Swiss Eats - Vieux Chalet

It was a fine day, almost nearing lunch time while driving within our (mountain) city limits, that we allowed our appetites to lead us to an iconic Antipolo restaurant.  Vieux Chalet has been a repeat destination for us whenever we want a bit of quiet, efficient and friendly service, and your own panoramic view of Metro Manila.  It has perfectly situated itself atop a higher peak in Antipolo since 1984 and is actually just a portion of the residence of Mr. Tony and Mrs. Susan Hassig and their children. It is the only restaurant in this city that serves continental cuisine, so you're in for quite a treat.

 

 

Vieux Chalet translates to "old cottage" in French, thus, the restaurant's interiors reflect accordingly.  The Hassig family is much into arts and crafts as evidenced by various tableaux seen in a nook here or a cranny there.  The paintings that line the walls are also for sale, in case you're into collecting them, some of which are made by Chef Florence Hassig herself.

 

 

But for our part, returning to a favorite place and fortunately, our favorite table, is joy in itself.  Much more so with the consistently cheerful Rico to serve us with diligent attention.

 

 

My daughter likes coming here for only one thing - their Raclette, served with gherkins, boiled potato and olives.  Good as a starter, or as a light main meal.

 

 

On the other hand, we had our fill of the Beef Liver Pate served with crackers and bread, a great starter for more things to come.

 

 

Vieux Chalet serves hefty pasta dishes, but since we just want a tasting for the sake of variety on our table, we opted for their Shrimp Ravioli with home-made tomato sauce and ricotta cheese. 

 

 

It was light and savory, and the sauce was good to the last mopping of their delicious freshly-baked bread.

 

 

But the Filet Mignon with Creamy Onion Gravy and served with rosti and vegetables was the star of that meal.  The dish was deconstructed, thus, sharing the it becomes convenient - the bacon was served in strips on the side, the beef tenderloin sliced into medallions, well-cooked while maintaining its juiciness, and the sides balanced everything.  Our plates were wiped clean, and very well finished with cups of perfectly brewed coffee.  Our entire meal costs PhP2,860.00 (around US$68), but well worth it.

 

 

I invite you to make a day of Antipolo, if only to get away from the humid weather of Metro Manila, and partake of what this side of Rizal province has to offer.  When planning to go to Vieux Chalet, it would be helpful to call for reservations since seating capacity is limited.  Note too, that they are closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays as Chef Flo devotes this time for arts and crafts, and ensures the general cleaning of the restaurant.

 

 

After that, make a pilgrimage to the Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.  This is the same Marian image brought to the city in 1626 by Governor-General Juan Nino de Tabora from Acapulco, Mexico that still stands in the Antipolo Cathedral.  If you're into art, there is the Pinto Art Gallery which houses the personal collection of Dr. Joven Cuanang, an eminent neurologist in the country.  It also hosts independent exhibits so you get to have a taste of what's trending in the local art scene.

 

Vieux Chalet

Taktak Road, Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines

Tel. No. +63 2 6970396; +63 928 2888584

Hours: 9am - 10pm (closed Wednesdays and Thursdays)

A Bolognese Outside Bologna

It was during one of those weekends that my husband suggested that we have a spaghetti dinner that this plan of having it with a Bolognese sauce was cooked up.  Indeed, this menu suggestion was well received since it will only require a few ingredients.  And really, a pasta dish is easier and therefor faster to prepare for dinner.

 

A Bolognese sauce refers to a meat based dish (usually beef and pork) dressed up with a little tomato sauce and red wine with origins from the city of Bologna in Italy.  It is usually called ragu alla Bolognese or simply ragu.  For anyone who has had a taste of the Filipino spaghetti, the Bolognese sauce is the basis for it.  Of course, we have made it our own by removing the wine and adding ham and hotdog slices, and as perfected by Makati Supermart, added red and green bell peppers and may I guess, a lot of pickles to reach that sweet-sour-salty taste we always look for in a meat sauce. 

