TASTED: THE PERFECT REUBEN SANDWICH AT HILL STATION, BAGUIO

There is one restaurant that you must visit should you find yourself in Baguio, Hill Station.

This Asian fusion and tapas bar is a  Miele Guide awardee.  Launched in 2008, the Miele Guide is a regional guide to restaurants in Asia that ranks the top 20 restaurants in Asia using a multi-round judging process.  That means, food is taken seriously here at Hill Station.

It doesn't hurt that the place, despite looking very lived-in, is cozily located below one of Baguio's oldest hotels, Casa Vallejo. If you get the tables by the window, you get a great view of the country's summer capital.

 

There is also a foyer at the entrance for those who want to lounge and have a kuwentuhan session  with friends and family while drinking wine or cocktails.

Or if you have the kids with you, this is a sweet spot to have cakes for merienda...

... or to snack on some serious deli like the Reuben Sandwhich made with fresh USDA grade corned beef, topped with meltd cheese and a side of home-made sauerkraut. This just needs to be mentioned- the sauerkraut here is excellent, even better than the "authentic" German restaurants in Manila. it is not overly sour or bland and complements the well-spiced juicy corned beef chunks.  Just writing about it now is creating a Pavlovian response.  I am drooling at the memory of a sandwich. That's how good it is.

But if its rice you like, there's the Lechon Kawali with Laing sa Gata served with ampalaya salad and red mountain rice. You'll surely end up with a clean plate.

 Before you go home, you can also check out their bottled goodies like the Vegetarian Bagoong, guava jam and salsa monja.

Address: Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City, 2600

Telephone: +6374 424 2734

FIRST TIMES AND CAFE BY THE RUINS DUA

I first set foot in Baguio when I was seven and I was told scared by older cousins that I'd have to kiss the 40-foot lion along Kennon Road, waiting for first-timers who want enter the city. Those who do not kiss the beast shall be eaten alive. This, naturally, in my fairy-tale addled mind, left me terribly troubled during the whole trip. It did not help that I was being teased tortured by my cousins  for six hours.  It was such a big relief to find out that the lion was made of stone and that I would live beyond my meager seven years on earth.

Often, first timers are told the same 'tradition' which I think started even way before the actual landmark was sculpted by Reynaldo Lopez Nanyac between 1968-1972. Where the tourist attraction now lies was a limestone rock naturally shaped like a male lion's head, a remnant of the 1905 American government road project led by Maj. Lyman W. Kennon. Its looming presence, like a guardian of the mountain city, probably started all that "kiss-or-be-eaten" tradition.

Image courtesy of Baguio City Host Lions Club

Earlier this year in my recent trip to the 'City of Pines', I had another first time.  Whenever I'm in Baguio, I make a trip to "Cafe By The Ruins" along Shuntug street. However,  it was the week before the  Panagbenga flower festival and the restaurant could not accommodate our party of four. We were directed to its new branch, "Cafe By The Ruins Dua" along Upper Session Road (right beside another Baguio old timer, Mario's).

The facade was less artsy than the original, and the interiors more utilitarian and urban.

But it did have signature touches like wooden bul-ul sculptures and the bamboo and paper lamps.

There are two floors for dining, with the first floor partially occupied by the kitchen and the bakery. I understand, the big kitchen here now serves as the commissary for their baked goodies which are displayed on a station and can be had for take-away.

For starters, we had, the classic kamote  (sweet potato) bread and liver pate platter. The bread has a natural sweetness which goes well with the slightly bitter and buttery taste of the chicken liver pate, flavored with rosemary, thyme, sage and laurel.

We also had two kinds of salad: the Kesong Puti Salad  (fresh greens topped with fried carabao cheese) and the Chicharon Salad.

Kesong Puti Salad

Chicharon Salad

We also shared the traditional Pinipikan, which is described in the menu as "Cordillera ritual chicken soup with etag (salted pork) and ginger." This simple looking soup is controversial as it involves lightly beating a chicken to let the blood permeate the flesh so that when it is cut open, no blood will spill.  Before you start barfing and call this dish barbaric, remember that it is steeped in the indigenous belief of fate given by gods or spirits that inhabit living things.  

 

Since I am not familiar with the cooking process, I watched some videos on YouTube and read some blogs. I found an account by one Nico Cawed in GoBaguio.com  where he describes the ritual:

"Remove the chicken head and set aside for cooking. Slice the skin to dislocate the thighs, then slice under the neck to remove the innards (stomach, intestines and gizzard). Guide the knife to slice under the shoulder blade to separate the rib cage from the chest. Remove the chest, leaving the rib cage intact with the internal organs (heart, liver, lungs). 

The tribal priest is then called to read the bile and liver. Calub is when the liver is covering the bile, and Cherwey is when the bile is completely visible, which is a sign of good luck. This then determines the tribe's course of action (i.e. hunting, planting, etc.). If the prognosis is Calub, the whole process is repeated, and other chickens cooked this way, until Cherwey is achieved."  

When described by someone who is intimate with the ritual, the whole process sounds spiritual.

Everything is used, even the singed feathers are used to give the soup a smoked flavor.  The beating process is called "pikpik," thus the name of the dish.

You will find the meat a bit dark and gamey as native chicken is used and the blood has been integrated into the flesh. With etag as its other flavoring, it  tastes like a saltier version of tinola.

Another highlight of the dinner was the Bagnet, served with bagoong isda (fermented fish), tomato  salad and red mountain rice. On its own, the deep fried pork is not salted, which is why you have to take a slice of the bagnet  (meat + fatty bits + crispy skin)  and a sliver of the fermented fish for saltiness and some tomatoes for the acidity. The starchiness of the rice neutralizes the salt and fat. You'll lick the plate clean with this one.

