Hill Station ~ Baguio's #1 Restaurant

A trip to the Hill Station has been in my bucket list for years now. Since we normally climb Baguio during peak times, a table at this restaurant is near impossible to get without reservations.

So in our latest, Baguio escapade (an off peak, late afternoon-rainy day), we finally got in.

 

Hill Station has a rustic appeal.  High ceiling with wooden beams and wooden floorings. The outer most tables, are treated to huge windows and better ventilation, plus the smell of fresh pines.

So we got lucky ~ we were seated right next to a window.

The restaurant is connected by a grand staircase to Casa Vallejo, a boutique hotel upstairs (Casa Vallejo which was built in 1909 is said to be one of the 10 oldest institutions in Baguio). 

The Hill Station is the hotel's restaurant.

We were hungry from our 5 hour trip from Manila to Baguio and over ordered (a bit):

We were given a complimentary

basket of bread with an oil base dip.  

Artichoke and Spinach Dip (P150)

I was surprised my boys gamely digged-in.  They liked it so much, I never got to try it.  I am thinking it was good as they finished everything clean.

My youngest had a hard time complying to the "shoot first-eat later" rule.  He must be hungry, he also had Vanilla Milk Shake (P140), but, he drank it so fast, I never had the time to take a photo. 

Seafood Carbonara (P340).  It tasted different from the usual carbonara ~ I think they use coconut milk as cream. I am a seafood person, so I ended up hogging this plate. 

Lechon Kawali (P360) with thinly sliced cucumber (I never got to try the cucumber, my husband took everything) and laing. The laing is good, but not as spicy as I wanted.

The most expensive dish we ordered is the Salpicado (P595).  I got a few bites, before my husband declared its his.  The meat is tender and flavorsome (makes my mouth water just now, writing about it).

The last dish in our order is the Cambodian Chicken (P340).  I would be honest, I am not a big fan of this one.  I find it a bit too salty and seasoned with spices new to my taste buds. 

The tough choice: Choosing Dessert.  

Death by Chocolate (P120) cake's high rating in online reviews helped us decide. 

This dessert is delicious, no wonder it is so highly recommended. 

I was a bit confused though, why they call it cake, when it is really a mixture of warm dark chocolate topped with vanilla ice cream. 

Cordillera heirloom coffee (P70)

VERDICT

• Hill Station is special.  A visit is recommended if you are in Baguio. 
• I give 3 out of the 4 dishes we ordered A+.  The Cambodian Chicken however, was a miss for me (my taste buds ain't liking Cambodian food). 
• Would love to see more Filipino dishes on the menu.  I was quite sad learning there are no vegetable dishes in the menu. How could there be no veggie viands in Baguio?         
• We came on an off peak season and the place is not really full, the staff though nice and warm seemed a bit unorganized. 
• Parking could be a bit of a challenge. We saw a lot of vehicles parked on the side of the road, but Casa Vallejo has a parking lot (limited to about 10-12 cars) at the back of the restaurant (just ask the friendly hotel guard for parking directions).

Hill Station is located at Upper Session Rd, Baguio, 2600 Benguet

For reservations you may call (074) 424 2734. 

(reservation is a must, if you are visiting on a peak season) 

Open daily (7AM–10:30PM)

Dining with a View at BenCab's Cafe Sabel

 

 We are regular visitors at BenCab's museum residence, whenever we are in Baguio.   My family can't let pass and say no to the maestro's art works.  The lovingly crafted art pieces and paintings in a scenic location is simply awesome.

 

On the ground floor of the museum building is Café Sabel.  The café overlooks a well kept garden with a man-made pond with a bunch of ducks. 

We ordered the house specialties and must say they really are special.  They use farm fresh ingredients, some they themselves grew. We have not had any one wrong order from their menu since we started frequenting the place.  

 

Really no better way to end your museum tour!

P.S. Don't forget to order BenCab's brewed coffee, one the best we have had in Baguio.  Sip and enjoy the view.

Café Sabel is open daily from 9:00am to 6:00pm (except Mondays, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day).

