RESTO RAVE: Fine dining at Antonio’s

Hey guys! So sorry I haven’t been posting much lately. I’ve been on an Idul Fitri break sort off. =) It’s the equivalent of Holy Week for us in the Philippines, where everyone goes back to their Kampung (provinces) and the city is so quite with no traffic at all. TD and I had a staycation and stayed home vegging and reorganizing. So here I am giving you a photoblog on one of the legendary restaurants of he Philippines… Antonio’s Tagaytay.

It’s embarrassing to say that last April was my first time to try Antonio’s. During our honeymoon 4 years ago, we tried to go for lunch only to find that it was closed. (We were naive enough not to call for reservations or we would have realized that they are closed every monday.) Talk about bad timing! So after the fabulous beach wedding weekend we attended in Batangas, a group of our foodie friends and I trekked the long way to Antonio’s! 

Antonio’s in Tagaytay City, has been included in the Asia’s Top 20 list since the Miele Guide was created in 2008. Currently Antonio’s is the Top 11 (and the only Philippine entry) in the Miele Guide. In 2010/2011 it was the top 5 on the said list, which covers 450 restaurants in 17 countries. The Miele Guide is Asia’s version of the Michelin Guide.

Situated on a beautiful one-hectare property a two-hour drive from Manila, Antonio’s is an elegant restaurant that purveys a dining experience where one is wont to feel like a personal guest of chef-owner Antonio Escalante. It could be the comfortable, lightfilled dining spaces, or perhaps the personable and experienced service, or the extensive menu that combines the best of imported Western ingredients with local produce, including crisp vegetables grown on the property. For a truly celebratory group feast, order the spanferkel one day in advance. This house speciality is a herb-and-potato stuffed boneless roast suckling pig that is carved at the table with aplomb and served with yummy trimmings such as homemade apple sauce.

We skipped lunch to prepare for this meal. It took us hours to get to Antonios from Batangas… we took the long and winding, adventurous route thanks to the GPS skills of Grace – my super fab and sexy foodie friend of Graey Eats Manila fame. It was worth it for sure. There was a little issue with the lamb rack (1 out of 3 wasn’t cooked well) but since this is the first time this happened after the many times that Grace has dined here and they didn’t charge us for it we didn’t let it dampen the mood. It was so much fun going to beautiful Antonio’s with my best girlfriends and their fiancés. 

If you are visiting Manila or if you have visitors from abroad, this is a good place to take them. Worth the long drive!

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ANTONIO’S RESTAURANT

• Purok 138, Barangay Neogan | Barangay Neogan, Tagaytay, Luzon, Philippines (An hour and a half drive from Manila depending on the traffic)
• 46.483.4847
• Hours:
  • lunch 11am – 2 pm
  • dinner 530 – 830pm
  • closed on Mondays
• Reservations
  • reservations can be made up to 2 months in advnce
  • 639178992866 or via onlie resrvation form
  • resrvations for more unique private dining events can be made one year in advance
• Attire is smart casual. No t-shirts and flip flops.