This list of Top 10 Laguna Restaurants compiled by the GMA 7 TV show "Ang Pinaka" was shown on TV last month. Tutubi has been to all restaurants at the top 5 and surprisingly not at the number 6 which is nearest to Paete. Strange but Patis Tesoro’s Kusina Salud (now Patis Tito Garden Café) ins San Pablo was not mentioned at all. Kamayan sa Palaisdaan deserves to be there as it's actually better than Isdaan Laguna, taste-wise and service-wise. Agree though that Exotikk Restaurant is not included.

Tutubi prefers Sulyap Gallery Cafe over Isdaan at any time, taste-wise and service-wise.

Go ahead, check out Tutubi's visits and independent reviews of the places he's visited and eaten at. Guaranteed no freebies, fee meals, or "pay to praise" here even rants and bashing bad service :P

-----

Top 10 'Ang Pinaka' Yummy Restaurants in Laguna

10. Ding Hao: Chinese Cuisine; National Highway, Brgy. Uno Calamba City, Laguna

9. Baan Thai: Thai cuisine; located at 0631 Oregano Street Demarses Village Grove, Los Baños, Laguna

8. Joe’s Italian Restaurant: Italian cuisine; Address at 10018 Pearl Street Umali Subdivision, Los Baños, Laguna

7. Vista’s Art Space and Cafe: art space and dining space on Taft Street, Pakil, Laguna (just so near Paete yet Tutubi hasn't been here but probably not for long)

6. Faustina’s Restaurant: patronized by students of UPLB located at Lola J Building, 10278 Ruby Street, Los Baños Subdivision, Los Baños, Laguna

5. Café Arabela: a low ceiling house (actually a horse stable) at the town of Liliw serving pizza and pasta at frugal menu prices; located at 503 Rizal Street, Liliw, Laguna (just near Gat Tayaw Street, the tsinelas center of Liliw)

4. Calle Arco: raved so much by Kris Aquino on Kris TV, it's good but not really very good with their own twists on pinoy cuisine; location: Rizal St., Brgy. Uno, Pagsanjan, Laguna (along Rizal St less than a kilometer from Pagsanjan Arc (Arco Real))

3. Chef Mau Restaurant: eponymously named after the chef owner; location: Brgy. Bungkol, Liliw, Laguna (along the national road between Liliw and Magdalena). Menu ecommendation: Thai Tilapia and

2. Sulyap Gallery Cafe and Restaurant: an old heritage house transplanted in a former hospital compound and turned into a restaurnat. Address: Brgy. del Remedios Cocoland Compound, San Pablo City, Laguna

Sulyap Restaurant's ensaladang pako (edible fern salad using fresh fiddlehead fern abundant on the slopes of Mt. Banahaw and Sierra Madre mountain range). The fern was fresh and crispy with the great balance of the saltiness of the itlog na maalat (salted egg) and sourness of the vinaigrette-like dressing. (a similar take of this exists at Chef Mau restaurant, Liliw, Laguna, another favorite place of Tutubi)


1. Isdaan Restaurant and Fun Park: Filipino cuisine in palaisdaan (fishpond); located in Brgy. Hanggan, Calauan, Laguna. Usually full-packed and long wait list for tables specially on weekends. Nice place to have fun and not so expensive menu prices. Budget PhP250.00+/person

lots of people in waiting for tables during Sunday lunchtime at Isdaan Laguna

Note: Tutubi does not feature restaurants on this blog other than Filipino :P


Related Post:
How to get to Laguna, a map of all these restaurants can be found over at OpenStreetMap :P

Labels: Laguna Restaurants

At a time when Tutubi's favorite halo-halo joint in Paete closed shop, he instead drove to a halo-halo joint frequented by locals of Pakil and those from neighboring Pangil and Paete towns serving simple yet creamy version of halo-halo in Pakil, featuring typical halo-halo in the fourth district of Laguna featuring well-done beans as ingredients of the basic halo-halo recipe.

