Why Tagaytay is a foodie destination
Beloved Tagaytay has always been a magnet for city dwellers: just a short drive out of Manila, that iconic setting of lake, volcano and farms creates a uniquely relaxing vibe. It is a destination for food lovers as well, so that when the second Tagaytay Food Festival unfolded amid dark skies and inclement weather, foodies braved the elements and trooped to Taal Vista Hotel.
Each of the three days included the Farmers and Purveyors Market on the veranda of Taal Vista Hotel which highlighted not only the fresh produce and products of the area, but specialties from as far as the Cordilleras as well. And there were so many interesting events — talks, tastings, food demos and spectacular meals—some of which were simultaneous, that I had to pass up the Cavite Heritage tour led by my friend Ige Ramos.
The daily farmer’s market alone made the trip so worthwhile. Apart from the freshest salad greens and coffees, herbs and pineapples, there were items you don’t see every day. I was fascinated by the plum-like tamarillos, also known as tree tomatoes from the Cordilleras. Back home, I blanched them to remove the somewhat sour skin, then chopped up the sweet flesh to make a most delicious salsa. I bought black skinned radishes, and finished one stall’s entire stock of sweet, tiny yellow tomatoes. They were lovely in salads, soup and taco fixings.
On the first day of the food festival, the main event was a Grand Tasting at Ballroom 1 of the Taal Vista Hotel where 20 of the top Tagaytay restaurants and hotels offered a lavish buffet spread of their unique specialties. I could fill a cookbook with the yummy bites and generous samplings of Reynaldo’s, Farmer’s Table, Asador by Dos Mestizos, Ribchon, Pamana, Elaia, Tsoskolateria and that’s not even mentioning everyone.
There were so many standouts but if I could pick a few, it would include chef Happy Ongpauco Tiu’s Aligue Crème Brulee, served in charming egg shells; chef Robby Goco’s Roasted Lamb Shoulder Wraps and chef Peter Morgan’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi.
Instead of taking a daily shuttle back and forth from Manila, I opted to stay at a friend’s Airbnb. Mi Abuela Tagaytay was a relaxing break in between the full schedule which also included restaurant visits. I was able to recharge in very comfortable settings and enjoyed perusing my friend Elo Estepa’s collection of succulents and pretty accessories, which are also for sale.
On the second day, there was a series of food talks that were moderated by Angelo Comsti who is a food expert and restaurateur as well.The talks began with “Why There Is A Need to Innovate Filipino Cuisine” featuring Thirdy Dolarte and Kevin Navoa of Hapag, and Stephane Duhesme of Metiz. From them, we learned about the importance of tradition, a respect for the past and a need for authenticity. Yet, innovation is needed to keep moving forward, to keep evolving because this showcases the creativity of chefs and keeps Filipino food exciting.
There was a cooking demo by chef Kalel Chan of the Raintree Restaurant Group in between the talks that focused on how to make an easy miso-marinated seared cod provided by Cold Storage. He explained the benefits of flash-frozen seafood and even explained how to do it at home: when you have an excess of fresh seafood, cover them with water and freeze.
Other talks included “Practicing Sustainability” with Ramon Uy Jr. of Fresh Start and Chaela Dee of Toyo Eatery; and “Providing Customer Satisfaction” by Isabel Lozano of Decorum by MIL and Ryan Cruz of Mendokoro.
A panel including Bettina Arguelles of the PYC Group, Rhea Rizzo of Mrs. Salso’s and Tina Legarda of Bamba Bistro discussed the fulfillment they gain from mentoring their staff. These thought-provoking talks could fill a book for HRM students, and there were actually many of them in attendance.
The heritage-themed buffet prepared by chef Jayme Natividad at Taal Vista’s The Veranda was varied and tempting, but I picked only here and there at comforting stews as a brace against the foggy weather because there was still an early dinner to follow at The Fatted Calf, which had a collab with Restaurant Fiz of Singapore, plus more restaurant meals the following day.
The “Food That Binds” was the theme behind the Restaurant Fiz Singapore and The Fatted Calf collab. As visiting Malaysian chef Hafizzul Hashim explained, the techniques used by Filipino and Malaysian chefs may be different yet the available ingredients are the same.
Chef Jayjay Sycip added that while Filipinos have welcomed all kinds of influences with open arms—Chinese, Spanish, American—the Malaysians embrace more of their local culture. A big difference though between the two restaurants was pointed out. While restaurants like The Fatted Calf source ingredients from farms nearby, those in Singapore must import much of their produce.
With the differences and similarities between the two cultures, we had a most cross-cultural lunch, with dishes like our rellenong alimasag made with a Malay custard, or a warming sinigang infused with forest greens and warm chilis.
On Sunday, brunch at Samira, located at Anya Resort Tagaytay served up the new menu by Chele Gonzalez. A six-course menu started with a series of small bites that included salmon tartar on crispy tapioca crackers and bulalo tacos. There were black bombs of squid and octopus carpaccio. There were beef tartar, pan-seared salmon, pork loin chuletas and more. And on the same day, there was a Mediterranean Flair lunch at Anzani, Ville Sommet in Alfonso, Cavite, followed by a collaboration dinner with chef Ariel Manuel, chef Bettina Arguelles and PYC chefs at Sinta.
To see the number of foodies and visitors that made it to the daily events despite downpours and windy weather is a testament to the enduring pull of Tagaytay, made even stronger by innovative chefs who practice sustainability and offer farm-to-table meals. What can I say? Watch out for next year’s Tagaytay Food Festival—and come on a very empty stomach.