 

But I digress. 

 

Here is my recipe for the Bolognese sauce that evening.  I can safely say that I stayed true to the Italian recipe, although the wine I used was something that I had on hand.  There isn't any particular wine that one should use actually, but do follow the rule that the wine you should use for cooking should be something you also drink.  In my case, it was a rioja (Proximo by Marques de Riscal 2010). 

 

For the pasta, I used spaghettini and made sure that I cooked it al dente.  This means that you should take out the pasta from the simmering water when it is almost cooked through, not when it is entirely cooked.  No need to worry about it since even when you are able to get the pasta out, it continues to cook through because of the residual heat from the pot, and by the time you mix it with the sauce, it'll just be ripe enough to soak in the flavors of the Bolognese.  Perfetto.

 

 

The Recipe

 

1 kilo ground lean beef

5-6 strips bacon

1 medium white onion, chopped finely

1 medium carrot, chopped finely

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 bottles passata, or pureed tomato

1/3 cup red wine

salt & pepper to taste

 

1 500-gram long pasta of your choice, cooked al dente

 

1.  Make a sofrito by heating your sauce pan with a little water, then cook your bacon strips in it until water evaporates and oil from the bacon comes out.  Continue cooking until crisp, then take out the bacon and set aside.  With the bacon fat, sauté the onion, carrot and celery until fragrant.  This is equivalent to gisa in Filipino cooking.

 

2.  Add the ground beef and cook until brown.  Meanwhile, chop the cooked bacon into large bits.  When the beef has browned, add back the bacon followed by the pureed tomato then season with salt and pepper, and cover, braising the meat for 15 minutes.

 

3.  Uncover, stir in the wine, and continue cooking until it starts boiling.  Check seasoning.

 

4.  Pour sauce over pasta, grate fresh parmesan over it and serve with heated baguette.

When in Kalibo

It used to be that when you want to reach Boracay, you have to go through Kalibo first because there was just one commercial airline flying domestic in the Philippines.  But with more airline companies available, and offering budget fares at that, Caticlan, which is nearer, became a host for smaller aircrafts and thus, making travel time shorter.  In the process, only a fewer number of local and foreign tourists stop over Kalibo.  And even then, upon landing at the Kalibo International Airport, passengers prefer to go straight to the beach.

 

But why not stay a day in this quiet genteel town?  Kalibo, after all, is located in Aklan, said to be the oldest province in the Philippines.  This place is best known for its Ati-Atihan Festival held every January in honor of the Santo Nino (Infant Jesus), and which served as a model for the Sinulog Festival of Cebu and the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo.  However, when you're in Kalibo on other times of the year, what do you do?

 

1.  Go to Dela Cruz House of Pina 

81 New Buswang

Kalibo, Aklan

Tel. No. +63 36 2623267 (closed on Sundays)

 

The pina cloth are fibers made from pineapple, and one of the traditional textiles of the Philippines.  Aklan, and more particularly Kalibo, remains to be the main and oldest manufacturer of pina cloth dating as far back as pre-Hispanic times. Historical records suggests that the pina cloth has even been exported as far as Greece and Egypt during its heyday. 

 

 

While there are many shops around town that manufacture and sell this, we opted to go to sisters Ding and Leevi Dela Cruz whose family has been in this industry for generations.  Thankfully, they have continued this tradition and even opened a big portion of their residence to showcase their work.   

 

 

On some days, Leevi, who is in charge of weaving and dying the cloths using natural dyes, can give a demonstration on how pina fibers are weaved into the most lightweight and beautiful cloths that will later be used to make shawls, pillow cases, ladies' purses, wallets or fans that they sell in the showroom.  There are also cloths available by the yard for you to be sewed into barongs (men's traditional long or short sleeved shirts) or women's gowns, blouse and/or skirts.

 

 

They also weave baskets of all shapes and sizes using buri leaves, which they supply to better known department stores in Manila and are also exported to the US, among others. 