Lerma's Halo-halo serving

homey ambiance of Lerma's, it's actually a road-side home turned restaurant

Lerma's Halo-halo
Address: Tavera St., almost in front of Pakil General Hospital (Gen. Juan Cailles Memorial Hospital), less than a kilometer from Pakil Church
GPS Coordinates: N14 23 08.7 E121 28 39.5

Map of Pakil on OpenStreetMap (updated by Tutubi, if you're a Pakil local, please try to update the map)

Price: PhP50.00/serving
Sahog/Ingredients: gulaman, beans, leche flan, ube, banana et al

Notes: Tutubi also ordered pancit palabok but it was too salty due to generous (and excessive amounts of ground pork chicharon/dried fish) and too "saucy" (drenched in sauce)

There also is the famous Aling Taleng's Halo-halo in Pagsanjan but reports from Tutubi's sister plus a friend claim it's not worth it. Tutubi will try it also
just to be sure but knowing the standards of his sister and friend in halo-halo, the simple test is usually in creaminess. Halo-halo making involves art, you don't just mix ingredients in a bowl, put shaved ice and milk on it. Chowking's halo-halo used to be like it, dull and un-creamy, even if boasting of many ingredients, but somehow improved these days.

Labels: Food Trips, Laguna Restaurants

Located along the national highway between the boundaries of duck-town of Victoria and the monay-town of Bay, within the jurisdiction of Calauan, Laguna is the newest branch of hugely popular restaurant reportedly owned by the Barrio fiesta group and reportedly by the actress Heart Evagelista.

Tutubi has been keeping an eye for the opening of the floating restaurant, not for his personal craving, but to treat his parents in the "exotic" restaurant featuring a mish-mash of Buddhist and Hindu figures, sprinkled with life-size statues of famous people occupying a few hectares of fish ponds.

A Sunday lunchtime on a long weekend trip about 30 kilometers from Paete, Laguna, was met with his expected too many people. Result: too many parked cars, too many people waiting for a table to be seated.

lots of people in waiting for tables during Sunday lunchtime at Isdaan Laguna

Tutubi asked for a table at the receptionists but got number 37, lots of waiting. He merely looked at the menu (prices seem similar with Isdaan Tarlac) took two photos with his iPhone, bought a few things at Aling Nene's Pasalubong then sped away to a nearby restaurant.



Lesson: Be there earlier than usual lunchtime. First come, first serve policy. Tutubi's no aware of of Isdaan telephone number for reservations not even contact persons. Isdaan sample menu prices enables a budget of PhP250.00+/person/meal

Isdaan Laguna has a huge open parking space but their seats, tables and cottages may not be enough for all their customers on peak days

tip: Isdaan Laguna may be a nice place but try to eat at nearby Iskargu, cheaper, faster less people but tastier meals at friendly prices ;P

---

How to Get to Isdaan Laguna:

Commuting to Isdaan Laguna by bus from Manila: HM Transport, Green Star and DLTB, either from Cubao, Quezon City or Taft, Buendia in Pasay have buses to Sta. Cruz, Laguna that passes by Bay and Calauan town along and directly pass by Isdaan Calauan, Laguna.

Driving Directions to Isdaan Laguna

From Makati, it's just SLEX, exit at Calamba, turn right Calamba Crossing (before or after SM City Calamba) then follow the road to Los banos, Victoria, Bay then Calauan to see Isdaan Calauan Laguna to your right.

Isdaan Floating Resto- Fun Park
Barangay Hanggan, Calauan, Laguna
Coordinates: 14°10'36"N 121°18'5"E

For a map of Isdaan Laguna, please click here

Other nearby restaurants:
Bamboo Grill, Samaral Restaurant, Iskargu (Isda, Karne, Gulay)
Kamayan sa Palaisdaan sa Bay

Labels: Laguna Restaurants

One of Tutubi's favorite restaurant in the small town of Liliw, Laguna famous for shoes and tsinelas (and where the annual Tsinelas Festival is held annually on Gat Tayaw St), a nice restaurant owned by a brother of the owner of Duo Steakhouse and Wine Bar at Serendra Piazza, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Here you can enjoy steaks at prices unbelievably lower than it's more elegant relative at The Fort.

Chef Mau Mobile fastfood, as it delivers food on wheels to Liliw town center (it being quite far from where the action is), was visited several times by Tutubi with his parents in tow just to eat out, about 40 minutes drive from Paete, Laguna via Pagsanjan, who finds the quaint house turned into a restaurant with very limited seating capacity.

Homey interiors and ambiance but with limited space for just 3 big tables plus two small ones for a total seating capacity of 20 (roughly), the dishes on the menu are a combination of pinoy all time favorites, fusion and steaks.



