A Review of Some of Baguio’s Hottest Restaurants

Okay, so I was lucky enough to snag a 4-day holiday in Baguio with my family. Knowing that it would be my first time to experience Baguio in 2 years, I was looking forward to “taste” Baguio too. Apart from the yummy ube, I was confident that there was something more – and I was right.

Find out which restaurants I tried after the jump…

Restaurant #1: Cafe by the Ruins

This cafe is located right across Baguio City Hall. Now this used to have some actual ruins, but all that’s left is an empty lot. However, the place hasn’t ceased to charm me with its “ruins”-style decor.

On our first visit, we tried some of their breads. We ordered the Kamote Bread and the Basil Bread. It was cheap at 75 pesos per serving (1 small loaf that can feed 2 people), with your choice of spread. We chose Jam & Butter, and Herbed Cheese.

Kamote Bread with Jam & Butter Spread

Their Kamote Bread was absolutely delightful. Now for first-timers,  you might expect this to be heavily flavored with kamote, which isn’t the case. However, you can “feel” the effect of the kamote in its texture – the bread is rich and creamy, and yes, there IS a hint of “kamote” in its somewhat sweet flavor. The jam and butter we picked to go along with it is divine. Lucky for us, kumquats were in season, so instead of getting the traditional strawberry jam, we got WHOLE kumquats in butter, making the jam fresher and tastier. Yum!

Basil Bread with Herbed Cheese Spread

The Basil Bread was great, too. It was of a light green color, and the flavor was just right – not too strong, not too powerful, but just enough to make you go “Mmmmm!”. I immediately became a big fan of the Herbed Cheese spread that came with it – it wasn’t too tasty or salty, and really complemented the bread perfectly.

Mexican-Style Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon Toast

And how could I forget their hot chocolate? Out of curiosity, we ordered their Mexican-style Hot Chocolate, which was really chocolate mixed with water. Result? A really thinned-down version of your standard creamy hot chocolate. The rim of the mug was peppered with cinnamon and muscovado sugar, and so coupled with the drink, added to the sweet-tooth experience. I personally wasn’t too keen on the “chocolate-flavored water” texture of the drink, but I loved the cinnamon-and-muscovado touch. I still prefer creamy hot chocolate, though. Oh, and the drink came with 2 slices of cinnamon toast. A bit pricey at 110 pesos, but then again, it was a big enough mug and a serving could probably be shared between 2 people.

Restaurant #2: Little John’s (inside Camp John Hay)

Now, if there’s one thing I love about Little John’s, it’s how they’ve cleverly made the most out of their customers – on one side, the entire wall is filled with framed customer testimonials – artwork for Little John’s by their customers made from paper placemats and crayons. You can’t get any more credible than that!

Fish and Chips

Apart from the concept, I gave their Fish and Chips a try. Having lived in the country where Fish and Chips is a delicacy, I was somewhat disappointed by their presentation, which, sadly, is the way most Pinoy restaurants perceive Fish and Chips to be – fried fish fingers with potato wedges. However, it tasted okay – the fish fingers were fried to near perfection (I say “near” because the outside was a bit darker than I was expecting) and were tasty (drops of lemon juice helped), the potato wedges were nice without being too oily, and the dip, even though it was nothing short of spectacular, served its purpose. It was a bit pricey at 145 pesos (I think) because I think they could have made their portions bigger. It was an okay dish at the most.

Restaurant #3: Forest House (just outside the entrance of Camp John Hay)

We were SO curious about this restaurant because it seemed that every single time we passed it, there were countless cars jammed in its very small driveway. There was also a banner in front proclaiming it as one of the Philippine Tatler’s Best Restaurants. So obviously, we HAD to check it out!

If anything, the ambiance of the place was absolutely charming! It was a cottage-themed restaurant with cozy dining areas, a lovely sitting room, and a breezy outdoor dining area with a spectacular view of the city. The place was made for fine dining with its elegant table settings and relaxing sax and classical music.

Pumpkin Soup

For my starter, I ordered the Pumpkin Soup. Now I love Pumpkin Soup, and I order it as long as the restaurant has it, and so I’ve had my fair share of different versions. My verdict? It was nice and flavorful, but it doesn’t top my list. The soup came in a nice bowl of crusty bread, which you can scrape as you scoop up the soup, making it – really – a bread and soup meal. The soup had nice bits of pumpkin, but it wasn’t as creamy as I like it. It was a bit too thin for my taste. However, the flavor was there, and at 75-85 pesos, it was a hefty bowl of yummy pumpkin goodness.

Chicken and Shrimp Fricasee

For the main course, I ordered the Chicken and Shrimp Fricasee, which was priced at 225 pesos. For its price, I was pleasantly surprised – the portions are larger than normal. The dish was also rightfully creamy, and the wild rice (a mixture of black rice and plain rice) was complemented the creaminess of the sauce perfectly. There was definitely a good amount of chicken and shrimp, and the presentation was lovely.

Black and White Torte

For dessert, we tried the Black and White Torte, which, as we were told, is their bestselling dessert item, along with the Decadence Cake. We were given a generous slice, and while it may look normal to the eye, it is surprisingly heavy! The texture of the torte was rich and heavy with the mixture of pure, melted, white and black chocolate, and realistically, one could only manage about 2-3 bites before he or she gets full! With the three of us sharing one slice, we had difficulty finishing the whole thing because it was just so rich with flavor. A serving is about 110 pesos, if I’m not mistaken. Make sure you intend to share each order.

Restaurant #4: Manor Hotel (inside Camp John Hay)

This is arguably the best hotel I’ve seen in all of Baguio, and it is evident in their room prices (at least 10,000 pesos per NIGHT!). It has a lovely, earthy, European feel to it, and it has a stunning and magical garden that will probably make you want to stay out all day despite the cold.

We went to the hotel in the mid-afternoon, and so coffee and cakes seemed like a perfect plan. We ordered the Strawberry Cheesecake, Apple Pie and French Apple Tart. We also ordered Rhum Butter Cake to go.

The Strawberry Cheesecake was one-of-a-kind. Its texture was fluffy yet creamy, and had a hint of “leche flan” flavor.  Of course, what made it a truly “only in Baguio” experience was the fresh, sweet strawberries that topped the cheesecake. The chocolate sauce added to the lovely sweet-and-sour combination.

The Apple Pie was a nice, homey and crusty pie filled with apples and raisins. It had just the right amount of sweetness. The French Apple Tart, however, was an utter disappointment. It was all pastry (which was dry and crumbly, and definitely too sweet) and the inside was absolutely dry, with only a smattering of apples and raisins. I was disappointed.

Strawberry Cheesecake

The Rhum Butter cake was delightful. It wasn’t too heady and had just the right amount of rhum for you to taste, but not feel overwhelmed at. Crowned with walnuts, it is the perfect way to cap off the day or have with a coffee.

All in all, the food made my stay in Baguio more memorable. There’s still so much to explore, and with new places popping up ever so often, I’m sure more and more people will be making the long journey to Baguio not just for the cold climate, but for the delicious food.