Please follow the link for BenCab's Museum and Café Sabel location >>>>> BenCab's Museum and Café Sabel.

See also previous reviews on BenCab's Museum and Café Sabel.
 
 

Forest House Bistro and Cafe Baguio

 

I had to make sure, that we get in, the famous Forest House Bistro and Café this time!  The last uneventful visit, when we were refused entry (since I underestimated the place and forego reservations) - was truly a bad experience. 

 

I called up Forest House and confirmed a dinner table for four. 

 

We came a little early for dinner and it was a good thing, since parking is limited and could be a nightmare if we came a little later.

 

The place was half full when we came in.  The place is intimate and nicely decorated in cottage-country home motif and lovely eye candy trinkets all over. 

 

There is a small veranda outside,

but view wasn't as terrific as I thought.  

 

 

We ordered the house specialties from L-R/T-B, Forest House wine sauced chicken, mini burgers with fries, fettuccine carbonara and baby back ribs.

 

VERDICT

AMBIANCE - Homey and relaxed, however, I was disappointed with the view. I was expecting more.  BenCab's Café Sabel has by far a more superior view and would choose Café Sabel on the basis of view alone.

 

STAFF - Nice and attentive, but service is quite slow.

 

PRICE - On the expensive side. 

 

FOOD - Good, but not exceptional.  The carrot cake that we ordered was perfect with our Forest House coffee.

 

Next time, we would probably be back for an afternoon coffee or tea, with one of their yummy deserts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carlos' Pizza Restaurant Baguio

After a failed attempt to get seats at one of Baguio's favorite restaurants, Forest House Restaurant (I should have made reservations, but was too lazy to make one - DARN), we decided to try one of the restaurants at Mile Hi Center in Camp John Hay.  

So there we were, standing long-faced across Mile Hi Center after the Forest House incident.  We ended entering the first restaurant in sight - the Carlos' Pizza Restaurant!   Carlos' Pizza  is an Italian casual dining restaurant. 

My boys love pizza and pasta, so there is still hope for a successful late night dinner, after all :P


We ordered the highly recommended, chicken fingers and fries, mozzarella cheese sticks,  quattro formaggi (four cheese) pizza and my kids staple favorite pasta - carbonara, and a pitcher of ice tea.

 

VERDICT:

• Ambiance - As there were few people around (not full packed liked most restaurants in Baguio, hehehe...) we truly enjoyed the warm and fast service. The place maybe casual, but service was first class.
• Price - Reasonable; Serving is hefty, more than enough for my hungry kiddos and hubbby.
• Food - The four cheese pizza is must.  My husband hogged the entire pizza pan, I literally had to use my charm to get a piece. The carbonara was also delicious - but I would have chosen another house specialty, if not for my kid's love for carbonara.  The chicken fingers and mozzarella cheese sticks were also very good.

Do try Carlos' Pizza in your next trip to Baguio.

 

Fruits in Ice Cream (FIC) - Brrrr!!!!

 

Crazy peeps would go to Baguio and order ice cream for an early morning dessert!!!

 

Yup!  We went a little crazy, forgot we were in Baguio and that it was freezing cold - when we ordered two ice cream pints FIC's (2 pints for 2 adults and 2 kids - so silly, what were we thinking?) . 

 

Oh we ordered mango and strawberry flavors and they were so creamy, we were liking it until we started shivering a little...and getting brain freeze... then finally decided to stop!

 

 

 

Note to self: Ice cream in Baguio - bad idea!!!

 

Incase you don't believe me: 

FIC is located in Mile Hi Center, Camp John Hay 

 

LITTLE JOHN's at Camp John Hay Mile Hi

 

I have always loved Little John's at Mile Hi in Camp John Hay.

 

I was there again last Holy Week with my family for breakfast... and I must say, this restaurant never fails to impress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walls is decorate with drawings and doodles of  customers on the paper table mat and assorted colored crayons the store provides.

 

Real cool way to keep your tots busy while waiting for their orders.   

Omelette comes with one of the BESTEST bread I have tasted!  

 

 

My tapa meal equally delicious.

 

 

Must come back!!!!

Good Taste - really?