 

 

2.  Visit Sampaguita Gardens

506 Rizal Street Poblacion,

New Washington, Aklan, Philippines

Tel. No. +63 36 2643422

            +63 36 2645555

 

From Kalibo town proper, you can take a tricycle and reach the resort in 30 minutes.  If coming from Kalibo Airport, the ride will take you there in 15 minutes.

 

Sampaguita Gardens is a resort and hotel put up by Samuel John Butcher, the creator and artist of Precious Moments characters that spread Christian messages.  The resort was set up in 2003 and is considered one of the major tourist destinations in Aklan.  Entrance fees are Php50/adult (US$1.19) and Php30/child 3-12 years old (US$0.70), but are consumable.  This means, you can use your tickets to pay for the food or merchandise you might buy inside. And believe me, you'll be able to spend it all without effort.

 

 

The resort is an all-year round Christmas park. Thus upon entering, you are greeted by Precious Moments angels along the pathway, a nativity scene in the garden and the centerpiece of the resort, Jojo's Christmas Cottage.  The gift shop is found inside along with the Cottage's Coffee Town where we discovered serve good coffee.  You can enjoy your cup in one of the tables located at the outdoor porch of the Cottage.

 

At the time of our visit, however, there were a lot of disappointments. First, the Christmas museum located on the Cottage's second floor is closed for repairs. Second, much of the rides in the garden, like the carousel, are in disrepair.  Third, the Coffee Town didn't have a lot on offer so you're limited to just having hot drinks.  (We were hoping to have something cold on a hot day).  Fourth, the resort had a general feeling of not being maintained properly.

 

 

On the bright side, the poolside restaurant was open so we enjoyed their hefty Pancit Canton very much, and they totally have bragging rights to their biscocho (toasted bread).  Make sure to buy a couple or so of boxes for your own consumption, and as gifts for friends back home.  They sell it at Php78 (around US$1.85) for the small box and Php150 (around US$3.50) for the big one.  Of course, you can't go home without taking a little bit of Precious Moments merchandise with you.

 

 

All in all, it is still a happy place to go to.  You may even opt to stay there as a hotel guest and hopefully get a view of the sea outside your window.

 

3.  Eat oysters at RML Manokan Haus

Mabini Street, Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines

 

 

Ask any tricycle driver, and he'll take you to this place.  RML is primarily a chicken inasal (barbecue, Visayan style) place, so please try out their chicken and pork.  There may also be other RML branches in other parts of the Visayas Region, but since you're in Aklan, a seafood paradise, they also serve fresh-steamed oysters.  The best part about this place is that you only get to pay Php60 (around US$1.40) a bucket.  Dig in!

 

4.  Have a photo op at a historical place

 

 

Glowmoon is now a commercial building, but it was once the residence and birth place of one of the country's heroes, Victorino Mapa.  He served as legal adviser of the Philippine Revolutionary Government of Emilio Aguinaldo, in the Commonwealth Government as Secretary of Finance and Justice, as Associate Justice then later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  (The place is near the Aklan Catholic College and Kalibo Cathedral, the latter, a worthy place to visit too.)

 

Kalibo is also the birthplace of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin.  His family residence is now a museum that you may want to check out too.

 

5.  Get a pizza fix at Zabroso

Mabini Street, Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines

 

 

Zabroso serves 16-inch pan pizzas Chicago style so expect thick slices with loads of toppings.  One whole pizza is only Php250 (US$5.95), but you can choose from among those that they've already made for the day at Php35 (US$0.83)a slice.  Pastas are available too.

 

 

Island Paradise - Boracay

There was an occasion for us to go to Kalibo, well, in my case to go on a junket to this Visayan province just last weekend.  But we decided to go a day early and make a lay-over, if you will, at one of the best beaches in the world (or at least for 2012).  After all, from Kalibo, going to Boracay is just around an hour and a half of land and ferry ride.  (Of course, there is another option to get there and this is getting a plane to Caticlan which makes reaching Boracay shorter, but the purpose of our travel is in Kalibo.)

