Cafe by the Ruins, Baguio, AGAIN :)

My mom and I went to Baguio last weekend to attend a close family friend's engagement. We also had to fulfill some very important business: eat at Cafe by the Ruins!!!

Since I only had my sad Cybershot camera with me the last time I was at Cafe by the Ruins, this time, I fully took advantage of my new s95. Which is like, only the BEST, most value-for-money camera the world has ever seen. Ever. It's portable, light, easy to use (virtually idiot-proof), takes great photos, and has a long camera life. I am in love with it.

Enjoy the photos! :)

So this is the entrance....

Vicky Clemente's MAMA'S TABLE, Baguio

Chef Vicky Clemente was a banker who, at 50, decided to follow her true passion (la vie culinaire-- did I just murder the language?) and took up the appropriate cooking classes at some fancy shmancy French culinary institute abroad. She now does private degustations for guests in her own beautiful home. I'm not the type to be impressed by houses (it's a rare occasion that I visit a house or hotel that leaves me truly awestruck) but I was definitely impressed by hers! It had so much PERSONALITY in it, and it evoked a lazy, eccentric, old-rich feeling. It was EXTREMELY high-ceilinged with ENORMOUS windows. The best part was the sofas-- print on print on print! Not to mention they were on Indian rugs. It is one of the most beautiful houses I've ever been to.

My beloved sofas

There was also a fireplace, and a pretty tree with tinsel on it (reminded me of my grandmother, who thoroughly exalted the merits of tinsel), and a beautiful garden outside, absolutely full of hydrangeas and other darling flowers...

Cafe by the Ruins, Baguio

My mom claims that she is the oldest longest patronizing (what? please correct my grammar) customer of Cafe by the Ruins, and I do think there is a bit of truth in that. I remember eating at Cafe by the Ruins whenever we'd go up to Baguio. As a child, I did not understand the concept of rustic decor and thought it was a dirty place (probably because I associated the ambience with other dirty places?) but I've grown to love it more with each visit, and have come to look forward to it.

So here's what we had:

Mushrooms and chives stuffed wantons served with mango chutney