Before Nine: Baguio City

Showing posts with label Baguio City. Show all posts

September 28, 2014

Hello Baguio!

daily wake up call: 06:05 am

It's Baguio Before Nine Breakfast adventures part two!!

I have gazillion stories to share but for now - pictures!! :)

all our love,

Alan & Tina

August 20, 2013

We had only three mornings to spend in Baguio City but managed to "report" for Before Nine four breakfast darlings, how is that even possible? Simple. You know how nanay's profess that motherhood expands their hearts a thousand-fold and the love they are capable of giving multiplies with each child? It's a little like that only way less profound. Haha! The belly adjusts, the digestive system cooperates; mix these with will and stubbornness then you get a fourth breakfast experience on a supposed tri-morning spree.

We strolled along Camp John Hay after a satisfying breakfast at PNKY Travel Cafe. The pine trees were lovely. There were families having picnic, kids playing, delegates in convention centers, a lot of picture taking with the horses and the trees and the tiny bumps of hills; restaurants were filled with tourists and locals all enjoying a beautiful and cold Saturday morning. It was a long walk from the main entrance to the Igorot park gate that by the time we reached our breakfast destination, our bellies were a little ready to receive more. This time though, we skipped the rice meals and simply enjoyed the best that Chocolate de Batirol offers, their dark, thick and oh-so satisfying chocolate drink prepared the traditional way. From OAP: the chocolate drink is made traditionally using a metal pot where you use a wooden rod aka "batirol" that you rotate by hand to mix and make it deliciously thick. I kind of wished for the rain that morning - it would have provided a perfect backdrop to my chocolate drink. Haha! Drama Queen.

Chocolate de Batirol is Mary's Secret Garden and Fern Gully's rain forest. It is in the midst of lush surroundings and has an after-the-rain aroma mixed with wet wood, summer grass and faint smell of fried longganisa.

(1) Choco-late Batirol

mallows and almond

My first choice was Kahlua because it sounded adult to me (read it along with Bailey's) but it

was not available that morning. I settled for the next best thing - Marshmallows. The chocolate drink was heaven, I was in a lush green surroundings sipping heaven. It was warm and thick and every bit a chocolate should be - the sweetness was just right, neither overpowering or lacking. Alan tried the almonds and loved it to bits. I hereby declare choco-late the national breakfast drink!!! Every morning should be welcomed with a hot chocolate drink.

(2) Suman sa Lihia

This is the second time I am trying suman for breakfast. The first one was in Dumaguete last summer. :) This was perfect for the chocolate drink although that morning, I also craved for pan de sal. I love rice, I can never live without it. :)

On our next visit, will try the breakfast rice meals to complete the experience.

Still with chocolate drink, of course.

To beautiful lovely mornings!

All Sunshiny,

Tina

Igorot Park
Camp John Hay, Baguio City

Opens starting at 9 am

The chocolate drink is made traditionally using a metal pot where you use a wooden rod aka “batirol” that you rotate by hand to mix and make it deliciously thick. - See more at: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2012/10/choco-late-de-batirol-camp-john-hay-baguio.html#sthash.2pZs7kTh.dpuf

August 19, 2013

Pizza Volante

time check: 8:10 am

Session Road may be overrated for many, but for me, it is still the heart of Baguio City. While Metro Manila brands may have infiltrated the said avenue (it is sad that Starbucks is favored over the local coffee shops, the public market sells coffee beans and boy do the beans smell so good!!; Mc Donald's downgraded the street's charm a bit; and if it were not for the cute yellow vespas, I would have totally hated Yellow Cab's presence) but this part of Baguio City remains worth going to. Especially in the morning. After a long night of rain.

There were so many restaurants which open before nine and offer breakfast meals. Given that it was already our last day in the city on that particular long weekend, I was stressing over which one to choose because I want to try them all!Should we try the bakery and dine al fresco in Dad and I? Should we sample the breakfast treats of Tea House? How about Rosebowl? Or Zola's? Or did we miss Mc Donald's hamdesal and completely sell out?

