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Defying Dining Gravity
BY C. Jude Defensor
Published by EXPAT Newspaper, November 15 – 28, 2009
More than just enjoying the view of Taal Lake and volcano, Tagaytay has become a destination for foodies. Whether your tastes turn to haute cuisine, comfort food, organic and vegetarian fare, or just plain pigging out, the fresh air, crisp breeze, and majestic panorama tend to help make everything taste better. And that’s why fine dining establishments along the ridge really need to take things up a notch, to literally match Tagaytay’s high altitude. Scientific studies have shown that at certain elevations our sense of taste becomes more acute.
And so with sky-high expectations, I finally found my way to Discovery Country Suites. With renowned Colombian chef David Pardo de Ayala keeping an eye on the kitchen and the inimitable Raintree brand of hospitality ensuring that the service is up to snuff, this converted former manor house brings bed and breakfasts to a loftier level at this traditionally popular summer/weekend getaway town.
Named after an aromatic herb that imparts a citrusy flavor, but could also mean a country fair or outdoor party in Spanish-speaking cultures, the Restaurant Verbena pairs the fresh and exciting flavors of fusion cuisine with the comforting ingredients of country food, all in the cozy and relaxed ambience that’s unique to this lakeside manor.
We started with the Old Kano Farm Greens, a salad that’s as far from iceberg lettuce as you can get, harmonizing the herbal tang of fennel and horseradish with the strong sea saltiness of tinapa-flakes, definitely a starter that’ll wake one’s tastebuds up. Continuing with the contemporary country theme, I moved on to their Australian lamb ravioli, an almost overwhelmingly rich and creamy dish, dotted with bleu cheese, cherry tomatoes and herbs, taking what could’ve been simple, hearty comfort food to a different plane entirely. I also had a taste from a simmering pot of their heavy and heady US Angus short ribs “Goulash”, a Tagaytay take on an old Eastern European classic. Slowly cooked in a roasted onion and caraway sauce, the prime meat easily falls from the bone. It’s enough to make even a Slav traditionalist salivate over this bastardized version of their traditional flare as it stews on the table over a low flame. By this point, I was too stuffed to even try any of the temptingly described desserts in their menu, but the meal was capped pleasantly enough by a cup of Illy coffee complemented by a cookie. All in all, it was a gourmet escapade worth the sometimes harrowing traffic and worrying weather that may accompany a trip to Tagaytay ridge. I guess my tastebuds seemed a little less jaded that day. I guess it could have been the altitude, but may also have been the pleasure of a fresh foodie discovery.
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