Sample Menu and Recommended Dishes:


a big bowl of steaming hot bulalo for only P180.00 (about half the price from other restaurants)

Tutubi's favorite Thai-style tilapia, st. peter's fish fried with salty, sweet, sour and spicy sauce, signature thai...quite easy to dupiclate recipe :P
spicy laing, not really spicy but mellowed down but yet still a recommended dish
pork lechon, chef mau style
fiddlehead fern salad (ensaladang paco), not too fresh when served as it's nightime already. Tutubi knows these ferns, bought cheap in Laguna and Quezon, don't stay fresh more than a day. better order them in the morning. Tutubi just loves Chef Mau's salad dressing accentuated by the itlog na maalat (salted egg) slice

Sample Menu prices of Chef Mau Restaurant:

Thai Tilapia: PhP100.00
Special Bulalo: PhP180.00 (serves 3-4 people)
Paco Salad: PhP50.00
Spicy Laing: PhP60
Steamed Banana Heart: PhP60.00
Pancit Lechon: PhP95.00
Beef Steak Tagalog (bistek tagalog): PhP180
Plain Rice: PhP12.00
softdrinks in cans and juices at PhP30.00/each
Coke 1.5L: PhP45.00 (almost same as sari-sari store price)

And now Tutubi has given you one of his secret favorite restaurants, something he does not regularly post in this blog due to lack of time. It's a combination of good food, ambiance and low price that makes him go back to the place. Chef Mau is a certified frugal food find in this part of Laguna :P


Chef Mau Mobile Fastfood
Address: Barangay Bungkol, Liliw Laguna
Mobile: +63.915.926.7824; +63.917.507.1798; +63.921.494.8826
Telephone number: +63.49.573.6290
last remarks: please call chef mau restaurant contact number for your inquiries. As always, Tutubi is not affiliated with the establishment nor did he receive anything for this post.

Labels: Laguna Restaurants

A trip to a place for Tutubi won't be complete without looking for nice places to eat that's not the usual fastfood restaurants in every corner of almost every town, even with the advent of SM City San Pablo, he wanted a different kind of experience.

He got this wish during his second "official" visit to the City of Seven Lakes when he was asked by his contact on his wish on where to eat and promptly replied "I want to catch a glimpse of Sulyap Cafe and they took him there.

Sulyap Cafe stands at the site of the former school inside Cocoland in San Pablo, 2 minutes from Sambat Intersection (hmmm, such a redundant name, Sambat means intersection or junction in Tagalog, many places called Sambat in Sta. Cruz and Pagsanjan towns for example.)

Sulyap Gallery Cafe is an ancestral house from Real, Quezon sold by its owner then transplanted to its present home.

While Tutubi's companions ordered not interesting items on the menu (e.g. cheese sticks, cheeseburger, tapsilog et al), Tutubi ordered house specialties like the following:


Pinais na kabute (Pinais recipe, simply means the main ingredient, wrapped in banana leaves, is simmered in water, vinegar, garlic, ginger salt and pepper). In this recipe, kabute (mushrooms) were used)

Crispy tilapia in oyster sauce. The tilapia is fried, well done with no salt; the oyster sauce with spices for dipping.


ensaladang pako (edible fern salad using fresh fiddlehead fern abundant on the slopes of Mt. Banahaw and Sierra Madre mountain range). The fern was fresh and crispy with the great balance of the saltiness of the itlog na maalat (salted egg) and sourness of the vinaigrette-like dressing. (a similar take of this exists at Chef Mau restaurant, Liliw, Laguna, another favorite place of Tutubi)


The newly relocated bahay na bato soon to be turned into an inn/bed and breakfast for those looking for overnight accommodations. That will surely compete directly with the nearby Casa San Pablo bed and breakfast.

After Sambat, Tutubi opted to go to the tour of Lake Pandin but was spoiled by a sudden heavy downpour and just decided to go back to Manila. The rafting tour of Lake Pandin occurred on his third visit.

Tutubi's take: Sulyap Cafe deserves a second, third...many looks, not just a short glimpse!

---

Sulyap Gallery Cafe
Brgy Del Remedio
Cocoland Compound, San Pablo City, Laguna
Telephone number: +63.49.562.9740; +63.49.562.9735
GPS Coordinate: N14 04 37.2 E121 18 46.7
Official Website: www.sulyap.net

Budget: P200.00++ per person

Other Recommended dishes:
Kulawong Puso ng Saging
Kulawong Talong with flavor of smoked coconut meat similar to the minanok recipe of Paete, Laguna and nearby places.

No reservations required but limited space available around 8 tables. Call Sulyap's contact numbers to be sure.

Other notable San Pablo restaurants:

Kusina Salud
Cafe Lago, on the lakeshore of Sampaloc Lake
El Mare Bulalo on the national highway (opposite the El Mare Buko Pie and Chicken Empanada and pasalubong shop)

Where to eat in San Pablo on the cheap, there's
Clydenjosh Luto sa Lawa for cheap meryenda plus the "al fresco" grills (barbeque, isaw, betamax and other street food) on the lakeshore promenade near the park.

