Bag of Beans in Twin Lakes, Tagaytay, Batangas
When we visited Twin Lakes in Tagaytay, we were expecting to find interesting line-up of restaurants. We really wanted to try something uniquely "Tagaytay", so what we did was to browse the entire vicinity in search of a good restaurant. Surprisingly and disappointingly, the food scene seemed "dry". Hence, we ended up in Bag of Beans, as the sole viable option.
Twin Lakes sounds "grand" which is why my sister was lured to pick this as our destination. However, when we were scanning the restaurants, nothing seemed to have stirred curiosity. Hmmm, actually there was one, Bagoong Club. We were supposed to dine there, but upon careful observation, we learned that they were short-staffed. To avoid disappointment, we went to Bag of Beans instead.
Also, most of the restaurants there are easily found in Metro Manila. Then again, I realized that the target customers are not tourists but rather locals which happen to be far away from the Metro. Setting aside my selfish desires, I guess Twin Lakes is a nice place to pick.
The interior of this particular Bag of Beans had this old-fashion appeal brought about by the wooden flooring, furniture and ornaments. Lighting was dimmed creating a cozy atmosphere.
For this particular visit, which fell on a Saturday on a long weekend, we needed to wait not less than 30 minutes for us to be seated. It's full house, and servers are scurrying up, down, left, right basically everywhere. With consideration of the surge of tourists, I readied my patience, and thankfully it worked.
Dishes here are mostly Filipino, though blended with some Pizza and Pasta plus some other American comfort food. However, based on what I heard from friends and fellow bloggers, it's the line-up of Filipino dishes that is noteworthy.
Each of us ordered a personal dish, though they let me have a bite of theirs, so that I can have something to write about.
The Homemade Meatloaf (P280) was one of the "visually enticing/curiosity-stirring" dish we had for the night. However, it deviated from my initial expectation of something soft and tender as I took a bite. Overall, it still was interesting, and I'd recommend it due to its considerable uniqueness.
The Garlic Longganisa (P265), which is my personal order, was perhaps the most noteworthy dish I had for the night. It may look overly simplistic on the eyes, but I certainly enjoyed the harmonic blend of garlic in the meat and the subtle sweetness that appealed to my sweet tooth. It's a classic not to be overlooked.
The Beef Steak Tagalog (P395) happened to also be a lackluster due to the lack of tenderness. The taste still captures the "classic bistek", but I'd rather go for the tapa, if you'll be picking beef.
The Baby Back Ribs (P495) was perhaps the weakest link among all that we tried for the night. The sauce didn't have that zing (no smokey taste). I'd suggest you skip this.
The Beef Tapa (P325) had a traditional goodness capturing that classic blend of asim-saltiness with some subtle sweetness of envelope the buds.
Bag of Beans - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings reflect my personal experiences on the times I dine here.
| Ambiance: | ★★★★★ |
| Taste: | ★★★☆ |
| Service: | ★★★☆ |
| Price/Value: | ★★★★ |
| Budget: | at an average of P400 each for a personal donburi or udon dish |
Bag of Beans still is one of the restaurants wherein you'll have a "safe" experience. You are assured of great ambiance, and comforting dishes (normally capturing the classic goodness). Service may fluctuate depending on your timing, but generally you'll see how they are constantly trying to keep up with the demand.
My personal favorites here in this restaurant are Garlic Longganisa and Homemade Meatloaf.
Bag of Beans
Location: Twin Lakes Shopping Village, Dayap Itaas, Laurel, Batangas
Service Charge: 10% before VAT
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