Tagaytay has always been a good weekend destination for those looking for adventure, the cold weather, and good food. The touristy spots are a given, I don't go there much because of the sheer amount of people. I'm part of the statistic who basically mind crowds and prefer a more quiet, less stressful location. There's still plenty of that in Tagaytay, and it's so awesome that travel there only takes an hour and a half (depending on where you are in Manila).
On Sundays or special occasions, I often go to Our Lady of Lourdes Paris Church in Silang Cavite or Pink Sisters Convent and Chapel. Then after a holy hour, we often have lunch in nearby restaurants because yes, Tagaytay is a food destination. There's a new restaurant off the beaten path and it's called "My Country House". This is around 10 minutes away from the highway (if you're coming from Lourdes Church) and can be searched on Google maps here.
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| Much of the furniture here include heirloom pieces from the previous owner. This is a country home, one that you can visit every now and then since it's only a few hours away from Metro Manila. |
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| The interiors felt like your Tita's house (na nakaka angat angat sa buhay lol) that you would actually go to and enjoy time with family and friends. It's a mix of wood, comfy chairs with green, white and yellow accents. It's also well lit, perfect for brunch/lunch, even dinner. |
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| This is the view from the restaurant. It's clear green grass on some parts, filled with tropical plants and the actual forest around the perimeter. They hold events here like weddings and parties, prolly could hold 300-350 pax. Those intimate weddings you're dreaming of might just fit. What I also like about this place is their Silkie Chickens that roam around the property, they're very friendly and would make a nice activity for kids to interact with. |
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| Got to talk to Chef Arnold Gozon who politely asked about the dishes served, staying on top of the game and very open to suggestions. |
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| My Kale Drink, freshly baked bread with flavored butter, plus table side Kale and Romaine Caesar Salad to start off the meal |
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| We started with the Cheese Gougeres, Seared Foie Gras Canapes and the Miso Bagna Cauda. If you had to choose, get the Foie Gras of course! The Burrata is comforting too. Everything else is fair game. |
My friends had the Saffron Seafood Paella while I got the Steak Rice (because my allergies wasn't having it!) It was comforting to have that together with the mains. Yes, get the Steak Rice!
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| The Chef personally prepared a 21 Day US Dry Aged Rib Eye Steak for us that afternoon, and yes, it was so worth every slice I had. It was even better with the roasted garlic on the side and the optional mushroom or spinach sauce. This is meant to be shared, but who's stopping us from having this all to ourselves right? |
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| One of My Country Home's specials, this is Country Chicken Relleno. This was something that Chef Arnold Gozon prepares on Holidays/Christmas, but thought why not serve this labor of love in the restaurant. Make sure you have this with the sauce on the plate and roasted garlic, you need to arrange a perfect bite. |
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| This is Chef Arnold Gozon's personal favorite, the Melting Salmon. It's soft, melts in your mouth salmon that's been cooked in oil like a confit, then lathered with miso sauce, and an Asian herb relish. Even those who didn't eat salmon actually enjoyed this, so try this out yourself! |
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| If there's something I'd recommend, it will be this Lengua Estofado. Although usual Lengua dishes fall into rancid/organ like flavors, this one doesn't do that. It's very soft, you would mistake it for rump chunks that's been cooked for hours. It's also ultra creamy which makes it a whole lot different than your usual lengua. Best on for me. |
So if you're thinking of spending the weekend at Tagaytay and feel the need for something special for your friends, family or better half, go check out My Country House at 115 Pulong Sagingan Street, Maitim 2nd West in Tagaytay. I would strongly suggest you go and reserve first before going there to make sure they've got ample seats and be ready for you. Just call or text 09178751154. They accommodate walk-ins.
Ciao! I'll be back there very soon!
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