Labels: Calabarzon, Laguna, Laguna Restaurants, San Pablo, Southern Tagalog

A food discovery of Tutubi suggested by his adventurous but "misinformed" sister who directed him to drive to the town of Famy, but wary of his sister as direction-challenged, opted to ask around at the junction of the highway Siniloan and Famy and discovered it's near the poblacion of Siniloan.

On going to the former Pandeño Bakery, reportedly owned by a foreigner from the US of A, Tutubi even got lost (deep into Halayhayin St.) while avoiding a one-way street sign at the corner of Pandeño Street and Salubungan only to find out later that it's a misleading sign that should be corrected by town authorities.

However, getting lost has it's reward as Tutubi discovered the map of Siniloan he's using is full or errors and thus was able to correct them. (Will post the interactive map of Siniloan, Laguna one of these days)

Tutubi's ate ordered two family size pizzas (about 18" in diameter): a pepperoni (price: P260.00) and a vegetable pizza (P200.00), plus a burger with fries (P115.00, about the size of two regular hamburgers of Jollibee).

WAPS Vegetable Pizza around 18" in diameter (family size) for just P200.00
Don't be fooled by the ordinary brown carton as packaging while the hot sauce is really hot, not just another sauce pretending to be chili hot

Tutubi prefers the vegetarian pizza with these ingredients that he was able to identify: tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, pineapple, sweet potato (camote), and mushrooms. The crust is not like popular commercial pizzas (Pizza Hut, Shakey's) and the taste is tuned more to the Filipino palate-- more like Greenwich sans pepperoni, sausages and other meats. It's price at P200 is unbeatable, suited for a small town, that can feed a typical family.

WAPS Burger is super-sized, with two patties, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and cucumber

In the future, some sort of Laguna Food Trip itinerary featuring various Laguna delicacies complete with directions and GPS coordinates.

---

WAPS Burger Restaurant (formerly Pandeño Bakery)
Address: #3 Pandeño St., Siniloan, Laguna
Coordinates: N14 25 16.2 E121 26 43.6
Location: near Siniloan Municipal Hall, St. Peter and Paul Parish (Siniloan Church) and Jollibee Siniloan.
Telephone Number: +63.49.813.1474
Parking is a problem there as Pandeño St. is where public utility jeepneys bound for Siniloan pass by, too narrow as a two-lane road. You can park at the church patio for P20.00 parking fee if you don't want to risk your vehicle with scratch marks later.

How to get to Siniloan, Laguna:

Commute from EDSA crossing, board a jeepney to Tanay, Rizal then transfer to a Siniloan-bound jeepney at the Tanay terminal. WAPS is walking distance (or a short tricycle ride) from Siniloan Public Market that doubles as the jeepney terminal (you can also ride jeepneys going to the towns of Infanta and Real in Quezon province via Famy) or to Laguna's capital town of Sta. Cruz (to pass by towns of Pangil, Pakil, Paete, Kalayaan, Lumban, Pagsanjan. Jeepney fare from Paete to Siniloan is P19.00 per person)

Labels: Laguna Food Trip, Laguna Restaurants, Vegetarian Food

What was initially planned by Tutubi as a return visit to Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban, Quezon and a sidetrip to Kamayan sa Palaisdaan Tayabas also in Quezon turned out into a visit to Calumpang, Laguna to get some lanzones/langsat, coffee seedlings and other herbs including basil (that Tutubi initially thought was taheebo) then a quick drive towards Bay town, famous for monay (local buns), caught sight of Victoria's "mighty duck," into the sister restaurant of Kamayan sa Palaisdaan in Tayabas, Quezon.

It was already nearing 12 noon and good thing they arrived a tad early for, after a while, all the huts were occupied and some waited for vacancies not wanting to dine in the place's usual restaurant preferring the floating bahay kubo ambiance.

picture of floating native huts near the entrance
childrens' playground even for the young at heart


ginataang hipon (shrimps in coconut milk) (price: P210), Tutubi's choice though there's only 4 pieces of shrimps.

inihaw na talong with bagoong (roasted eggplant with fish sauce (that stinks to most people yet tastes heavenly to some) (price: P35/order)
sinigang na panga ng tuna (tuna jaw in sour soup Filipino style)(P600 per order but can be half only like this one at P300)
sizzling pusit (squid) that's a little rubbery but the sauce is good though Tutubi prefers it to be a little more spicier

Fresh Buco Juice to wash them all down with its malauhog greatness

The total bill for 5 people was only P1,050.00, not bad for the great food, rustic ambiance and picturesque place about 40 minutes drive from Paete.

