An Invigorating Lunch and Farm Tour at Gourmet Farms
With all the lockdowns and quarantine restrictions we have had in the last two years, it is really so refreshing to get out of Metro Manila once in a while. Tagaytay has always been the closest and most accessible destination for us city dwellers who long for the gentle mountain breeze, but I just discovered a new place where we can enjoy not just a healthy and bountiful lunch, but also go on a quick tour around the farm where the salads and produce actually comes from. It’s a Farm-To-Table dining experience like no other at the Gourmet Farms in Silang, Cavite.
You can find Gourmet Farms right along Km. 52 in Aguinaldo Highway, just a short distance before you reach the Tagaytay Rotonda. Most people know Gourmet Farms for their coffee and grocery items, but they actually started way back in the 1980′s when Ernest Escaler, the founder of Gourmet Farms and the father of the farm-to-table movement in the Philippines, established a roadside diner and farm produce depot along this highway. Now, Gourmet Farms has grown into a 12-hectare estate and is the largest herb grower in the country. So come with me as we explore this charming hidden sanctuary.
What was once just a roadside diner has now evolved into The Dining Room, a farm-to-table restaurant where Gourmet Farms showcases the best of its produce through Italian and Mediterranean dishes. Since they source their greens and vegetables just within the farm compound, diners know that they are getting the freshest items that are literally brought from the farm to their table. They are open everyday from 7:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays and 7:00am to 8:00pm from Fridays to Sundays.
With the influx of more hungry travelers who long for fresh air and the freshest ingredients, the al fresco dining area has been recently expanded to accommodate even more guests. But they also have in indoor dining area for those days when the weather might not be as cooperative.
In charge of the kitchen is Chef Ico Molera who has been with Gourmet Farms for the last 10 years. Mediterranean cuisine is known for involving a lot of vegetables, fruits, and grains in its list of ingredients, making freshness even more important.
My friends and I had a late lunch in Gourmet Farms one Saturday afternoon. We started with their Signature Cooler (P150), a Gourmet Farms original with herb-infused lemonade. The Banaba Iced Tea (P150) is also a great option. This is their version of iced tea using banaba herbal tea.
We also had a few glasses of cocktail to liven up our weekend. The Aperol Spritz (P300) comes with a bubbly combination of aperol, prosecco, and orange slices. I’m not really a coffee drinker, but it is highly recommended to get their coffee since Gourmet Farms is one of the country’s biggest importers with the capacity to roast 150 tons of specialty coffee every month.
Gourmet Farms is known to have introduced the first salad bar in the country, so it is only fitting that we start our lunch with a trip to their Salad Bar. They serve a variety of greens, fruits, vegetables, and home-made dressings which you can choose and customize yourself.
The mango vinaigrette dressing is very unique and popular so that is what I chose on my salad. The salad bar also comes with macaroni, hams, bacon, and other delightful options. It is priced at only P1 per gram.
If you prefer the chef to prepare your salad instead, then just choose any of their ready-made salads. The Mango di Rucola (P390) is an arugula salad with mango slices, prosciutto, blue cheese, cashew nuts, and doused with mango vinaigrette.
Gourmet Farms has a variety of pizza flavors on the menu as well. You can get a Pizza Rosse or Red Pizza like the Margarita (P460) with its tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese topped with a big burrata.
They also have several Pizza Bianche or White Pizza. The thin-crust pizza slices are great to share with the group, especially during these lazy Saturday afternoons.
I love eating pasta so I was really surprised with their Gnocchi al Forno (P390). This gnocchi is baked with blue cheese, turning it into very cheesy and pillowy bite-sized dumplings.
You can also try one of their risottos like the Al Fungi e Prosciutto (P390) with mushrooms, truffle cream, and prosciutto, or the Zucca con Salciccia (P390) made with pumpkin, sage, and Italian sausage.
For the main courses, one of my favorites was the Branzino alla Griglia (P1500). This is a grilled whole seabass from Batangas served with salsa verde. The meat was so tender and delicious. This can be shared by up to four persons or more.
Meatlovers can go for the Arrosto di Manzo (P500), a classic beef pot roast using locally sourced Tagaytay beef. This is comfort food that will satisfy any hungry diner.
Another meaty option is the Pancetta alla Griglia (P500). This grilled pork belly comes with a Roman garlic spread. I really enjoyed this tender and flavorful pork belly and I’m sure to order this again next time I visit.
For dessert, we had the pretty Panna Cotta (P250), a creamy Italian custard with espresso syrup. They have other interesting items like the Tiramisu, cheesecake, and even gelato for dessert so I also want to try those next time.
Guests can further enjoy the weekend vibe at The Dining Room at Gourmet Farms all Saturdays of November from 1:00pm to 6:00pm with retro music by DJ Cocoy Puyat. These all-vinyl sets are played on a vintage analog sound system with mostly classic tunes from the 80s. That’s why I suggest visiting them on a Saturday.
After our hearty lunch, it was time for us to burn those calories with a special VIP tour of Gourmet Farms, Inc. itself. Roldan Capito, Gourmet Farms Head of Marketing, took us on a short walking tour around the farm’s production facilities and the main farm itself.
We got to see where most of the produce at the restaurant actually comes from. These lettuce are raised and picked up right here at the farm then served at The Dining Room. Now that is what Farm-to-Table truly means.
My husband seems to think that this is still part of the Salad Bar so I had to remind him not to pick up the lettuce. Roldan also explained to us about the farming process and cycles. Different herbs are also grown inside the farm and you can really smell all the wonderful aromas when you get close to them.
Gourmet Farms used to offer this tour for the public for a small fee, but because of the pandemic, they now only show this part of the estate to special friends and certain groups. If you ask them in advance, they might just give in to your request.
Before we finished our trip, we made sure to drop by the Deli Gourmet to get some pasalubong and other items for the kitchen.
The shop offers several of their products including Gourmet Farms coffee, herbal teas, fresh produce, and even ready-to-eat items like Sinantolan and Dinuguan which I took home for myself.
We would like to thank Roldan Capito and Paolo Quimson, Gourmet Farms Director for Franchising, for taking time to show us around the Gourmet Farms estate. It’s really a refreshing change of scenery and a relaxing way to spend the weekend. Visit Gourmet Farms and enjoy this wonderful gift of nature.
The Dining Room at Gourmet Farms
Kilometre 52, Aguinaldo Highway, Lalaan 2, Silang, Cavite
Today's #DIYniNanay is a homemade coffee scrub! I ran out of @souvenirbuffet.eunoia Cream Scrub so I made something out of things I had lying around the house. Proportions were eyeballed but the ingredients were: ▪️2 bags of used Coffee Grounds (maybe a tablespoon or so? They came in bags from #GourmetFarms) ▪️Olive Oil ▪️Honey Smells divine! The benefits of Coffee includeh ☕Reduces Cellulite ☕Tightens and brightens skin ☕Reduces puffiness #WinForMe
These #GourmetFarms #LettuceChips are so yummy! Especially with their salsa and homemade cheese dip! Delicious! #ThankYou #LizzyTheLizardBear @taskusph
