My La Trinidad Stopover : The Calajo Food House Review

all day breakfast!!!

Back in high school, I remember having snacks with my friend Olive and her family in a cafeteria in La Trinidad Benguet. As I got older, I revisited that place whilst pregnant with my eldest. The place was named Calajo pronounced as KAH-la-JO or "welcome in Kangkana-ey* ).

*one of the many dialects in the Mt. Province

The said cafeteria was located at the second floor of the Pines Supermart and showcased home cooking styled meals and snacks, using the best produce that the La Trinidad Valley (dubbed as The Salad Bowl of the Philippines) had to offer.

What's been around for decades has expanded their business and has a bigger and better location of their own.

towards the turo-turo area

Passing by the area after a business meeting, my consultancy "powers that be", Weng and John treated me out to lunch. The food selections at the "turo-turo" area seemed to be fewer, but that was probably because they now had a sit down menu to show for.

Weng, John and the stairs leading up to the 2nd floor :)

Food available in the menu was tweaked a bit (ex. Tocino Tonkatsu), but otherwise the same. They have fabulous veggie dishes, try the salad, it's well recommended.

Tocino Tonkatsu
all the ala carte meals come with Bible verses stuck on em :)

Here's a look at their menu:

highly recommended!!!

STEAKS with all the trimmings

a long dessert list..mmm!

The place itself offers the comforts of a regular restaurant, with clean washrooms to boot. The roof deck of the 2-story structure serves as a function room as well.

kare kare - one of the food selections at the turo turo..
consumed thoroughly

Cost-wise, they've managed to keep their food selections reasonable priced and is still a popular hang out for government employees, students and the locals.

Overall, it's not a bad place to be. The food portions are quite huge, the flavors passable and the location, just along Pocna Road, km 6. It's a stone's throw away from Benguet State University.

Not bringing a decent camera with me at that time, I promise to be back at Calajo to take better pics and do the place justice :)

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours.

Won't Cha OCHA?! : A Restaurant Review

wonderful picture windows light up the place
and give you a glimpse of the hustle and bustle of
Session Road

Walking down Baguio City's main thoroughfare, Session road, is a quaint Asian diner that deserves a second look. An establishment or two from Porta Vaga (the shopping center of the famous Baguio Cathedral), you cannot miss this new found fave.

Ocha, a name that evokes images of tea ceremonies, subtle food presentations and wonderful flavors, it's the next best thing as far as restaurants go.

The Food:

Good sized portions, delicate flavors, fresh sea food and veggies not to mention decent food presentation...it's simply enough reason to keep you coming back for more!

Baked Scallops
I've had em before, you might have done so before too..
however, I would like to point out that OCHA maintains
their inventory well. These shellfish were quite fresh!

Thai Fried Rice (serves 4)
except for the absence of Chinese broccoli, this was
at par with what we bought in the streets of Bangkok

Coffee Pork
braised pork ribs in a lightly seasoned coffee sauce
SOooo gooood :)

We ordered some Vietnamese Spring Rolls for home (light, refreshing and overall great), but opted not to order dessert (too full). 

the decor

The Menu:

Reasonably priced, interesting and full of great selections, there's always a little something for everyone.

page 1

page 1 - con't

page 1 - con't, continued :)

main course page 2

page 2 con't

page 3

page 3 con't

page 4

  

page 5

The Ambiance and The Service:

The restaurant seats about 30 or thereabouts. The decor is Asian, leaning more towards Thai. Good use of windows keep the place bright with natural light. The atmosphere is casual and laid back so you could come as you are. 

fast turnover of patrons (great food calls are better than that
of sirens)

Service is fast with a capital F! Servers are polite, efficient, knowledgeable and are solicitous.

big picture windows let you see out beyond the
cobblestone sidewalks of Session Road

The Lowdown:

We absolutely looooved this place! In an overall rating of 5, I'd give it a 6! Worth a visit, whether you're alone or with family or friends. See you at Ocha!

Papa and MAX give it their stamp of approval too!

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!

Ciudad Fernandina: Vigan's ONLY Boutique Hotel

Calle Crisologo early in the morning

In the heart of historical Calle Crisologo in the heritage Mecca of the north,  lies a boutique hotel that is simply a joy to be in.

#26 is where it's at

Ciudad Fernandina Hotel Vigan.

still a welcomed sight

Originally a home built in 1758 to a Chinese Mestizo couple (Mestizos de Sangley of the Pariancillo de esta Ciudad de Vigan) , the Encarnacions. The house has since then changed ownership, but still within the family, until it came upon it's latest heir, Atty. Ramon Encarnacion, who later converted it into a hotel named Fernandina Hotel.