 

This isn't our first time to this paradise, and so it just hit me that upon arriving via the Supercat Ferry, there is really something about Boracay that makes you relieved that you have returned. Not only were we greeted with bright blue skies and plump clouds, but the sea remained calm and inviting, sparklingly clear and blue against the powdery white sand.  Ah, to be blessed with being able to have this place in your neighborhood.  Is it any wonder that Filipinos and tourists alike keep coming back?

 

The first order of the day was to get ourselves settled in our beachfront hotel.  Le Soleil de Boracay is located in Station 2 in White Beach, right in the middle of where the action is.  We arranged for airport-hotel transfers with them and it was very well-coordinated although a bit pricey for a local (Php500/pax excluding the terminal fee of Php100/pax and environmental tax of Php75/pax or a total of Php675 (around USD16).  But you do get quality attention.
 

Front desk services was quite fast and even though we arrived early for check-in, we were whisked immediately to our room, one with high ceilings, very comfy bed and fully air-conditioned to balance the heat outside when its time for dozing off.  They provided basic amenities and toiletries, including a bar.  But if you prefer cheaper sundries, they don't mind if you shop at nearby D'Mall at no additional corkage.  What's great about this hotel is that once you step in your room, you won't hear the hustle and bustle of beach life outside.  You can be sure you'll enjoy a bit of solitude if that's your thing, or easily slip into your sweet dreams.  The only minor downside to our stay here was that the internet connection was non-existent at the time of our visit, and if there is one, this is only available for free at the lobby.  On the other hand, this isn't the reason why one goes to the beach. 

 

Meals in Boracay should really be about seafood.  At night you'll have many choices of restaurants and hotels offering buffets or cooking on-the-spot according to your preference, but at lunch time, only a few open up their outlets for this. 

 

At Boracay Uptown (a minute's walk from the hotel), we settled for Paraiso Bar and Grill and had our fill of live crab cooked with chili garlic sauce, fresh prawns with butter and garlic, an order of grilled pork belly for my daughter (who is unfortunately allergic to shellfish) and a plate of Kangkong (swamp cabbage) sautéed with garlic to balance things off.  We also had grilled Cebu Chorizo from nearby Golden Cowrie Grill just because.  This on-the-spot cooking feast is priced by the kilo so our meal cost Php2,500 (around USD59.52), but well worth it.  We finished our meal feeling satisfied but not heavy.

 

Dining options in this busy vacation spot are quite numerous, it might leave one undecisive, but I'd like to make special mention of Lemoni Café located at D'Mall owned by Sarah Adey La Brooy and Julia Lervik.  While it is as open-air as its many neighboring restaurants, you won't miss this because of its cheerful yellow-green, yellow, and white colors.  Plus, they provide a menu that are healthier options apt for a beach life, while keeping some of what Filipinos look for [i.e. all-day breakfast items like tapsi (beef tapa, egg and rice)]. 

 

For my daughter, going to Lemoni Café would mean getting their Bacon, Fried Egg and Rice (not on the menu as is, but they allow requests), while I got the Feta Cheese and Spinach Parcels with Yogurt Dip.  We also had their fruit shakes, but they serve excellent coffee as well.  Excellent here would mean it isn't coming from a 3-in-1 sachet and it isn't Starbucks.  Do try out their various cakes and pastries too, especially the lemon bars.

 

Nightlife is very active here, but it will just be composed mainly of drinking and binging with some restaurants or hotels offering entertainment such as acoustic or band performances or fire-dancing.  This is on an off-season.  Peak season will have the entire coastline crowded with concerts, dancing and sports competitions.

 

While in Boracay, there will be many activities to go for like parasailing, kayaking, diving lessons, snorkeling, riding ATVs and exploring the other side of the island, banana-boat riding, or immerse yourself in massages either in spa outlets or from the many masseuses right there on the beachfront (Php300/hour or around USD7).  You can also get a henna tattoo or have your hair braided. But for only a lay over, well, just walking along the coastline and settling for a margarita and a beer would do just fine.

