Yesterday we tried our luck and decided to have lunch at Buon Giorno Caffe & Bistro at the Cliff House in Tagaytay. So we hopped in the car and drove for 1 1/2 hours. If we had done this on a normal work-day, chances are we would have been easily stressed out and tired. But as we are on leave from work this week, we had a relaxing drive going there and back again, just taking in the sights at a leisurely pace.
When we arrived there it was just a few minutes shy of 1:00 pm. It was a bright, welcoming day, with the sun shining merrily down on us without it being scorchingly hot. Our little girl immediately went to the railings and looked down at the lovely vista of Taal Lake spread out below us.
She then skipped over to the tiny Koi pool and spent a few minutes gazing at the multi-colored fish darting amidst the rocks and the shade. She even waved her hand above the fish while I teased her that they would latch on to her fingers!
The Cliff House has an assortment of restaurants for the diner who wishes to eat with a view. Buon Giorno ("Good Day" in Italian) has one of the more enviable spots in that it has a direct view overlooking the lake.
The white benches at the patio looked very inviting, so the little angel plopped down in the middle bench and gazed quietly at the lake. For a few minutes at least. Then she had the urge to lie down on the bench!
After some coaxing for her to settle down from her flitting about, we sat down to have lunch -- and what a visually pleasing and hearty meal it turned out to be!
This was my place setting at the table. I liked their placemats and coasters, rustic and functional at the same time.
We were given some complimentary focaccia bread, which we dipped in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and even some parmesan cheese! I couldn't help it, I just love cheese! The bread was served warm in its basket, and gave off a freshly baked aroma that made us just want to dig into its fragrant warmth.
For this dip, I was actually trying my hand in making a Taijitu symbol, more commonly known as the Yin-Yang. However, you can see my lack of success at it. The dip still tasted good though, and complemented the bread beautifully.
To quench our thirst, we ordered iced tea and a banana-pineapple smoothie. Too bad they didn't have the green iced tea available! The servings were quite generous, a refreshing change from those puny little glasses that are served in some resturants.
This New York Pizza did not fail to please. With a crunchy but chewy, not-so-thin crust, the toppings were very flavorful. I like my pizzas oozing with cheese (yes, I'm a cheese lover and proud of it!), and this pizza was precisely that. The veggie toppings were crunchy and sweet, the peppers and onion having none of that raw taste that some people dislike. I was at first apprehensive of the olives, as I find the taste a wee bit overwhelming at times. This pizza had just a hint of that, which served to accentuate the flavors even more. Need I say more that I just loved this pizza?
We also had the Roasted Rack of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce. The accompanying mashed potatoes were creamy and tasty, the vegetable siding still fresh and crunchy. The mint jelly went well with the lamb, but the hubby and the little one did not really appreciate the combo. The red wine sauce was much more to our collective taste. The lamb was tender and succulent, with none of the stringy chewiness that is present in beef and lamb dishes I've tried in the past. Thumbs up for this one as well!
We thought that the little one would be a bit more adventurous, but she went with her comfort food, the ubiquitous fries! Good thing she tried out the other dishes as well -- she liked the lamb, to our surprise. Then she alternated between the iced tea and the banana-pineapple smoothie, slurping away to her gleeful little child's delight.
When we arrived the place was abuzz with people enjoying their meals-with-a-view. As we were finishing up our own meals (some of which we eventually had to have packed and brought home), we noticed that we were one of the last ones left. I took the opportunity to take this photo of the outside dining area, complete with little birdhouses and skeletons in preparation for the Halloween.
By this time the fog had started to set in, and the clear view of the lake that we had earlier had already been obscured by the translucent milkiness. The cool air became even more so, and the patio lost that sharp-around-the-edges look we had seen upon our arrival.
We left Buon Giorno with bellies full and with smiles on our faces. It was indeed a Good Day.
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