Ciudad Fernandina's own restaurant

After acquiring the hotel in 2007, Dr. Benito Purugganan, Jr. and his wife, Yolanda Guerrero, restored it to a modern hotel, yet maintaining the classic characteristics of a Vigan ancestral house. The original structure was L-shaped, with the west wing added during restoration. It being within the Vigan Heritage Village, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, CFH has been restored in accordance with UNESCO guidelines to preserve its authenticity as a Vigan heritage house. ( Source: http://www.ciudadfernandinavigan.com.ph/about_cfh.html).

Model: Janelle
Photo taken by: Phil Bautista

Taking a weekend off to accompany Phil on a photo shoot with his photog pals, the search for a nice, clean yet somewhat of historical value hotel was a minimum. 

the darkening sky should have clued as in on 

A sudden cloudburst allowed us to visit one other hotel, and because of the one way streets around the plaza, led us to dial SOS in the dark.Thankfully, the friendly and efficient front desk clerk of CF Vigan answered our call. 

I should post prod this and try to create
 "God" rays just to show how grateful 
we were to see the hotel in the rain Ü

Upon arriving at Mabini cor Plaridel St., street parking was our only option, and mind you, it is a very narrow street. 

Mabini cor Plaridel St

The courtyard fronting the hotel though, is an entirely different story. Bathed in soft yellow lights, a little cherub fountain on the side and wrought iron benches offered the promise of a cozy stay, in the turmoil that was the weather.

CF by day...

parked right smack beside the hotel, 
street parking is your ONLY option

Entering the hotel's lobby, charming was the word that came to mind. By the way, the lobby is a wi-fi hot spot, so you might as well check whatever you need to check online as the upper floors did not have connectivity as of that time. 

There is also no elevator yet. Plans for it's completion are underway. What gets you up the next floor is a flight of stairs that is one of two of it's kind in the city. One of two made in concrete inside an ancestral home that is. The steps were overlain with hardwood though during restoration.  

THE stairs

Acquiring a superior room (3,295 php/night), we scurried off to the 3rd floor. On our way up, you could see a multitude of paintings from the owner's personal collection. 

paintings in every surface available

a foyer on the second floor

Tastefully decorated, and on the modern side, you won't find a mold dusted surface or water stained spot anywhere. The smell of wood, some citrusy furniture polish and maybe a hint of potpourri were the smells the permeated the structure, unlike the last hotel we looked into, which reeked of stale urine, mold and decay (ok, maybe not decay Ü). 

a veranda on the 2rd floor...

Though the original bricks of the old house are still intact, some of it were varnished and the rest, plastered over.

which faces the courtyard

Our room itself was quite small, but the queen sized bed was enough for MAX, Phil and I. The entire room was quite new, as the hotel itself officially opened it's doors just a month before. 

our room -> foot of the bed version (pardon the clutter)

The furnishings and the bedding had a decent thread count, hypoallergenic and new. As the floor area was quite compact, the AC was über cold despite raising the thermostat. Thankfully, the bed came with a comforter on top of the 4 fluffy yet firm pillows. There's also cable tv. 

pig shaped towels on top of the bed...
cute, but, in my humble opinion, I prefer the folded ones  Ü

On the downside, no phones or intercoms may be found in the rooms.You'll have to walk all the way down to the hotel lobby for assistance.

our room -> the head version (again, pardon the clutter)

The bathroom, thank heavens, had most of the modern comforts, except for a hair dryer and a bidet (we're anal about that...excuse the pun Ü). 

clean...

functional...

They also provided basic toiletries with a plus -  they were handcrafted. The lavender soap and the chocomint shampoo brought me to aromatherapy heaven, that for once, I didn't  chuck the ones from the hotel in the recesses of our bag and use the ones that I brought with us.

lavender soap, chocomint shampoo and the rest of the stuff provided by the hotel
wonder what kind of toothpaste they'll have if they gave one

Food-wise, the hotel has a restaurant/bar that had a limited, and pricey menu. It's not bad, just not practical.  Another good thing to know, the room comes with a free breakfast for two. 

pastries, cakes and bread are also available

the décor at the hotel restaurant

the only "stiff" drink we get these days are the ones
 with stiff peaks of whipped cream in 'em and can be bought in a coffee  shop :(

waiting for the Vigan longganisa meal Ü

On eating out: The hotel is a 10 minute, leisurely walk from the town center, so grabbing a bite to eat outside the hotel isn't that hard. In fact, you're in the heart of the Heritage Village, that restaurants, the local bakery, empanadahans and coffee shops are a stone's throw away. 

sunblock, water and sunglasses are must haves during the summer season.
most shops aren't air conditioned

no Starbucks though

Even the shops for local trinkets and what have you are nearby.

blankets, home décors, trinkets and many more abound at Calle Crisologo

Ciudad Fernandina's a wonderful place to stay at while in Vigan. They have a wonderful, efficient staff on top of the great ambiance that the hotel brings. Value for you money...compared to hotels we've stayed at overseas, maybe not, but it's the best that they've got in Vigan.

carriage rides around the city are priced reasonably 

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours.

the beds were THAT comfy Ü