The first time I visited Baguio was purely doing touristy things. This time, it’s just a pit stop en route to our destination: Banaue.
We stayed at a homestay in Baguio run by a Cebuana in Hilltop. We got a nice view of the mountains and neighboring houses.
We walked a lot on the day we arrived in the summer capital of the country.
We started our long walk in Burnham Park. We admired the view as the dusk settled on the trees, casting an orange glow onto the waters.
From Session Road, we asked around, passed a lot of parks, relied on Google Maps and found the bus terminal bound for Banaue in Otek Street near Rizal Park. We made reservations for the early trip on the following day.
Since the Cafe by the Ruins is just a few steps away from the bus terminal, we had dinner at the branch where one of the scenes from the movie That Thing Called Tadhana was shot.
Not exactly by the ruins per se but the atmosphere is so homey, romantic and cozy. Its thatched-wood interiors complemented by forest-inspired ambiance adds rustic charm and won the hearts (and stomachs) of the dinners.
Kareen ordered an Ilocano meal that comes with a slab of bagnet (a specialty in Ilocos). The bagnet sits on top of red rice and comes with bagoong. This concludes that Ilocos’ bagnet is similar to that of Cebu’s lechon kawali.
I ordered the house bestseller Ernie’s BLT. I love their camote bread which reminds me of one of the bread creations made by the student bakers of the Julie’s Chief Baker. It comes with chips which I happily munched on before taking a bite on their TDF sandwich.
We split on a strawberry pavlova. We can’t leave Baguio without trying their strawberries. It’s sacrilege!
It’s a bit pricey for a Baguio restaurant and the food is a hit-or-miss for our tastes. It is ideal for a cozy brunch with families and a romantic dinner for two, though.
Cafe by the Ruins
25 Shuntug Rd, Baguio,
Benguet
(074) 442 4010
