Amanda Virrey
Taza Fresh Table Restaurant
Food tripping in Tagaytay is like eating up in the clouds, floating about your senses with absolutely no thought to an end.
That with a mere mention of Bulalo, can bring you back to Tagaytay, in an instant or mushroom burger, or prime steak, or brunch buffet, or a cup of native hot chocolate with freshly baked buko pie.
Now with a growing awareness on organic, sustainable and locally sourced food produces, you could rely on a number of restaurants in Tagaytay to utilize the cool-dry temperature for their own organic garden and nourish you with the best quality of food for your body, mind and soul.
One such restaurant is Taza Fresh Table Restaurant at Taal Vista Hotel.
Taza, meaning ‘fresh’ in Arabic, is a digestible art of international cuisine, crafted with the best and the freshest ingredients in the country.
Internationally trained Filipino Chef Jayme Natividad gets his inspiration in creating Taza’s menu from local suppliers. He sources duck from Pateros, lobster from Iloilo, tuba vinegar from Quezon, coffee beans and black rice from Negros Island, dairy products from Rizal, mangoes from Cebu, and fresh herbs and vegetables from Taal Vista’s Organic Garden.
With these ingredients, Chef Jayme takes meticulous preparations in slow-cooked meals, handmade pasta, brick oven-baked pizza, made-from-scratch sauces and dips, and garden-fresh herbs and vegetables.
Taza’s Menu boasts a mouthwatering list of international dishes.
You could start with Mezze or assorted dips like Ricotta, Hummus, Tabouleh, Boquerones, Babaganoush, Olive Tapenade, Chorizo with Garlic, Sautéed Chicken, Liver and Garlic Confit, and Spinach with Bacon Jam, served with flat bread.
Follow up with Cream of Kale and Spinach Soup or Taza Salad with quinoa, dried mangoes, fresh garden vegetables and herbs. Both of these dishes are light and filling yet ingeniously delicious.
Where pizza is baked thin and with the finest toppings, then have a Vegetarian Pizza or the Pizza Sampler with four different flavors to enjoy.
Favored by Italians, Taza’s pasta dishes are truly delectable in every bite, like the creamy Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli or a savory dish of Pork Cheeks Ravioli.
As for protein-rich food, a flavorful dish of Sole A La Meuniere on a bed of green beans and dried fruits, Tomahawk Pork Chop or Pan-Grilled Chicken to pair with organic black rice and delectable Iloilo Prawns are perfect treats for lunch.
When your sweet craving ignites, a Molten Chocolate Cake topped with Homemade Pinacolada Ice Cream, a coffee-tasting Napoleon cold cake or a serving of homemade ice cream creations like Olive Oil, Queso and Pinacolada would do you very good.
While brunch overlooking Taal Lake sounds romantic, you could count on Taza to quell the fire that’s burning inside of you and your partner.
You could order from the A La Carte Menu, be it Steak and Eggs, Eggs Benedict, Southern Fried Chicken Served with Waffles, French Toast or Omelette.
As romantic as it gets, the buffet offers a tantalizing display of food, including seasoned fresh fruits and fresh juices, assorted cheeses and cold cuts, yogurt, cereals, assorted breads with assorted homemade jams, Taza Salad, Kale Salad, Pizza (Margherita, Four Cheese, Salsa Verde with Pancetta), Papardelle Caccio Pasta with pepper, Tomahawk Pork chop, Homemade Bacon and Desserts such as Molten Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Bean Custard, Olive Oil Ice Cream, and Cannoli with Ube Ricotta and Langka Cream.
Complementing Taza’s mouthwatering cuisine is the restaurant’s refreshing design, which is highlighted with white color and glass walls to give diners a pleasing view of Taal Lake.
Thus, a return to this delicious galley is a promise to unfold when the bottomless pit of this writer’s blissful belly renders a space for these delicious and heavenly creations.
TAZA is open for Lunch and Dinner Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, closed on Tuesdays, and is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
TAZA Fresh Table Restaurant is located at Taal Vista Hotel along Kilometer 60, Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City 4120 Philippines. For inquiries and reservations, please call +63 (2) 917-8225, +63 (46) 413-100 or +63 0917 809-1254. Stay connected with Taal Vista Hotel at , on Facebook (facebook.com/taalvistahotel), and on Twitter (@taalvistahotel).
