I was hoping, after the Friday we had in Makati and QC, that I can finally take a rest. But Kristia called me at around 9:30 in the morning and cajoled me into going with her and Johnny to Tagaytay. Of course, the place being a 1-hour drive from us, I immediately agreed (add to that the fact that it was the first Saturday since October that I won’t be with ForeverGuy because he was studying for his exams).
Kristia arrived at half past 10 sans Johnny. Apparently they had a fight and she opted to go along with the trip without him. (By the way, this is a week before they broke up).
We left the house at 3 in the afternoon (after hanging around the room, browsing the net, chika-chika with MomCee) and had a late lunch / snack / super early dinner at DMZ. Kristia was craving for Tapsilog so we brought her to a nearby Tapsilugan. Plus, we wanted to prove to ourselves we can have a good time for P500 so we chose an eatery that would satisfy our taste buds without effectively robbing our pockets.
Hannah’s first bite (yum yum)
The place has been operating for almost 20 years. My aunt said they’ve been dining there since they were in their mid-20s pa. It’s very pocket-friendly and they have good ambience too since they are tuck away within a garden, just beside the main road to Bacoor. It also offers a variety of Filipino dishes (throw in some foreign dishes too like Tempura, Tonkatsu, etc).
Manong was the one who took the pic on the left and Hannah on the right while we’re waiting for our food. Hehe ^_^
They have a funny way of presenting the food. They put the rice, the egg, the tapa on different plates. When served. each customer gets a total of four plates plus the bowl of soup and another for your vinegar-catsup mix.
After stuffing ourselves full, we proceeded to Tagaytay’s Picnic Grove and tried their Zipline. Hannah, unfortunately, won’t let us push her into joining us (even after I offered her to go by two with Kristia while I go solo at the Zipline).
By two’s, the Zipline costs P250 each. P200 (one way) plus P50 for the picture (two copies without frame). For two-way, its P300. *Prices differ during weekdays*
By the time we got to the other end, it was already pitch dark in the Grove. We had a couple or more pics before heading out and buying some souvenir item (Kristia for her nephew, Bajjon).
(Left) Picnic Grove bridge. (Right) Viewdeck. (By the way, there’s a story behind my shirt. I’m not a big lavender fan and I was supposed to buy the aqua version of this that says “Peace Out!” but the statement on this shirt caught my attention. It said “Forever.” ForeverGuy diba nga? Hehe ^___^)
We were supposed to head over to Bag of Beans to have dessert but we got hungry (again) and drove around some more before finally spotting Viewsite Restaurant (few meters from Bag of Beans). There we had Sisig and Inihaw na Liempo. I can’t exactly remember if I liked the Liempo but the Sisig beats all the other Sisig I had before then. My dreams were haunted by that particular Sisig up to now hihi :p It’s a perfect blend of crunch and spice. The price is not bad too. The Sisig cost about P160 (but for our next trip, I have to buy one for me alone hehe! I’m not about to share it again lol~) and the Liempo set us back for P120. Their rice cost around P25 each (not sure). We paid around P600 for dinner. Not bad right?
Bummer. We didn’t think of snapping the food before we dove into it. We forgot. Haha 
The place has a nice view on it (Viewsite nga eh.. lol~). Our table is facing the Taal Volcano. Kinda like the view you’ll also get when you dine in Magallanes Square.
Too dark. I suppose the view is better at midday.
Finally, we arrived at Bag of Beans at past 9 pm. We parked in front of the cafe. Outside, it looks like an ordinary-looking bakeshop, albeit leaning on the more stylish facade. I learned just a few hours before that trip that BoB has a garden below the shop where customers can dine in purely amid the pleasure of lush gardens. I really thought it was only a take-out counter.
We tried three of their desserts: White Chocolate Latte, Chocolate Mousse and Banana Split. I don’t know if their main dishes are any good than their desserts but what we tried (atleast those three can be summed up into one word: ordinary). The Banana Split tastes like Selecta Ice cream topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and cherries while the Latte tastes only a little better than a Moo drink. The Chocolate Mousse was alright, I guess… but it’s too sweet and too creamy for my taste.
Bag of Beans Chocolate Mousse
Bag of Beans Banana Split
We didn’t manage to take a pic of the Latte (again) but no biggie, it’s not much of a looker, anyhow. The place is too costly for its food. The Chocolate Mousse costs about P120, I think. The Banana Split and the Latte are at the P100 range. I also ordered Mr. Bean’s Burger for ForeverGuy. That cost around P300. Before ordering, I clarified that it’s a beef burger rather than a veggie one. Just to be sure. I don’t want another argument about “organic food.” Long story lol~
Anyway, although the food is nothing out of ordinary, the place looks great. Perfect for a nice, romantic dinner with your special someone. Not for loud group of friends, though. Bag of Beans is too serene for people who’s going to loiter it.
(Left) Hannah at the entrance of BoB. The place is littered with Spanish-style lamps while small, yellow bulb lights hang from the trees.
We capped the day off by passing by ForeverGuy’s dorm, handing him his burger and speeding off to drop Kristia at SM Bacoor where she will get her ride to Paranaque.
We did not get to fulfill our P500 challenge. Well, Kristia and I did not. Hannah may have spent only P350 or so. She did not try the Zipline, remember? But it was worth it anyway. Maybe next time we could finally budget our money enough so we can go out some more hekhek ^___^
