Dekada Historical Filipino Cuisine Opens at Royale Parc Tagaytay
There’s a new restaurant in Tagaytay that takes guests on a culinary journey through Philippine history. Dekada elevates authentic Filipino dining with their interpretation of well-loved local dishes named after heroes and historical events. I had a chance to dine at Dekada during my recent stay at the Royale Parc Hotel Tagaytay (Read: Royale Parc Hotel Tagaytay Reopens With New Refreshing Design) and I was really happy to find this new Tagaytay discovery.
Dekada is the in-house Filipino restaurant of Royale Parc Hotel, which is located along the main Tagaytay-Nasugbu highway along the popular Tagaytay ridge. It is open daily from 7am to 10pm and is available for both hotel and walk-in guests. I knew the name sounded familiar because apparently, they have another branch located in Glorietta, Makati, but the gentle breeze and the Tagaytay weather makes this experience much more memorable.
Dekada is actually a franchised brand from the same group that operates SumoSam restaurant. Here, classic and contemporary tastes merge well together. The restaurant’s interior features traditional and modern elements – wood and capiz create a nostalgic atmosphere while industrial finishes and pop artworks of Filipino heroes give it a touch of the present.
Aside from the ambience, its location also plays a role in its culinary offerings. As Tagaytay is known for its abundance of local produce, guests can expect to feast on freshly prepared dishes made with ingredients that came straight from the local market.
Filipino pride and history is prevalent throughout the restaurant, so diners really get a sense of being part of Philippine pop culture and tradition.
A take out counter is also available for those who want to get some pastries to bring back to Manila or some beverages on the go.
Guests staying at Royale Parc Tagaytay have their complimentary buffet breakfast here at Dekada. There’s a wide selection of breakfast favorites like tocino, sausages, eggs, chicken adobo, fruits and juices.
I enjoyed my breakfast at Dekada, but we will also be having our lunch here later, so I made sure I still had space for more. I went back to my room to relax the rest of the morning and before I knew it, it was time for lunch!
Dekada’s walk down Philippine history starts with Lumpiang Palabok – a bite-sized palabok wrapped in rice paper with grilled mahi-mahi. This is inspired by Antonio Pigafetta’s first account of the Spaniards’ visit to the Philippines when they were served roast mahi-mahi with rice wrapped in leaves. Fresh greens are also abundant in the highland city – and Dekada makes use of these through their “Ensaladas de Alianza” which refer to the first alliances of the Filipinos and Spaniards, inspired by the best regional flavors. The Legazpi (Sinuglaw Salad), hails from Cebu and Davao with its tanigue and smoked liempo, finished off with Davao’s pomelo and sinamak vinaigrette, a famous spiced vinegar from Iloilo.
Homenajes Arroz or Rice Tributes refer to the practice of offering rice to God as a token of gratitude for a good harvest, and Dekada’s rice options go beyond the usual with the Benedictino (Aligue and Alimasag fried rice), Franciscano (Dilis Rice), Dominicano (Adobo Rice), and Agustino (Bagoong Rice).
Dekada’s main dishes involve a short history lesson on the Sons of the Revolution which includes Del Pilar (chicken inasal), Aguinaldo (twice-cooked adobo), and Pinoy-style oven-roasted chicken named Ponce. Our special media lunch was served buffet style so we also got to try the General Chicken and Lechon Manok.
The Hukbalahan or pinakbet is another Filipino favorite that is part of our culinary tradition.
I really like the Tydings-McDuffie which had jumbo boneless bangus in chili garlic with soy glaze and onions.
You can also order the Crispy Pla Pla with its crunchy fillets dipped in toyo-mansi, or try the Kare Kareng Bagnet which is another recommended dish,
But the main highlight at our Dekada lunch was the sizzling bulalo steak named after National Hero Jose Rizal. This is made with Tagaytay’s freshest beef resulting in a very tender and flavorful steak dish.
All-day merienda fares like Pancit Palabok, Pancit Bihon, tokwa’t baboy, okoy, and palitaw are also available. So if you want to experience authentic Filipino dining that goes beyond the plate, visit Dekada Historic Filipino Cuisine at Royale Parc Tagaytay and enjoy a timeless culinary journey around the Philippines.
Dekada Historic Filipino Cuisine
Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Silang Junction West, Tagaytay City
