Sonya's Garden Tagaytay - Philippines

Hi Friends, as part of our holiday in the Philippines in 2012 we decided to also visit a cooler part of the country, Tagaytay. It is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations because of its outstanding scenery and cooler climate provided by its high altitude. Tagaytay overlooks Taal Lake in Batangas and provides one of the iconic views of the Philippines, the view of Taal Volcano Island in the middle of the lake, viewable from several vantage points in the city.

Tagaytay is relatively close to the capital city of Manila, only 55 km away via Aguinaldo Highway, providing an easy escape for the locals from the heat of the big city.

I'd like to share with you one of the Tagaytay's treasures, Sonya's Garden. We decided to go to Sonya's Garden just to see why it was so popular among the locals. We arrived after driving for quite a while, some of us entered to check out the menu which to our surprise was all vegetarian. But we thought oh well we drove all the way here so we might as well just try their meals and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. We were taken to the "Conservatory" which had lovely Filipino style decor and furniture, more like what our great grandparents homes would've looked like back in the day. They first served us their freshly squeezed dalandan juice then came the Garden Salad with a drizzle of Sonya's secret salad dressing then came the freshly baked bread with their home made dips and toppings. Next was the really yummy pasta and finally a beautiful variety of desserts. Oh the one thing that I really loved was the tarragon tea which was just what we needed after all the yummy, healthy food. See the menu from Sonya's Garden below. 

SET MENU FOR LUNCH AND DINNER

RATE: PHP 683 per person/Set (EAT ALL YOU CAN) 
Menu served in sit down style. 

INCLUSIONS:  

Garden Salad (create your own salad :) 

Our freshly picked lettuce and arugula are organically grown in our own greenhouses. Garnish them with a selection of fruits in season and an assortment of fresh flavors. Drizzle with Sonya’s Secret Salad Dressing or Balsamic vinegar/extra virgin olive oil and top with Parmesan cheese.

Bread  

Newly baked whole-wheat sesame bread from the Panaderia with an array of freshly made dips & toppings: basil pesto, white heese, anchovies, tomato salsa, mushroom pate, black olive tapenade, and fresh green peppercorn in olive oil.

Pasta  

Enjoy it two ways: red with tomatoes, garlic and onion simmered in olive oil and white with bits of chicken bubbling in cream and mango. Top with ratatouille, salmon belly, shitake mushrooms, black olives, capers and grated Parmesan cheese.

Dessert  

End your meal on a sweet note with glazed sweet potato (enjoy it with mint leaves), banana rolls with sesame & jackfruit, and the smashingly sinful homemade chocolate cake from the Panaderia.

Beverages  
Bottomless freshly squeezed dalandan (green mandarin) juice, tarragon tea and filtered water

After that really healthy and yummy lunch, we walked around the lush gardens just to see the real beauty of this place and to breath in all that fresh air.

Sonya's Garden has 3 restaurants, Spa, Panaderia, Bed and Breakfast and lots more. For more information, contact 63917532909 and a staff member will be able to help you.

Pictures courtesy of RMV Photography