It's another unplanned trip that turned out great. Next time, Tutubi will visit the original one in Tayabas reportedly owned by a sibling of the owner of this restaurant...stay tuned!

Kainan sa Palaisdaan sa Bay
Open from 8am to 10pm (last order at 9pm)
Brgy. Dila, Bay, Laguna
Landline: +63.49.568.0255
(better reserve in advance)

Kainan sa Palaisdaan Tayabas, Quezon
Brgy. Dapdap, Tayabas, Quezon
Tel. No.: +63.42.793.3654
Fax NO.: +63.42.793.3655
E-mail: info@kamayansapalaisdaan.com
Website: http://www.kamayansapalaisdaan.com

How to go to Kamayan sa Palaisdaan sa Bay:

Commute:the floating restaurants can be reached only via tricycle from Bay town. Not yet sure if the jeepneys that ply Calamba-Sta Cruz route pass by it.Green Star and HM Tranport buses from Pasay and Cubao pass by Bay, Laguna.

If you've strayed into blog looking for directions to Calumpang, Laguna, it's a town accessible via Laguna's capital town of Sta. Cruz. Driving from SLEX, take Calamba exit then turn right at Calamba national highway, head straight passing by the resort town of Los Banos, then Bay (you'll see Kamayan sa Palaisdaan on the highway to your right) soon after you'll see the big duck of Victoria, the heritage town of Pila with its old houses and historic plaza, before Sta. Cruz. After passing by SunStar Mall you'll see a traffic light. Turn right if you want to go to Calumpang or Liliw, turn left going to Sta Cruz poblacion or Laguna Provincial Capitol or straight ahead going to Pagsanjan (where Pagsanjan Falls is), Lumban, Kalayaan or Paete.

Update: there's an on-going construction of Isdaan Floating restaurant near this restaurant and Samaral Seafood Restaurant. There's also Kamayan sa Palaisdaan sa Tayabas, Quezon

Labels: Calabarzon, Laguna Restaurants, Restaurants, Southern Tagalog

A nice restaurant in a garden setting nestled on the slopes of the Sierra Madre mountain range whose real name is Exotik Garden Restaurant, it has quaint Filipiniana-themed huts made from indigenous materials and wooden decorations reminiscent of Paete town, from where the owner is former mayor.



Actually located in Kalayaan town and not in Paete, like most people associate the place with, Exotik's resident python, Samantha, welcomes visitors to the place though it's sort of a turn-off to some who can't stand the sight of snakes and constrictors.

The menu is a combination of native Filipino dishes. The exotic fare, trimmed down to conform to laws on the protection of endangered and protected animals, used to include: bayawak (monitor lizard), baboy damo (wild boar), sawa (python), usa (deer), pating (sharks) and ostriches. Now, only ostrich and non-endangered animals appear on it similar to what used-to-be exotic Balaw-balaw Restaurant in Angono, Rizal once served. Price is mostly mid-range under P200 per dish.



the man-made waterfalls in the manicured garden


When Tutubi went there again, he ordered ginataang kuhol at pako (golden snails/escargot with coconut milk and fern), calamares (fried squid) washed down with SanMig Light.

There are huts located quite high up the slope that offers a fascinating view of Laguna de Bay (laguna lake) facing west so the sunset is another sight to behold. Function rooms can be ideal venues for weddings, baptisms and other events.

A souvenir shop sells various items and products of Laguna and Quezon province e.g. buco pie, various sweets, tsinelas from Liliw, woodcarvings from Paete, coin purses made of snake skin and dried toads et al.

Exotik Restaurant is open up to 9pm everyday and located on the national highway near the northern tip of barrio Longos of Kalayaan, Laguna. There used to be branch near Caliraya Lake but it seems to have been closed down.

How to go there:

Commute: HM Transit Bus (Cubao near Victory Liner or Taft avenu near corner Buendia terminal)bound for Sta. Cruz. In Pagsawitan (where most people alight) take a jeepney bound for Siniloan or Paete then alight in front of the restaurant (tell the driver "Exotic")

by car: drive to Laguna up to Pagsanjan then left turn on approach of Pagsanjan church. The restaurant is a few meters from the 100 kilometer post so it's not easy to miss.

Labels: Calabarzon, Kalayaan, Laguna, Laguna Restaurants, Restaurants, Southern Tagalog