We were looking for breakfast in Baguio City, and, while Googling, among the most recommended was Tsokolateria Artisanal Café… which we decided to check since too many of the other options were still closed (some opened from 9.00AM onwards, which was entering brunch hours already).

Now… how was this place for us?

@outragemag #LGBT checking the artsy but pricey #artisanal food of #tsokolateriabaguio Tsokolateria Artisanal Café in #Baguio ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the place isn’t hard to find naman. Coming from the marketplace in Baguio, you – basically – just walk along Session Road, lampas ng SM Baguio and The Baguio Cathedral of Our Lady of the Atonement. It could be tedious particularly for the non-fans of walking (reminds you of the hilly roads of San Francisco), but… you can just consider this as your exercise, too.

Ikalawa, the actual place is okay naman. The place, which combines two venues – Tsokolateria and Pamana – is non-airconditioned yet well-ventilated, with lots of seating available. There are elements that may not be to everyone’s liking – e.g. those scary statues in front of the restaurant (particularly the ones seating on the stairs, which could be mistaken for real people), as well as those cheap-looking plastic plants hanging on the ceiling of the venue.

Ikatlo, the workers were okay naman. They were able to explain what’s on the menus (and how Tsokolateria differed from Pamana), and they weren’t intrusive at all (they let you be, as needed).

Ika-apat, how was the food?

1. The Adobo Overload (chicken adobo topped with roasted cacao garlic and crispy adobo flakes, ₱535) was not maalat/salty, and so okay. But – even with the add-on well-seasoned veggies as side dish, as well as the black rice – you really don’t get much. So you’re basically paying for a deconstructed version of adobosilog for over ₱500.
2. The House Waffle, Bacon Belly Arugula & Eggs (₱485) was interesting – e.g. the waffles were fried (this one’s yummy); those cherry tomatoes were fresh (another plus); the eggs, although small, were well done; and that meat was… bagnet-like.

Don’t get us wrong: This place is not bad at all. But – considering its asking prices – it’s not great, either. This is an okay-to-consider venue if you’re willing to cough up more than you should, more than is deserved so you can try food repackaged to be artsy.

Try lang… or discover others… as we do as we search for more lafangan venues.

Tsokolateria Artisanal Café is located at Igorot Stairs, Upper Session Rd., Baguio City. For more information, contact 0927 323 6513 or email inquiry@happyconceptgroup.com.

Truth: The first time we visited Sizzling Plate along Session Road in Baguio City, we were surprised. For a not-classy (and some may even say shabby and karinderya-looking) steakhouse, what the place offered were actually better-than-okay food – e.g. the steaks were properly cooked, the fries crunchy, the soup not runny, and so on.

@outragemag Looking for cheap #steaks in #Baguio? We #LGBT ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Truth: Sometimes, for good memories to stay good, don’t revisit to recreate them… which we unfortunately did by revisiting Sizzling Plate during a recent Baguio City trip.

And, sadly, the second time was such a letdown we wondered why we even liked it when we visited it for the first time.

Harsh? Perhaps… but let us explain why…

Una, this place – which was established in 1978 by couple Mike and Edna Anton – is very easy to find, as it sits right in the middle of Session Road, which is in the very center of Baguio City’s commercial area.

Ikalawa, décor-wise, the place looks rustic… like a Filipinized version of some rancher’s diner filled with wooden chairs and wooden tables and so on. Let it be said, however, that this place could use an upgrade – e.g. it looks dated (the “before” if this is to be renovated by Chef Gordon Ramsay in Kitchen Nightmare), has dated stuff (like those flimsy cutlery), and so on.

Ikatlo, the workers are still nice. We remembered some of them from our past visit, and while they – understandably – couldn’t remember all their diners, they were still pleasant while serving (e.g. could explain what’s on the menu, delivered the correct orders, and so on).

Ika-apat, how was the food?

