Antonio’s Tagaytay

Antonio’s is one of the most well known restaurants in the local foodie scene. Many foodies would say that the 2-hour trip up Tagaytay is well worth it just to indulge in the culinary delights served in this resto.

When we got there the serenity of the place got to us. The pipe in trippy house music was both relaxing and reassuring – we were not going to be served some traditional yet unoriginal recipes but ones that were updated and in tune with today’s palate. The resto was built on a repurposed old mansion and they were able to maintain both the coziness and the opulence of the place. We spent a little time in the foyer filled with old family photos of the Escuderos and a piece that was reminiscent of Gustav Klimt’s work.

When we sat down, the cool breeze and the cold refreshing lemon water was very refreshing and relaxing. Truly an escape from the metro.

Food is ordered/served set-menu style in Antonio’s. You order an entree and it comes with salad, soup, and a dessert. You do have the option of upgrading your salads to one of their other creations, of course.

Ginger upgraded her salad to the

Quattro Formaggi Tart, Roquette Salad, Granny Smith Apple Mustard Vinnaigrette (P275):

The vegetables were fresh and, I believe, homegrown.  The taste of the arugula/roquette was a bit too strong for me though and overpowered the salad.  I should’ve expected that from the name, though.

Romaine Salad w/ Crispy Prosciutto and Anchovies Vinnaigrette (P295):

The crispy prosciutto is an upgrade of bacon. It doesn’t have the same umami as bacon, though, but was tasteful in itself.  The flavors in the salad were well-balanced with just the right amount of vinnaigrette.

Antonio’s Mung  Soup

Antonio’s Mung Soup is their version of the traditional Filipino munggo soup.  It was quite light so it was a good beginning to the meal.  The mung beans were still “crunchy” and weren’t mushy like in the normal monggo soup.  This was new to me and was something I enjoyed.  The froth was a nice touch.

Herbed Roasted Rack of Lamb w/ Port Wine Jus, Butter Garlic Polenta (P1,700)

The lamb was roasted perfectly.  It was delicious enough on it’s own that I didn’t look for mint jelly.  The butter garlic polenta had a pungent garlic scent that reminded me of truffle.  The serving was also big enough that I felt full afterwards.

Antonio’s Trio (P1,900)
Beef Fillet on Plancha w/ Black Pepper Sauce
Grilled Chilean Sea Bass w/ Olives Pine Nut & Parsley Relish on Polenta
Honey Glazed Lambloin Gratinated w/ Goat Cheese

The Trio is what waiters normally recommend to customers who ask.  The beef fillet was served medium so it was still soft and full of flavor.  The grilled schilean sea bass was a delight for people who enjoy texture-filled food.  The pine nuts was a great compliment to the fish and the mushy garlic polenta.  The honey glazed lambloin was also a delight, with the goat cheese not overpowering the lamb.  The bed of perfectly cooked shallots gave this dish a lot of flavor.

For dessert, we had the:

Panna Cotta Trio

Chocolate Panna Cotta, Coffee Panna Cotta, and (normal) Panna Cotta. It was a good finish to the meal and a good way to cleanse the palate.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I wasn’t impressed with the Flourless Chocolate Cake.  I found myself wishing I ordered the sorbet.

As you can see from the prices, Antonio’s is not cheap.  But the question is, “is it worth it?”  Considering the quality of the food, the expert service, and the ambience, I would say Yes. It’s an experience that every foodie should have at least once so that you have a reasonable benchmark.

Details:
Purok 7 Niogan, Cavite, 4100, Philippines
+63 46 413 0975
+63 917 899 2866
(we recommend calling first and reserving to make sure you have a table, they’re closed on Mondays)

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