats to bring home. But through the years, the city has grown by leaps, and with it, the delights that have become available to visitors have also become more variable. Here are some delectable finds.

Arca’s Yard features a casual ambience with low tables and large throwpillows.

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Arca’s scrumptious Crispy Lemon Chicken is one of the restaurant’s bestsellers.

Arca’s Yard: Upland Delights

It started out as a hangout for artists and writers who eschewed the noisy tourist crowds that come to the city during the holiday season. Today, Arca’s Yard is a full-fledged cafe-cum-art gallery-cum-library, attracting students and those in search of the comforting flavors of home-cooked meals.

Owner Niña “Ninj” Sabado says that the restaurant is her tribute to her father who loved to entertain people. His passion for bringing people together and sharing with them the flavors of his kitchen have inspired the set-up. Shelves of books and artworks line entire walls, and perched on top of tables are ornaments by local artisans.

“Arca’s Yard was one of the first cafes in the outskirts of the city. So I thought of creating a one-stop shop where people can do something else after they eat para, naman hindi masayang ’yung trip nila papunta dito. Here, they can enjoy the view, read a book or study,” says Ninj.

Arca’s Yard has become a favorite of foodies wanting to sample native Kankanaey and Ibaloi cooking. Among its offerings is the Camote Pie, baked sweet potato laced with butter and cream, and made fragrant with cinnamon. Those who want a slight crunch can request for a topping of walnuts on top of the pie. A perfect partner for this filling snack, especially on a cold, foggy afternoon, is a glass of warm Cloud Tea. This is simply freshly brewed tea with a dollop of cream on top.

Chef Alejandro Frias who now mans the kitchen of Arca’s Yard is also expanding the menu to feature more items that showcase the rich flavors of upland cooking. One of these is the flavorful Dinengdeng with Ambuklao Tilapia. “We use tilapia that comes from Ambuklao River which is fatter and tastier,” he explains. This he makes into a stew with labong (tender bamboo shoot), saluyot (jute leaves) and fresh river shrimps.

The Spicy Tuna Pasta, a family recipe, is made fiery with the use of chili flakes grounded into a fine, potent powder. The restaurant also serves Lechon Kawali (or bagnet) and the sweet tangy Crispy Lemon Orange Chicken. Arca’s Yard is located at 777 Tiptop, Ambuklao Road.

The façade of Lemon and Olives welcomes diners to the airy dining area.

Lemon and Olives: A memorable taste of Greece

Gianina Emille Mendoza looks like a high school coed. But don’t let the sweet demeanor fool you; this young lady runs the family-owned Lemon and Olives, one of Baguio City’s emerging dining addresses. “We called it Lemon and Olives because they are two of the primary ingredients of Greek cooking. And we really serve fresh, authentic Greek food,” she informs. The restaurant, also sitting on a slope, presents a breathtaking view of a wooded valley.

Bringing the refreshing flavors of Greek cooking to the restaurant is chef Panagiotis Polychronis. Originally from a town near Athens, Chef Takis, as he is more popularly known, came to the Philippines in 2012 to help his brother run a restaurant in San Juan, La Union. Today, he is wielding his culinary powers in the kitchen of Lemon and Olives. Faithfulness to original flavors, he says, is very important: “That’s why I get the olive oil, feta cheese, Greek yogurt, saganaki cheese and the sausages from Greece. I also have Greek wines and Greek coffee here at the restaurant.”

Try their classic Moussaka, a moist and yummy layer of potato, eggplant and ground beef bathed in bechamel sauce. Or dig into a platter of Greek goodies called Poikilia. It’s a plate of Greek village sausage, spicy soutzouki sausage and saganaki cheese. Another popular item is the Saganaki, which is pan-fried saganaki cheese with fresh lemon. Gianina also suggests the restaurant’s gyros: freshly-baked pita bread envelope brimming with either chicken, beef, pork or lamb slices, and vegetables, smothered with garlic and tzatziki sauce.