We were navigating the Burnham Park Lagoon, when we realized it was almost lunch time. The boys were growing hungry and towing hungry kiddos is not a very pleasant sight.  We asked our boatman for restaurant referrals and we were directed to

Good Taste Restaurant. 

Good Taste Restaurant is located Lapu Lapu St., Baguio City

and is about a 10 minutes walk from the park, but my kids were too tired to walk so we ended getting a cab. 

There is a display bar for cakes and sweets. 

It wasn't as we have imagined, it was a fast food Chinese restaurant.  We were looking for some fine ambiance, where we can laze around as we eat lunch and relax

The place is busy and noisy.  Staff were all over the place like robots - none smiling, they were just serving...(I guess they are tired)! 

As the place was half-packed  with starving guests and my boys were exhausted from our Burnham Park day out, we decided to order take out and just have lunch in the comfort of our Azalea Residences hotel room.

We ordered take out pancit, fried chicken, chopsuey and yang chao fried rice.  Servings was obviously hefty and quite affordable I should say.

Where is my order?

Food is not good as we were expecting.  Chopsuey was over cooked, chicken was bland, pre-packed ready to cook pancit tasted better than the one they served us  (and I love pansit) and the Yang chow - hmnn... was different.  Not really sure if I had my orders all wrong or we were just being picky.

Good Taste was definitely cheap ~  if it is your birthday and you are paying for a huge group,  you could save tons by dining here! 

But I honesty can't say it is good tasting. 

We would definitely skip this one in our next Baguio visit.

 

What happened to my CHOCO-LATE Batirol?

I was so excited, when I finally saw the signage heading to my favorite choco-late shop in Baguio ~ CHOCO-LATE de Batirol. 

I remembered the first time I went there as a newly wed (with my hubby)... I so LOVE the old fashioned way they make their choco-late! 

It was an absolute MUST in our agenda, in our last Baguio visit.

 

 

We were led into a semi-private seating and I began going through the menu, as I try to recall my favorite orders from our past visits.

 

On the top of our order list is the famous cocoa drink for my hubby and myself and choco-banana for the kids.  Since it was almost dinner, we ordered an all-day tocino breakfast meal for my eldest son and chopsuey meal with steamed rice for sharing for hubby and me.

The chocolate was exactly as I remembered - rich and creamy (delicious)! Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the chopsuey and breakfast meal I ordered.   The chopsuey was overcooked and the breakfast tocino tasted like an over the counter tocino bought from SM.    As for the choco-banana, my kids sipped a little and left the rest. I was so disappointed.

I was more shocked to learn, we have to shell out P1000 for 4 drinks, an all day breakfast meal, chopsuey and steamed rice.  Really not worth it. 

I so wonder what went wrong...is it me?  Maybe I've set the bar too high! Haizz...

Next time,  I will just order the hot choco!  For a decent meal for half the price, I would simply head straight to Mile Hi just a few blocks away.

Cafe' Sabel - Feed your Senses...

Once inside, it is simply impossible not to stay and dine!~

 

Paintings that decorate Cafe Sabel's walls are sure to keep your eyes busy, if not inspire you to start an art attack yourself!

Something to feed your eyes!

 

Food choices are plenty and would say quite healthy.

We had a fish fillet, a pork ribs and a mushroom chicken meal, plus extra order of the vegetable lumpia.    Followed by halo-halo (which was a bit too sweet for my taste) for dessert.

 

 



"Sarap" we finished everything!

With my youngest hagging the fish fillet meal (ang takaw!)

The restaurant's windows invite you to beautiful garden below and a scenic view a mountain across.


 

Wow - Speechless!  A pond with tens of swimming ducks surround a kubo!   It would sure be nice to have a view like this in my backyard (wishing)...

 

There is just no stopping my youngest from conquering the grounds below...

 

 

My boys love these ducks!  They were sad they couldn't take one home...

Peace and quite :)

 

Move away from your usual Baguio itinerary and try something different.

Visit Cafe' Sabel.

 

Cafe' Sabel is located at BenCab's Museum 

(refer to my related Blog about BenCab Museum).