 

 

 

Breakfast Made in Marikina - Rustic Mornings by Isabelo

What better way to start a holiday morning than have a hefty breakfast?  Thus, I gathered my husband and daughter and trooped down from our mountain to the valley that is Marikina to try out Rustic Mornings by Isabelo, the same place that is also otherwise known as Isabelo Garden Restaurant that operates in the evenings for dinner by reservations only.  The things that intrigued me about this place are, first, the fact that its just near where we live.  Second, upon visiting its website, I thought the pictures of the dishes on their menu looked sumptuous, and third, the place itself had the right ambience for a leisurely meal. 

 

 

Finding Rustic Mornings was a bit easy since it is near the Church of Our Lady of the Abandoned, and actually a close neighbor of the Marikina Shoe Museum, both of which are famous landmarks of the city.  (For a detailed map on how to get there, you can visit the link here.)  It is named after the road where it is found, Isabelo Mendoza Street in barangay San Roque.

 

 

While dinners at Isabelo Garden require reservation, breakfast and lunch are open to walk-in customers.  Nevertheless, I took the precaution to reserve us a table a day before, which was a good thing because when we arrived at the appointed time (9:30am), the attendants could not give us our table in the garden.  This was due to the previous diners who were actually walk-in clients, but refused to leave despite the fact that they already asked for the bill and paid for it.  Well, I can't really blame them for not leaving right away and being insensitive to the people who actually took time to reserve a table, dining in the garden is such a treat - surrounded by lush greenery additionally made charming by embellishments such as country-style bric-a-brac and capiz shell curtains strategically located so that even if there were several diners out in the garden, you still get substantial privacy with which to enjoy your meal and the company you keep.

 

 

So for the people who came in without reservations, the wait for a table was a bit longer at this time.  For us with reservations, it took us 30 minutes to be finally seated in a location we didn't like, however equally engaging the indoor dining area was.  My idea of a relaxing breakfast has in fact gone haywire because the place was really busy and getting the food served was a challenge to one's good disposition (the three of us were quite hungry already at this time).  The attendants were very patient, however, so that was one thing going for them, and the other was that when our food finally arrived, I found out why this is becoming a favorite place for visitors and Marikenos alike.

 

 

The Corned Beefsilog was very savory served with 2 eggs (my husband had the 2 eggs cooked different ways), although, I detect that the corned beef used was the garlic and chili variety of Delimondo, a favorite.  The fried rice was mixed with herbs and garlic and was cooked to make you want more.

 

 

My daughter's waffles were huge.  Toasted well on the outside and creamy on the inside.  Pairing it with bacon is a classic choice.  I, on the other hand, had the waffles served with buffalo chicken with chipotle sauce and salad greens - a good choice for brunch.  Their coffee (or Americano) comes with unlimited refill and satisfies a Filipino palate (a.k.a. mild brew).  In addition to our plates, we had extra side orders of the tawilis, a variety of small fish usually found in Taal Lake (savory and crunchy, it went well with my salad), and a frankfurter. 

 

 

Our entire meal costs us PhP1,271 (and change, or around US$30).  Not bad.  However, I don't think I'll be able to get my husband and daughter to come back with me here.  They didn't like the crowd that were there with us - loud selfies with nervous energies who constantly have an eye out at the entrance to find out if anybody who came in was anybody worth knowing.  One of the older diners was even homicidal, he almost ran over my husband in the parking lot (a small area),  as if the world was going to be on the brink if he didn't get to his table.  He was never even sorry.

 

For my twenty-five-centavos-worth, I suggest that you try out this place on its off-days like when you are on vacation while everyone else is at work.  Maybe you'll get better treatment and you can better enjoy its charms.  Added to this, make sure you make reservations just the same.

Rustic Mornings by Isabelo
11 Isabelo Mendoza Street
San Roque, Marikina City
+63 2 5106914
+63 2 6812461
+63 917 70055810