Address: Upper Session Road, Baguio City
Telephone: (074) 442 4010

FOUND: VEGETARIAN BAGOONG

Summer is here and if there's one thing we Pinoys like to snack on during this season, it's green mangoes and bagoong.

In her essay "Culture Ingested: On the Indigenization of Philippine Food", the late Doreen Fernandez, noted food critic and author, observes that bagoong,  small fish or shrimps usually preserved in brine,  is "used not only to salt food but to give the food an acceptable Filipino taste."

It is a pasalubong many migrants and OFWs take pains to bring back to the US and Europe. My Lola Pacing used to have her stash of Guinamos, the Ilonggo version of bagoong, canned so the US customs won't stop her when she went back to San Diego where she retired with my lolo.

I do have family who have trouble eating this condiment. Not because of the smell but because they have developed allergies to shellfish.  

I found a solution for those who find themselves in the same situation- the Vegetarian Bagoong.

Mitos, the owner of Hill Station in Baguio where I got this shrimp-free condiment shares that it's made from vegetables salted with tausi, salted and fermented black beans, a flavoring that originated in China as far back as 165 BC. 

Tried it out today with my eggplant salad. The bagoong texture is almost the same as bagoong alamang (fermented krill or minute shrimps). It is salty with a little bitterness and smoky flavor. You'll find bits of tomatoes in it, too.

EGGPLANT SALAD WITH VEGETARIAN BAGOONG

INGREDIENTS

3 pcs. eggplants,  cut into 2-inch pieces

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1/2 cheek of green mango, cut into slivers

4 pcs. medium -sized tomatoes

1 onion, sliced into slivers

1/2 cup sweetened fresh fruit juice (I use pineapple or orange)

1 itlog na maalat (red egg), cubed

2 tbsp.vegetarian bagoong

1/3 cup sukang paombong (White vinegar)

1/3 cup honey

salt and pepper to taste

TO MAKE

Over high heat, boil the eggplant. Once the eggplant is tender, drain and allow to cool. 

Chop the onions and soak in the sweetened fruit juice.  Later, drain it before adding to the salad. Chop the tomatoes, green mango and itlog na maalat (red egg).

To make the dressing, mix the sukang paombong and the honey. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once the eggplant has cooled down, shred it. Add the minced garlic and mix in the vinegar and honey dressing.

Add the tomatoes, onions, green mango and red egg in layers. Top with bits of vegetarian bagoong.This goes well with any grilled or fried food.

Address: Hill Station, Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Session Road, Baguio

Phone:+63 74 423 9100

TASTED: EVERYTHING NICE IN BAGUIO

I've always had a love-hate relationship with Baguio.  I love it for the culture and the food. I hate it now for SM and the traffic. But I always find myself going to the City of Pines for some business or another. Everytime I'm there, I always think I've been there, done that. And everytime, the city proves me wrong.

Upon the recommendation of a friend of a friend, my friends and I go to, of all places, the Ayala Technohub in Camp John Hay to look for a deli and instead found ourselves doing a pit stop at Everything Nice. It's considered an "old-timer" among Baguio restos, what with food establishments cropping around the city all the time.

We wanted a place to sit and have something warm. We shared the Lemongrass (Tanglad) Organic Tea which was very mellow and smelled heavenly.

We couldn't resist the cake selection though and had the Mango Cream Cake and Italian Baked Cheesecake. While the Italian Baked Cheesecake was soft and moist, I love the richness of the Mango Cream Cake!

I heard the cassava cake is also good and is one of the best-selling desserts.

If you get a chance to eat here, do get some chocolate crinkles. Soft, moist and sticky, it's your perfect baon on the way home.

If you still have some space for some longganisa, you might also want to bring home 2 dozens (in 1 pack). The restaurant claims it's the best longganisa. I would beg to disagree but it's still something great, especially if you cook it tostado.

 

Address: Baguio-AyalaLand Technohub, Ordonio Drive, Baguio, Benguet, Philippines

Telephone: (0923) 746-73-99

KITCHEN QUICKIE: STRAWBERRY AND WATERCRESS SALAD

There's nothing like Baguio to inspire a carnivore like me to eat veggies.

Was recently there and got the chance to buy a few veggies for a fab looking salad you can make in a jiffy.

STRAWBERRY & WATERCRESS SALAD

Ingredients:
Lettuce
Watercress
Strawberries
Beetroot
Cherry Tomatoes

To make:
Prepare the beetroot first.
Cut off the stems and boil in water for 10-15 minutes or until tender.
Put in cold water to cool it down. When it's not hot to the touch anymore, pull (or slice the skin off) and then dice.

The beetroot might look nasty and will "bleed" a little but it tastes good and is a good source of folate and manganese. The red colour from its betanin compound is not broken down by human digestive system so if you eat too much of this, you might experience beeturia.

Wash the strawberries and cherry tomatoes. Slice off the bottom end of the strawberries and slice into thin vertical pieces (so they still retain the heart shape).

Wash the lettuce and watercress.  Soak  both in ice cold water to make it crispier.  Before serving the salad, drain and dry with a paper towel.

Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces with your hands. 

Select the nice leaves and stems of the watercress and add on top of the lettuce.

I like adding the watercress to the salad because it has a bite, similar to but less mustardy than arugula. It's a semi-aquatic plant that humans have been consuming since we discovered that no one died from eating plants. It's rich in vitamin C and also contains a good amount of iron, calcium, iodine, folic acid, manganese and vitamins A, B and K. Yes, you get all of that from a small leaf.

Add everything else and pour the roasted sesame dressing.

Serve and enjoy!