Chocnut espresso latte, ‘kiniling’ caesar salad and other new cool finds in Baguio
MILLIE: On our most recent visit to Baguio, a new discovery was Cafe Stella found in Barangay 733, Ambuklao Road, Itogon, Benguet, which had a breathtaking view and was surrounded by towering peaks and lush foliage.
The cafe can be found in different levels, al fresco dining amid a natural environment. The place had ample parking and its interiors were quaint and welcoming. Wait staff was polite and friendly as well. The menu was ideal for all-day dining, light and easy, with breakfast picks, sandwiches, pastas, salads, small bites, sweet choices and specialty coffee drinks plus an amazing beverage called Moonlit Bloom Fruit soda made with lychee syrup, butterfly pea and lemon juice!
I ordered the Stella which was a freshly baked ciabatta sandwich with farmer’s ham, signature garlic and lemon garlic aioli. It came with Stella potato wedges and a tiny coleslaw salad made from highland vegetables. I shared my sandwich with my cousin Cynthia who ordered a kiniing Caesar salad which, of course, I was curious to try. Kiniing is a Cordilleran pork cut, cured and smoked, made from native black pigs. The lean meat is boiled in salted water with guava leaves but is not as salty as bacon.
KARLA: I ordered the chicken pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes, while Tita Pinky ordered the tuna melt panini on focaccia. For our drinks, the one thing that interested me the most was the Chocnut espresso latte.
Cafe Stella is located at 733 Ambuklao Road, Itogon, Benguet, about a 20-minute drive from Baguio Country Club. The restaurant is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. but fills up quickly during peak hours. We were lucky we came right after the lunch crowd and were seated immediately.
A new restaurant find we tried during this trip is Bistro Lokal by chef Miko Dy. Chef Miko is a graduate of the International School of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management (ISCHAM) and has worked in different parts of the country. Bistro Lokal is a representation of his coming home. His vision of Bistro Lokal is to showcase the finest flavors of the Philippines, with a local twist featuring Cordilleran cuisine and ingredients, to a wider audience. Being an advocate of the use of local ingredients, farm-to-table, the chef’s menu changes from time to time due to seasonality of produce.
We ordered the Shanghai lumpiang salad with a sweet sour dressing for starters. For our main course, we ordered the beef mechado with gnocchi and peanut brittle kare-kare with oxtail. My cousin Twinkle who resides in Baguio is a pescatarian and ordered the miso soy salmon fillet. For dessert, we ordered the turones de langka at ube served with condensada ice cream. Chef Miko currently bakes his own breads and pastries, such as ube pandesal, Milo pandesal, a range of croissants, multigrain sourdough breads and bagels. He has also dabbled into making his own cheeses, which we ended up talking about for a while.
Bisto Lokal is located on the roadside at 307 Upper Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio City, Philippines and has available parking nearby. Planning to get dropped off is probably the most convenient. It is a walk up to the 2nd floor in case you plan to dine with senior citizens. For reservations and more inquiries, call +639460924649.