The night before, our colleague Sir D who lived in Baguio City for 15 years mentioned about a pizza chain which opens 24/7. He told us this is where he and his college friends back in the 90s hang out after a long night of booze and whatever it is the college boys and girls do (haha!). So if a pizza chain opens 24/7 then it must offer breakfast. Hmmmm, time to check in our grumbling bellies in the national hangover tambayan of Baguio City, Pizza Volante.

Yes, there were cigarettes and second hand smoke and bottles of beer, but I felt like a legit Baguio City yuppie on an after-party; winding down after a glorious night of partying (kaya nga after party, ano ba?) with only the coolest kids in town, Justin Bieber (nyahahaha!).

oh breakfast love ♥

(1) pumpkin soup

How many times have I professed, I am a soup person - I can already contribute in

Chicken soup for the Teenager's soul if it were really a recipe book (haha, nope, tha't a corny

joke from a non-cook!). It rained the night before and to flush out the little chills in me,

I tried their pumpkin soup served with bread. I honestly think they can do better. :)

(2) pizza hanna

all meat and cheese and mexican minus the veggies

You know how I will never eat sinigang in the morning because it is so un-breakfast.

It simply is not made for the morning palate. Sinigang is good for lunch, even better for dinner

but dear sinigang, breakfast is off limits. Sinigang for breakfast is sacrilege. This is my same sentiment with pizza. But given that we are in a pizza chain, I might as well give in.

It's worth the try though. Thank God for gooey melted cheese.

(3) smoked salmon omelette

malinamnam!

(4) bacon breakfast starter

oh bacon love!

(5) corned beef hash

potatoes in my trusty dear ol' corned beef - lovely!

i love potatoes. always have. always will.

Cheers to charming mornings to jump start our days!

All Sunshiny,

Tina

Session Road, Baguio City

Phone:

(074) 445-0777

Open 24/7

August 17, 2013

PNKY Travel Cafe

time check: 8:00 am

Before heading up north, I researched about cozy bed and breakfast boutiques in Baguio City and my relentless (naks!) search brought me to PNKY Bed and Breakfast site. I fell instantly in love with the pictures in the web - all homey and warm and simply beautiful. Sad news though, the Bed and Breakfast closed effective May this year and was converted into a spa. I wanted to stage a revolution. The Travel Cafe was maintained though, and they offer breakfast. I knew I just had to go and try. Before another conversion happens. Wag naman sana.

I had a hard time getting up for my breakfast treat. Baguio City has an all year long bed weather. And I wanted my three-day bed weather. But not as much as I want my breakfast experience so I got up. Even when the comforter, the memory foam mattress and the oh-so-fluffy pillows desperately clung onto my slender and svelte frame (double naks) and screamed "Come back!! We are not done yet!!". But the pancakes and hot chocolate drinks won over.

PNKY Travel Cafe is perched on top of a hill and is surrounded by handsome and masculine pine trees. No, make that young, handsome and masculine pine trees. The place is lovely and homey. The place is itself a story.

oh breakfast love ♥

(1) PNKY Travel Cafe menu

A menu in the form of a travel Scrapbook. It's every cool high school kid's project!

(2) chocolate de tablea

Two cups of warm and calming chocolate. Oh! I love the popsicle-stick stirrers.

I'm mababaw that way. :)

(3) leaning tower of pancakes

Its name is cheesy, I know. But it's pure eye candy. If it were not for my grumbling stomach,

I would have stared at it for one whole day and give it all my love. The strawberries were the

perfect partners to the sweet pancakes sprinkled with milk powder.

(4) crispy espada

I have not tasted this since forever and I was thrilled that they have this on their menu.

Such glorious saltiness calmed by vinegar and garlic.

(5) baguio longganisa

Next to Tuguegarao, Baguio has among the best longganisa-makers in the entire world! Salty and garlicky and toasted in perfection. :) Sarap!

Our next itinerary is for breakfast snack (yes, yes) but we were so full our belly sacks can no longer store in the munchies. But every traveler's itinerary is sacred thus must be followed. No matter what. So we allowed the digestive process to take its time and while waiting, we chose to stay in that lovely hill and took photos. Here's some of them (again!):