Tagaytay Gastrologue 1
Like other food hubs in Tagaytay, which foodies from Manila try out on a weekly basis, Josephine’s Restaurant along Tagaytay Road is one gastronomic destination that is worth visiting—especially for its buffet—when affordable food is your concern.
Marked by a Philippine Tattler Certification as one of the quality buffets within the area because of its wide array of viands included in a package, Josephine’s serves relatively Filipino and Filipinized dishes that are available even a la carte.
An order of Pasta Vongole in this place is more than enough to fill a stomach that’s tired of touring
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PORK BINAGOONGAN WITH BELL PEPPER | | the whole of Tagaytay’s scenic ridges overlooking Taal Lake. This Vongole’s taste profile—though not really Italian in cookery and discipline—has a good and nutty taste because of the good infusion of the olive oil as a base sauce with the seafood (clams, mussels, shrimps, and squid cuts.)
The vin-blanc’s good reduction with the superior stock of chicken with olive oil brings out the toasted notes of the garlic—almost aioli in character. The Basil’s mild dash over al dente pasta strings creates a good bouquet of basilic aroma, softening the briny tastes of the different seafood—especially when inside the mouth, and when served with freshly ground black pepper. More or less, this Vongole can satisfy a sampler’s discriminating palate just as well as a Pasta Aglio’ Olio e Gamberoni, and is better without parmesan on top, so as not to overpower the seafood—technically, an Italian culinary rule.
For visitors who fancy Filipino cookery—in all its savory and up-front tastes—one can have a Pinoy-style degustacion with sparing servings of Ensaladang Manggang Hilaw to go with Baked Mussels or tahong.
Clearly, the tahong’s strong pungent characteristic—though tamed by the cheddar gratin of smoky golden brown goodness, with chopped parsley, pepper powder, and baked sea salt over the shells—complements the mango salad (served with onion brunoise, tomato macedoine, sautéed bagoong alamang, and hard boiled egg rondeles.)
The good thing about the baked mussels is that it’s served on a sizzling plate, making the herbs and the flavors stronger.
If one prefers a rice dish combination, one can always sample
the Josephine’s Shanghai Fried Rice (a personal recommendation) with Sautéed Bagoong Pork with Bell Pepper Chiffonade. Again, this amazing binagoongan goes well with the Ensaladang Mangga as a triple combination with the fried rice.
Banilyadong Sago’t Gulaman or a simple Coca-Cola on the rocks will make this triple combination a good compliment to weekend relaxation with nature’s grand gifts—near cloud-bursts over the tiny volcano—which you can see through the restaurant’s clear glass walls fronting the greened azotea.
Outside, a discriminating damsel who watches her diet can always choose from the patisserie counter on the terrace, where a cool breeze from upland Tagaytay blows.
A nutty Cream Torte is a good choice, of course, when the counterpoint is Josephine’s Coffee Jelly (a 48-hour coffee essence jelly that is chilled and cubed, served in a margara glass, topped with semi-sweet whipped cream, and doused with a caramel reduction sauce.)
If one has a preference for a heavier dessert, a Decadent Chocolate Cake is always available by the slice (or the whole). My advice is that it goes well with Josephine’s home-brewed Capeng Barako, served espresso-style with mild froth on top in a demitasse, and a house cookie.
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