From the grill comes fresh seafood (octopus, prawns, tuna or tanigue, and calamari) broiled over charcoal; slow-roasted pork which has been marinated in a savory sauce; the Souvlaki Plate (a choice of charcoal-grilled chicken, beef, pork or lamb served with pita bread and fries—this comes with garlic, chili and tzatziki dips); and Lamb Rack (lamb infused with herbs, served with Greek salad).

One can always go for Greek Kebabs—skewered roasted chunks of chicken or pork tenderloin, onion, bell peppers and tomatoes. Take your pick of accompaniment from zesty lemon pilaf rice, plain rice, Greek French fries or pita bread.

To cap the meal, the restaurant offers desserts such as Classic Baklava (filo pastry filled with a sprinkling of chopped nuts and drizzled with sweet honey syrup), Loukoumades (deep-fried honey cinnamon puffs), Greek Yogurt with walnuts and honey, and Baklava Cheesecake (a fusion of classic Baklava and creamy New York cheesecake). Lemon and Olives is located at #26 Outlook Drive.

The flavorful moussaka drenched in bechamel sauce.

A younger generation of visitors and diners are discovering the easygoing ambience of this destination

Hill Station: Dining at leisure and luxury

This place exudes a charm that belongs to a bygone, more gentle era. Perched on a ridge, its large picture windows open to vistas of mountains and trees. Opened in 2010, Hill Station is the brainchild of culinary artist and restaurateur Mitos Benitez. The heartwarming flavors of its culinary offerings take inspiration from the American colonial days when Baguio City was a young hill station.

“Hill Station is all about the comforting flavors of familiar food. It combines traditional Filipino fare, American favorites and Spanish dishes that have endeared themselves to the Filipino taste buds. We also serve Mediterranean and Asian dishes,” says manager Pia Salazar.

Apart from the popular Lengua Estofado, gourmets who crave for superb flavors go to Hill Station for the Lamb Stew, chunks of lamb meat slowly braised with fresh tomatoes, paprika, onion and garlic.

“Another favorite of diners here is the Steak and Salmon,” informs assistant Chef Rhodel Langyon. “It’s a combination of tenderloin steak and Norwegian salmon seasoned with paprika, lemon juice and butter, and baked in a salamander.”

Other must-tries are the Moroccan Spiced Baby Back Ribs (infused with spices like curry, coriander seeds, cilantro and fennel) and the Cambodian Coriander Chicken (marinated in spices and bathed in a bright green sauce made from coriander leaves).

Those in the mood for a light bite will love the Mushroom Bruschetta, which combines three kinds of mushrooms: shiitake, oyster and button. The mushrooms are lightly sauteed in white wine and olive oil, and smothered with cream, then served in melba toast.

For an afternoon snack or an after-dinner sweet something, Chef Rhodel recommends Brownie Le Notre, an sinful layer of brownies and mousse topped with chocolate ganache; or the Canonigo with Vanilla Cream Sauce of real vanilla pods imparting a fragrant, creamy aroma.

On your way out, do check the Pasalubong Corner which sells homemade strawberry jam, coco jam, a variety of salad dressings, and tuyo and tinapa in olive oil. I bought a bottle of salsa mongha, a cocktail nibble of tangy green olives awash in olive oil. Hill Station is at Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road.

Hill Station’s Steak and Salmon combines the hearty flavors of farm and sea.

The heartwarming flavors of its culinary offerings take inspiration from the American colonial days.

Bistro by Hill Station: Quick and tasty bites

With the opening of Camp John Hay as a tourist destination and commercial hub, a younger generation of visitors and diners are discovering the easygoing ambience of the former American facility. A host of establishments geared to attract this younger market has been emerging inside the camp. One of these is Bistro by Hill Station.

“The ambience [here] is very casual because it caters to a market that values convenience and quick service,” describes restaurant manager Kimberly Reyes. But make no mistake, the restaurant serves a menu of mouthwatering a la carte dishes that are notches higher in quality than the usual fast food fare.

“We serve gourmet sandwiches and pastas. We also make our own homemade sausages such as the spicy chorizo poblano, bacon sausage, beer sausage, herbed chicken sausage and morcilla (blood pudding sausage),” Kimberly enumerates.

