Baguio Eats: Zola Resto Cafe

I have been on a 3 month hiatus and I do not like it one bit. My yearly new year's resolution is to blog regularly but that has been so impossible with my work schedule. My life literally stopped or was put on hold. But now, since I have resigned and will venture into something new, I will have more time for myself. Let's see how this goes.

So to continue my Baguio Eats series, I have now Zola Resto Cafe along Session Road.

We went there for a quick dinner. My family and I were still full from our heavy lunch at Sage Restaurant so we just wanted something to munch on. Mind you, it was a jampacked night and all seats were filled but thank goodness for senior citizens (mother dear and papa dear), we got seats after a few minutes but it was situated at the balcony and my mom did not want that so she requested for a table inside.

We ordered their Calamari and this was surprisingly delicious. In a span of a few minutes, the plate was wiped out and we ordered another.

Our pizza order. It was good that they allowed two flavors in one pizza. I think we had the Buffalo Chicken and Grandslam flavors. I recall that the chicken was spicy so my dad and brother were not so fond of it. But they liked the other one. For me, I liked them both.

The food was good and prices are pretty fair so I have no complains. But, I do have some and it is directed to their service which was a bit slow. We had to request and call multiple times but to no avail so instead of ruining our night, we just opted to get the heck out of there the soonest.

It's a chill place for the younger set of crowd at night and not for the parentals like what we did and smoking is allowed so don't complain about it.

I'd still give it a shot next time, But maybe I will try during daytime.



~Lovelee~


RESTO FACTS:
Zola Resto Cafe
Session Road cor. Fr. Carlu Road, 
Baguio City, Benguet 
Tel. #: (0915) 904-1977 
Facebook: Zola Resto / Cafe

Baguio Eats: Sage Restaurant

Our Baguio food trip continues with our lunch stop at the Sage Restaurant.

As mentioned in previous posts, I researched where we should eat and Sage come up on the top 5 of the list.

Located at the Military Cutoff Road, it is one of the must-go to places and in this area you have other great options for your next meal.

Ultimate Nachos Platter (P240.00)
Seriously big! And with a lot of toppings and sauces. And, seriously great tasting too!

Sulit sarap!

Salmon Picatta (P280.00)
Per brother dear, a bit dry to his taste. Well, it was. Kind of resembled  fried bangus to me. I would have preferred it to be a bit moist.

Walnut-Crusted Butterfly Tenderloin (P280.00)
A bit dry and a bit tough. Enough said. Wrong order for me, I guess.

Creamy Bulalo Steak w/Mashed Potatoes (P280.00)
Now this was something that I liked! And the size was generous! Both the meat and the gravy. Can be shared by 2 people. Tender meat flavored fantastically! Thumbs up!

One thing I can solidly commend on are the serving sizes, truly generous! Oh, and the prices too! Very reasonable.

Infused service water

Brownies ala Mode (Php 120.00)
The brownie size was small, cute-sized! It was good. And very affordable, don't you think? 

Green Tea Cheesecake 
Very mild tasting so this is good for those who are not fond of too much sweetness in their cakes. I forgot the price but I am sure that is is below Php150.00.

Some of their cake options.

Small and cozy places and gets pretty packed during peak hours.

Overall, we had a pleasant dining experience. The service was very good and the food was good. Value for money is great! Though not all were hits but I think I just need to go back and try their other dishes.


RESTO FACTS:
Sage Restaurant
95 Military Cutoff Road, 
Baguio, 2600 Benguet

Baguio Eats: The Budget-Friendly Good Taste Restaurant

A Baguio food trip is a must when you are in the City of Pines. Why? Because there are lots of choices to fit every budget of every Juan.

One fine example of that is Good Taste Restaurant. While doing an online search, this place always pops up so it we heeded to the call of the masses and gave it a try.

Located near Burnham Park, they are conveniently situated and is very easy to locate. They are known for their big servings and very affordable prices. And, they said that they do not skimp on the ingredients. And yes, I can honestly say that do not skimp indeed. They are very generous!

Buttered Chicken (Php 170.00 half order)
Their bestseller. Very tasty and the chicken was cooked just right. Half order is good for 4-5 pax. There was four of us but we still took home the leftovers.

Lechon Chopsuey (Php 115.00)
Overflowing with fresh vegatables and I loved it. Though nothing special with the taste, just regular chopsuey, but the serving size was humongous! 

Sweet and Sour Pork (Php 145.00)
Average tasting but a big bang for your buck.

Beef Broccoli (Php 125.00)
What I enjoyed most here is the crisp broccoli flavored with the sauce. I had lots! But the beef was a bit tough.

Feasting!

The building serves a lot of customers and during peak hours, a queue is formed outside. Good thing, my parents are both senior citizens so they were prioritized and we just waited for 5 minutes.

Apart from the good food, they also have breads and pastries. Just come on to the ground floor and take your fill of a sweet ending or for take-out.

