to quezon via rizal (part1: lunch at pagsanjan)
from makati, we took the "backdoor" to quezon. that is, via antipolo, rizal, passing through towns with names like pakil and pangil. i wanted the city kids to discover this route - my route from so many summers going to tayabas - so they could see the furniture makers along the way, the small towns, the mountains on the right, the fish pens on your left or sometimes, the other way round.
this is the road to take if getting there isn't the only objective and the going there is part of the vacation. it's a good road by the way and i wish more people took it. hmm, or maybe not, as this would mean traffic.
we had lunch on the way, in a little gallery cafe in pagsanjan called 83, er, gallery cafe. i'm glad we got suckered in by the artsy facade and garden look, because the food didnt' disappoint.
it doesn't take a lot to make me happy with pinoy food, but it takes a lot to impress me. being a 'gata' person, the chicken in coconut cream was a real hit. the added touch of 'mustasa' (is this a tagalog cuisine thing?) gave the coconut cream a subtle, slightly bitter bite. the menu - mostly pinoy favorites like binagoongag baboy, fried fish with tortang talong, laing, nilagang baka - i wouldn't call it extensive, but you're sure to find something there that you'd like.
the pastas looked interesting too - with sauces with kesong puti or chorizong lucban - but rice was the order of the day. at the end of the meal, we were glad to have stumbled on this little gem of a place. and were happily, lazily on our way further east.
(if they hadn't been tired, i'd have wanted to take a boat on the river and go through the waterfall in a bamboo raft. i guess at this point, having left makati a bit late, travel companions just wanted to get wherever "there" was already.)
* TO TAKE THE ROAD TO QUEZON/BICOL VIA ANTIPOLO: well, just head for antipolo. if coming from ortigas, take the right turn at the Hamaka park. This would put the Ynares center on your left and follow the road all the way straight. You'll pass an intersection with a Shopwise, 711, kfc, wendy's on your left. Keep going straight past this. Around 5 minutes down, you'll pass a Y intersection right after a small Shell station, keep to the road on the right. If you hit Robina Farms, a cement factory and steep curves - you're on the right track! Just follow this road all the way down to whatever town in rizal or quezon you like.
** 83 GALLERY CAFE: when you hit pagsanjan, the main road to town is direcly perpendicular to the church (you'll see the pagsanjan church to your left, the river is behind it). so turn right at (or a bit past, i'm not sure, but anyway, that's the only main road) the church. 83 Gallery Cafe should be a few minutes down the road. You'll see it on your left. It's quite eye-catching with its terracotta colors and a colorful, unidentified female statue outside. Oh, i almost forgot, check out the painting in the restroom (heehee).
this is the road to take if getting there isn't the only objective and the going there is part of the vacation. it's a good road by the way and i wish more people took it. hmm, or maybe not, as this would mean traffic.
we had lunch on the way, in a little gallery cafe in pagsanjan called 83, er, gallery cafe. i'm glad we got suckered in by the artsy facade and garden look, because the food didnt' disappoint.
it doesn't take a lot to make me happy with pinoy food, but it takes a lot to impress me. being a 'gata' person, the chicken in coconut cream was a real hit. the added touch of 'mustasa' (is this a tagalog cuisine thing?) gave the coconut cream a subtle, slightly bitter bite. the menu - mostly pinoy favorites like binagoongag baboy, fried fish with tortang talong, laing, nilagang baka - i wouldn't call it extensive, but you're sure to find something there that you'd like.
the pastas looked interesting too - with sauces with kesong puti or chorizong lucban - but rice was the order of the day. at the end of the meal, we were glad to have stumbled on this little gem of a place. and were happily, lazily on our way further east.
(if they hadn't been tired, i'd have wanted to take a boat on the river and go through the waterfall in a bamboo raft. i guess at this point, having left makati a bit late, travel companions just wanted to get wherever "there" was already.)
* TO TAKE THE ROAD TO QUEZON/BICOL VIA ANTIPOLO: well, just head for antipolo. if coming from ortigas, take the right turn at the Hamaka park. This would put the Ynares center on your left and follow the road all the way straight. You'll pass an intersection with a Shopwise, 711, kfc, wendy's on your left. Keep going straight past this. Around 5 minutes down, you'll pass a Y intersection right after a small Shell station, keep to the road on the right. If you hit Robina Farms, a cement factory and steep curves - you're on the right track! Just follow this road all the way down to whatever town in rizal or quezon you like.
** 83 GALLERY CAFE: when you hit pagsanjan, the main road to town is direcly perpendicular to the church (you'll see the pagsanjan church to your left, the river is behind it). so turn right at (or a bit past, i'm not sure, but anyway, that's the only main road) the church. 83 Gallery Cafe should be a few minutes down the road. You'll see it on your left. It's quite eye-catching with its terracotta colors and a colorful, unidentified female statue outside. Oh, i almost forgot, check out the painting in the restroom (heehee).
posted by pro at 10:36
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