For snacks, she served us Vietnamese Pho, beef tenderloin noodle soup with cilantro, basil, mint leaves and bean sprouts, and made more fragrantly flavorful with cinnamon bark. Then came the house specialty: Barbecued Back Ribs, a robust fare in sweet-spicy sauce, served with steamed vegetables and sweet potato fries.

Definitely filling is the Reuben Sandwich. The soft baguette cradles a generous portion of Stateside corned beef on a bed of sauerkraut, with Dijon mustard. Making the sandwich extra hefty is the three cheeses—white cheese, parmesan and mozzarella. Lastly, we indulged the sweet tooth with the Cheesecake Flan (a combo of cheesecake and leche flan) and Death by Chocolate (chocolate lava topped with vanilla ice cream).

At Bistro by Hill Station, those who are truly in a hurry can still enjoy great-tasting food by grabbing any of their ready-to-go items that include Chicken Pork Adobo sa Gata, Ilocano Igado, Spanish Callos and Hill Station’s famous Lengua Estofado. Bistro by Hill Station is found at Ayala Technohub, Camp John Hay.

Gregorio Sabado stands in the middle of his store of exquisitely carved wooden furniture and decor.

Wooden wonders: Gregorio Sabado Handicrafts

Since the 1970s, Gregorio Sabado has been helping out in his mother’s antique and furniture shop. Because Baguio and the surrounding towns and villages have been part of the cultural economic center of Benguet, craftsmen have been creating wooden artifacts for years. These, and a host of household utensils carved from wood, were the main items for sale at his mother’s shop.

Today, he operates his own shop, Gregorio Sabado Handicrafts. Apart from the staple tribal art, Gregorio now sells wooden furniture such as chairs and tables in contemporary designs. He has sleek dinner tables, buffet counters, consoles and coffee tables. He also sells modern high-backed chars and some that seem almost Amish in style.

“Many of our products come from small-scale manufacturers from the Cordillera provinces such as Ifugao, Bontoc and Benguet. The furniture pieces use old wood, those that fall because of old age. They are very much sought-after because old wood is very rare nowadays,” he shares.

Not surprisingly, the shop also carries a wide selection of wooden bowls and trays in all shapes and sizes. Some are round and simple, and some are elongated. Others are geometric in shape, making them look like modern sculptures rather than vessels for food. This, he says, is an offshoot of the emergence of new hotels and restaurants in Baguio for which he makes the bowls. Gregorio Sabado Handicrafts is located at #16 Outlook Drive.

Gregorio Sabado Handicrafts sells sculptures, boat trays, decors, religious icons, drum chairs, chests, and bas reliefs all carved from wood.

A home in the highland: The Country Place

It remains just as it was since it was built in 1958: simple, unassuming and homey. In fact, staying at The Country Place is akin to staying at a favorite relative’s private home, where the rooms and interiors embrace visitors with reassuring warmth, and the mementos on the shelves evoke a sense of the familiar.

“That’s why our tagline is ‘make it your own’. We want guests to feel at home, we want to give them a sense of being in their own space. Where else can you go out of your room and have coffee in the dining table in pajamas? Definitely not in a hotel. Only here,” remarks Socorro Rojas-Baylon. Better known as Mrs. B, this chirpy lady now acts as host and overseer of The Country Place.

Designed by architect Tomas Arguelles, The Country Place is a three-residential home built of rare pinewood and Baguio stone. Each of the residences have been designed using the original furniture and decor of the owners, dating back to the early 1960s. Each residence can comfortably accommodate as much as 10 persons, infants and toddlers included.

The residences each have three large bedrooms, a living area with soft couches, a fully-equipped kitchen and pantry, and a spacious dining room for those who want to have their dinner at the residence. The residences have a commanding view of a valley and the surrounding environment. From the balcony, the cool breeze inspires one to curl on a seat and read, or blissfully laze the time away. The Country Place is located at 20 Dominican Hill Road.