In one of our long weekend vacations, we went up to Tanay to experience a different atmosphere away from the beach which is not ideal during rainy seasons.
So instead, we opted for the cool highlands where temperature is ideal and the environment romantic for snuggling up with your loved one. Having to dine in a romantic place with a flair of fine dining yet so affordable is something we least expected to find in this secluded mountain village in the Sierra Madre Range.
In several occasions, we passed by this restaurant but ignored it because it gave a sense of the being too fancy beyond our budget. Finally, when we have dined in every restaurant in town, it was time to try this one out.
The entrance to the restaurant was a stair leading to the second floor where the dining area was. When we passed by the ground floor room, we were surprised to find out that the place was not only a restaurant but a museum as well.
The place was filled with a collection of works of art by various artists ranging from oil painting on canvass, wood and illustration boards. There were also several wood carvings which are strewn across the dining area from the ceiling and down to the floor.
When I spoke to the manager, he said that all the works of art are for sale to interested buyers. The atmosphere of the dining area is very rustic as guests get to dine in style on massive wooden dining tables while enjoying a picturesque view of the Tanay countryside as pine trees dot the surrounding area and the cool air of the Sierra Madre countryside breezes freely through the hall of the dining area.
Since I am not into culinary blogs, I opt not to post pictures of the food in the different restaurants we dined in. The main theme of this blog is actually the art that complemented with the dining experience and this is what made the restaurant pretty unique in their trade. We ordered a very delicious dinner artistically prepared by their chef. Our compliments to the chef goes along with our beautiful dining experience here.
The inspiration to put this kind of restaurant was probably inspired by no other than our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal of which the town of Tanay is under the jurisdiction of this historical province which bears the name of our national hero as well.
The restaurant here in Tanay is the second branch of Paseo Rizal while the original branch is in Morong, Rizal. I also found out that they also have rooms-for-rent, ideal for nature lovers seeking the ambiance of the cool climate close to Baguio and Tagaytay. In fact, there were many instances when some movies scenes were shot to depict Baguio and to save time and resources. the producers instead shot the scene in Tanay instead of going up to the mountain province.
After an early dinner while the light of day slowly ebbs away in the dusk, we took the time to look for more interesting relics in the veranda and found these antique charcoal-fired iron adorning the balcony. Honestly, I never got to experience using these to iron my clothes since I never grew up in the province where there was still no electricity. But it really brings good memories of Dolphy movies where he irons the clothes and cook "tuyo at the same time. The scene was really funny indeed!
This is the view from the balcony of the restaurant where one gets the feeling of the authentic countryside moment that a provincial-grown person had experienced during his or her childhood days.
There are also dining places perched up in the upper slopes of the property where one can get to dine in the company of nature. We were not able to explore the spot because I was currently experiencing back problems that had been plaguing me since we arrived here. But the overall experience was just fine.
Well folks, that concludes another adventure in the Tanay highlands. It was a special experience dining in style in such a simple but elegant place. I am happy that the province of Rizal though so close to MetroManila is not suffering too much urbanization unlike the other provinces surrounding it like Cavite, Bulacan and Laguna. In this way, future generations will still have the opportunity to enjoy its simplicity and closeness to nature without having to travel too far. Until next time, follow us into the next adventure of the connubial travelers!
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