The short and scenic drive from Manila to Tagaytay is still a major attraction for city dwellers like me and my two kids who kept screaming at the sight of rolling hills, fire trees in full bloom and clumsy cows and chickens crossing the streets. But, what started out as a leisure weekend driving trip to Tagaytay turned out to be a delightful gastronomic discovery of something old, new, and definitely exciting.
We arrived past lunchtime in Amacena, an intimate dining place located at the ground floor of One Tagaytay Place Hotel Suites. Immediately, we were blown away by the restaurant’s lovely interiors made of gorgeous mix of wood, metal, and leather. Our first meal was served at a private dining area that can accommodate up to ten guests. Ideal for meetings and intimate gatherings, Amacena exudes a homey yet elegant space with touches of pinewood everywhere from the tables, comfy chairs to the wooden serving plates of different shapes and sizes.
And then came the food, the first set is a hefty serving of Tagaytay’s twin staples: Beef Bulalo and Tawilis with fried rice — a familiar combination of tasty beefy soup and crispy small fish (Sardinella tawilis is a freshwater fish found in abundance in lake Taal) in fried rice with salted egg.
Bulalo
Tawilis Fried Rice
Bagnet and Black Rice
Another familiar dish to every Filipino is Bagnet or deep fried baby pork belly. Amacena’s unique version comes with silky black rice and pureed Monggo bean paste that look so lovely on the plate and lovelier on the palate. The playful blend of sweet monggo and the saltiness of the pork leave a remarkable taste of something odd yet familiar.
The kids’ choice, as expected, is the five-cheese pizza which consists of blue cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, feta, and cheddar. It was so good and gooey that I caught my younger kid collecting small crumbs of feta cheese in her hand and curiously licking them.
Also a must-try for the adults and calorie watchers is the Pinakbet Pizza which has slices of grilled eggplant and okra (lady fingers) tucked on a bed of melted cheese. The Tawilis in pizza is also a must-try alternative to the saltier anchovies.
And then came the chef whose passion is visibly recognizable the moment he steps in the room, in the kitchen or stare at a plateful of his latest dish creation.
“I am inspired to create something exciting when I am hungry,” he said with a heavy boyish laugh when we interviewed him over lunch on a Saturday afternoon.
Chef Luigi Muhlach is no stranger to the food and restaurant scene. He is an award-wining chef and culinary instructor with an extensive experience in international and local cuisine. He earned his Diploma in Culinary Arts from the American Hospitality Academy in Makati City, and took up Restaurant Management at Enderun Colleges.
While were chatting over delightful servings or should I say a grand feast of his latest creations that include Mac & Cheese Longganisa, Kaldereta Pot Pie, Smoking Bistek, Honey Bagoong Wings, Organic Tomato Salad, Adobo Flakes Bruschetta, Batangas Lomi, Crispy U.S. Beef Short Rib Kare-Kare, Sizzling Bulalo Steak, Pumpkin Soup, Boneless Crispy Pata Roulade, Prawn with Aligue, Dinuguang Bihon and Dinakdakang Chicharon, Chef Luigi would proudly gaze and give instructions to the waiters and kitchen crew.
Smoking Bistek
Honey Bagoong Wings
Sizzling Bulalo Steak
Crispy U.S. Beef Short Rib Kare-Kare
“We have a full house today and the team is not panicking. This is good, really good,” he enthused while chewing his pasta and seriously observing the diners outside our private room.
In between, he’d offer to reheat the food on our table – and in fact went to the kitchen to personally warm the Kaldereta Pot Pie which is a superb blend of mash potatoes, tender chunks of beef, and chewy cheese.
Continued on the next page….
