words by Ria de Borja
images by Gabriel Dela Cruz
Travelers today are searching more and more for destinations that encourage them to pause and feel restored. Food has become a strong motivation for travel, and exceptional cuisine, beautiful surroundings, and meaningful experiences inspire people to venture beyond the city.
Less than an hour from Metro Manila, tucked inside Nena’s Sanctuary within the verdant Sta. Elena Golf & Country Estate in Santa Rosa, Laguna, Rico’s Cafe encourages this desire to visit, eat, and enjoy. Here, contemporary Filipino cuisine unfolds against a backdrop of shimmering lakes, century-old trees, and one of the country’s most beautiful golf courses.
The drive to Sta. Elena is a welcome change of pace. As the skyline gradually gives way to open landscapes, the noise of the city fades into birdsong and rustling leaves. By the time guests arrive, the atmosphere feels almost meditative. Beyond the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows, calm waters mirror the afternoon sky while fairways stretch into the distance.
“If you really think about a sanctuary,” says Tricia Luzuriaga, customer relations director of Rico’s Cafe, “it’s like heaven on earth.” She describes Nena’s Sanctuary as “a labor of love” created by Donnie and Crickette Tantoco for Donnie’s parents, Rico and Nena Tantoco. “The honor that the children give to their parents is seen here,” she says.
A sense of warmth is apparent upon entering Rico’s Cafe. It resembles an elegant private residence. Contemporary interiors in warm woods and natural stone open onto the surrounding landscape. Upstairs is a roof deck to savor the sunset. The service makes every guest feel welcome. “What makes Rico’s different,” Luzuriaga explains, “is that it’s very homey. It doesn’t feel like a restaurant at all. It’s like entering a friend’s house and being invited to dine there.”
“Sometimes you brave the traffic and the rains to come here,” she continues. “But when you get here, it somehow just disappears. You can stay here, lounge, enjoy your food, the ambience, and the company.”
That unhurried atmosphere has become one of Rico’s defining qualities. Guests linger over coffee, friends settle into long conversations, couples stroll around the property after dessert. “They take their time,” Luzuriaga says. “They reconnect. They enjoy the day. They go around the area to relax. There’s no time pressure.”
Rather than simply describing itself as modern Filipino, Rico’s has developed its own culinary identity known as FINOPINO. Sous Chef Shealtiel Roque, who has been with Rico’s Cafe for the past two years, describes FINOPINO as “the balance between tradition and innovation.”
“We respect the authentic flavors of Filipino cuisine while using modern techniques to refine every dish,” Roque explains. “The goal is to serve food that is comforting and familiar, yet sophisticated enough to offer guests a completely new experience.”
Luzuriaga echoes the philosophy. “We have kare-kare, adobo, and all the Filipino dishes people know,” she says. “But all of these have a twist. Every dish has a story to tell.”
Lunch began with a pair of cocktails. The Clover Club, a classic pre-Prohibition cocktail of gin, raspberry, lemon, and egg white, was bright and refreshing, while the Frozen Guava Madness transformed tropical guava into an icy tequila-based cocktail.
The Caesar Salad was as equally inventive. Rather than replicating the familiar classic, it incorporated alamang, coconut vinegar, pork lardon, and queso de bola, allowing unmistakably Filipino flavors to coexist within one of the world’s best-known salads.
The Pugita Kinilaw followed, showcasing octopus gently cured with vinegar, coconut milk, aromatic spices, and tabon-tabon, a native fruit traditionally used in kinilaw. The ingredient softened the acidity without masking it, allowing the sweetness of the seafood to shine.
The comforting Rico’s All-Day Arroz Caldo arrived next, its rice porridge layered with chicken, pork jowls, salted egg, and crisp chicharon. Like much of the menu, it felt deeply nostalgic.
Top photos left to right: Yummy Pugita Kinilaw; Frozen Guava Madness. Bottom photo: comforting Rico’s All-Day Arroz Caldo
The Signature Fried Chicken in Sinigang Gravy quickly emerged as one of the standouts. Brined for a full day before frying, the chicken arrived with a crisp crust. But it was the gravy that transformed the dish. Infused with the sweet-sour notes of sinigang, it captured the essence of FINOPINO, reminding diners of Sunday family lunches.
Equally memorable was the Pan-Seared Apahap Paksiw Beurre Blanc, where perfectly cooked sea bass rested beneath a beurre blanc brightened by the acidity of paksiw.
If one dish best represents Rico’s identity, it is the Vegetable Kare-Kare Bringhe. “This is my favorite dish because it truly reflects the essence of FINOPINO,” says Roque. “We honor the traditional Kapampangan recipe while refining it with modern culinary techniques. It delivers the rich, comforting flavors people know and love, but in a way that’s elegant, refined, and memorable.” Inspired by the rice dish bringhe and the beloved peanut stew, the dish layers fragrant rice, seasonal vegetables, and bagoong foam. It is Filipino, yet has the finesse of modern fine dining.
The Tiramisuman for dessert marries two beloved classics. Instead of ladyfingers, kapeng barako-soaked broas support layers of mascarpone cream before the dessert is wrapped in banana leaf in homage to the Filipino suman.
The Binignit Panna Cotta reimagines the Visayan comfort dessert through panna cotta layered with gabi, camote, saba, langka, and sago before warm ube sauce is poured tableside. Familiar flavors unfold in unexpected ways.
A scoop of Sikwate Ice Cream, made in-house using goat’s milk and local tablea, provided a satisfying finale.
Top photo (L-R): Delectable Bringhe Vegetable Kare-Kare; delicious Signature Fried Chicken in SInigang Gravy. Bottom photo (L-R): Delicious Pan Seared Apahap Paksiw Beurre Blanc; scrumptious Binignit Panna Cotta.
For Luzuriaga, the meal has always been only part of what guests remember. “The food is their first purpose because it’s been talked about,” she says. “But also the ambience.”
She recalls visitors who arrive without reservations. “Sometimes they can’t get a table. They just want to take a photo of the café, the restaurant, the view. They’re okay with that already.”
Rico’s has also become a sought-after venue for intimate celebrations. Overlooking the lake, couples can exchange vows or mark milestones with the Rico’s Lakeside Package, which offers either a bottle of champagne or a consumable package of food and beverages for an elegant indoor celebration. It is another expression of the sanctuary’s philosophy: meaningful moments deserve meaningful settings. Luzuriaga believes this reflects a broader shift in the way Filipinos travel. “Dining destinations are really in vogue right now,” she says. “People take the effort. They’ll drive to Pampanga, to Tarlac, to places they’ve only heard about. Rico’s has become one of those places where people come because they’re curious.”
The appeal extends beyond local diners. International guests often arrive expecting traditional Filipino dishes and leave with an entirely new appreciation of the cuisine. “Whether they’re locals or foreigners, they come because they enjoy Filipino food,” Luzuriaga says. “Then they’re amazed when they see these familiar dishes presented in a completely different way.”
As the afternoon light softens across the lake and conversations continue long after coffee has been served, it becomes clear that Rico’s Cafe offers something different: permission to eat well and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. It has become one of those rare places where the destination is as memorable as the meal.
Another view of the the's interior and exterior of the cafe.
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