This huge restaurant is open 24/7 so you can drop by anytime you feel like eating. For solo diners, they do have rice toppings. For those with a big group, you have come to the perfect place.

Price-wise, you get great value for your money. The serving sizes are good enough for 3-4pax or 4-5pax, depending on the appetite. Taste-wise, it is not the best but it is not bad either. They have some dishes that really stood out for me like the Buttered Chicken and Pansit Canton (though I was not able to take a good photo of this).

So, will I come back again? Of course, yes! Much better if with a big group so it will be fun ordering a lot and then share the foods.


~Lovelee~


RESTO FACTS:
Good Taste Restaurant and Cafe
Carino St. Baguio City, 
Philippines
Tel. #: +632 443 7959
Facebook: Good Taste Restaurant and Cafe

Baguio Eats: Zen's Restaurant at Mines View Park Hotel

Last November, me and my family traveled to the City of Pines, Baguio City, for my mom's 60th birthday. This was the first time that we went there as a family and we very much looked forward to this vacation.

Prior to this trip, me and my mom did lots of research on where we should eat and we came up with a lot of choices. So basically, upon arrival there, I already had a game plan where we should dine.

So this post, and the next ones, are the documentation of these resto-hopping food trips.

First stop, the in-house restaurant of the Mines View Park Hotel where we were billeted, Zen's Restaurant.

Chicken and Pork Adobo with Strawberries
One of their bestsellers. The twist to this classic Filipino dish is the presence of plump strawberries in the sauce which added hints of sweet and sour taste to it. I actually liked it. It's an ingenious way to incorporate the Baguio staple in a simple dish.

Pork Strawberry Sinigang
Wow! I liked this a lot. Who would have known strawberries can be used as a sour ingredient for sinigang. I've had sinigang with watermelon (which was weirdly good) but this was also a revelation. 

Bibingcrepe
What an invention! Marrying bibingka and crepe in one! It was not sweet so the condensed milk, syrup and choco sprinkles on top did the sweetening part. We ordered take-out after we checked out because it was that good.

Longsilog
My complimentary breakfast and includes coffee, tea or juice. Very convenient because you don't need to think where to have your first meal of the day and saves you money at the same time. I love longganisa and this was good. I also had bacon but was not able to take a good photo.

Their food here is good so it was very nice for those staying because they have that option.

Apart from the food, service at the hotel itself is great. Me and my family had a wonderful time here!



~Lovelee~


RESTO FACTS:
Zen's Restaurant
Mines View Park Hotel
Outlook Drive South
cor. Apostol St. Baguio City
Benguet
Facebook: Zen's Restaurant

Reminiscing Baguio City

It's been a while since my last visit to Baguio City. My last time was early 2008. I was there for work but I could not let the opportunity pass to re-visit the sites that Baguio City is famous for. I even walked along Session Road around 10pm just so I could absorb the vibe of the city. But alas, vibe that I got was some drunks who were throwing up at the side of the street. Saw 2 or 3 person do that. Haha!

There are still places there I want to visit as I have never been there before such as the Cathedral Church, the strawberry fields in La Trinidad and the old yet still 'hugely' cute St. Bernard dog at the Mines View Park. And now that summer is officially on, the urge to go is so strong. Question is; will it materialize or not? That is the big question.

So for now, I will just take a quick walk along memory lane as I browsed through old photos. Taken back in 2008.

These horses of Wright park sure are pretty because of their hot pink crop of hair. Just had to take a picture with them. My first and last horse ride was here at Baguio and I was still a child back then. Conquering this again when I go back, the time is nowhere like the present.

Lucky we got in. Maybe because the guard saw my companions are artistas so he budged in.

The usual postcard shot.

At Mines View Park. This old Igorot lady was so welcoming in urging me to try on the traditional clothes and she was very fluent in using the English language, mind you. Then after trying it on and having a quick pic, she charged me P20.00 in a very business-like tone. Haha! But she was still nice, I say.

Still at Mines View Park. I wonder where Douglas the cute St. Bernard canine was hiding when I was here. I would have loved to meet him. =)

Another photo op session. We were very lucky that there were few tourists that time so we got to go around a bit without the heavy people traffic. Oh, I remember, that brown messenger bag in the photo, bought that in an ukay-ukay store for P200 (bit expensive for ukay) but it was so sturdy. Up to this day, it's still 'alive'.

The famous Lion's Head at the side of Kennon Road. This landmark is synonymous to Baguio City. I remember being so happy that I got my picture taken at long last here at this site. There are vendors in the area as well, so, if you forgot to buy pasalubong, you can take your pick here.

Taken at the side of the Lion's Head. I wondered where the flight of stairs direct you to downwards. Unfortunately, did not have the opportunity in exploring this one. Next time, maybe.

The night before. Stayed at the Veniz Hotel which I love. Their breakfast buffet is good too. The photo shows my view from the hotel balcony.

On my next visit, I hope that the weather will be nice and cold and not congested so we can leisurely take a breather and relax. Wishing and hoping for this next visit. =)