1. Y’all get free mushroom soup… which is, basically, a watery concoction that tasted like it was made from powder mix. Particularly when Baguio City gets cold, this should suffice to warm you while waiting for your food.
2. All steak meals came with fries (stuffed under the slab of meat, so that when they reached us, we just got burnt potato slices that were too soggy to be called fries); veggies (though we really just got a few Baguio beans); and Java rice.
3. The Australian Porterhouse (₱460) was smaller albeit thicker. Meanwhile, the T-bone Steak (₱420) was bigger-looking and yet thinner. Always remember that with sizzling steaks, the meat gets overcooked – i.e. we ordered medium rare, but by the time we ate, the meats were already well done. Also, both steaks served to us tasted too margarine-y… and too chewy to be enjoyable at all.

In truth, Sizzling Plate continues to be really popular. Understandably so because of: 1. it is historic; 2. it’s location (right in the middle of Session Road in the middle of Baguio City); and 3. cheap goods. But – for us – Baguio City actually has more to offer that should be checked, including alternatives to this venue (e.g. the fillet mignon of Café by the Ruins is same-priced, but way, WAY better). So, puwede magtiis here, or go discover is the advice.

And so off we go as we search for more lafangan venues…

Sizzling Plate is located at 86 Session Rd., Baguio City.

For those heading to Thailand, I always recommend eating local. That is, to avoid eating in restaurants – fancy or not – and try grabbing Pad Thai, for example, from some Thai karinderya or those street vendors in Silom or Chatuchak or wherever. Tourist-centric venues tend to dilute their flavors to accommodate non-Thai taste buds. But Thai cuisine is very distinct, and toning down these flavors remove their being Thai food in the first place.

@outragemag Looking for #thailand #Thai cuisine in #Tanay, #Rizal? We #LGBT checked #KamalaCafe ♬ original sound Outrage Magazine

This diluting of flavors is what’s common when you find Thai restaurants in many parts of the Philippines. And so the discovery of Kamala Café in Tanay in the province of Rizal was… admittedly, a pleasant surprise.

Una, going to the place is challenging for those who do not have private vehicle/s. It isn’t exactly near Metro Manila, and public transportation is hard to come by there.

Ikalawa, make use of the guides in front of the venue. This is essential because this is in some compound, and you may find yourself in the neighboring seafood restaurant instead. This is also important because the narrow path leading to the restaurant can get slippery when wet. You’d need someone to tell you to go slow, go slow…

Ikatlo, the restaurant itself is… modern rustic. You get open-air seating with not-bad views of the largely untouched mountain ranges. But be warned that the place can get cold, and – when raining – water just pours in.

Ika-apat, the people working there were better-than-okay naman, not just knowledgeable about the restaurant and its offerings, but provided requested services (e.g. move the food to another table for the shoots).

Ikalima, how was the food?

• The Som Tam (₱235) was, actually, Thai-tasting: fresh veggies used, better-than-okay dressing, and so on. If there’s an issue – a very tiny one – it’s the puwede pa to add more oomph by adding more palm sugar and fish sauce. But, yeah, we’d take this over all the papaya salads we’ve so far tried…
• The Pad Thai (₱325) was a win for me. It’s hard to find one that tastes like those offered in the streets of, say, Bangkok, and this one’s almost there.
• The not-skinny slices of Satay Chicken (₱365) were properly cooked naman, so that’s good. An issue, for Arthur, is that this is “nothing special”. BBQ chicken lang siya.
• Tom Yum (₱475) was – indeed – spicy and tangy, but it was also runny.
• The drinks were the disappointment – e.g. selling for ₱185, the Hot Koko tasted like Ovaltine lang.

Tanay isn’t exactly easily accessible to all, so if you decide to eat at Kamala Café at all, you have to be willing to allocate time, money, et cetera, which everyone is not willing to do. But yeah… this one’s a better-than-okay choice, indeed, for a Thai restaurant. So check out if able to.

But off we go to search for more lafangan venues…

Kamala Café is located at KM54 Marilaque Highway, Brgy. Cuyambay, Marikina-Infanta Highway, Tanay, Rizal.