Cavite has long been known as a place of historical and cultural background. But aside from these destinations, a myriad of adventures for the palate can also be discovered thanks to its bountiful natural food resources found just within its boundaries and neighboring provinces.
From the numerous food stops in the uplands of Tagaytay City to the vast farms and unique destinations tucked in Silang among others, it does not come as a surprise why Cavite’s tourism is alive even amidst this pandemic.
Farmer’s Table
Farmer’s Table is a refuge for people who are craving for delectable and healthy food. It features farm-to-table recipes that capitalize in giving guests a plethora of tasteful and enjoyable bites without the guilt. Here, food is treated as medicine where guests feel nurtured in every bite.
One of its bestsellers is broccoli and cauliflower in spicy buffalo sauce with blue cheese dip. It can be a huge hit not only for vegans but also for those who are not into vegetables—they can give in in just a bite.
This al fresco dining restaurant is located inside the expansive Nurture Wellness Village. For years, the place takes pride in being one of the movers of medical tourism and wellness in the country.
According to owner Cathy Turvill, Nurture Wellness Village in its entirety takes away the fear in treatment and medication—a common scenario where one is in the four corners of a medical facility such as a hospital. It also takes pride as a health and wellness center where one arrives in the place greeted with nature’s abundance while being checked upon by medical staff right at the comforts of their cozy rooms.
Siglo Modern Filipino
Siglo Modern Filipino takes you through centuries of Filipino cuisine, back in the time where Spaniards colonized the country and brought diverse culinary influence present up to this day. Today, the restaurant features bestsellers of the archipelago through heirloom ingredients from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Food adobo lovers, Siglo’s Pinayadobo Lagitik is a must-try, a home-tyle version of pork belly with sweet Tagaytay pineapple and eat it along with laing tulingan, or their native bulalo. A healthier option is the Farmer Salad, a home-style version of Tagaytay’s season harvested vegetables.
Siglo Pika Bites is a feast of pika-pika appetizers—laing dinamita, tinapa roll, shanghai, and dynamites perfect for sharing.
After a heavy meal, a couple of steps away within the vicinity is Siglo Brew. It is the only café within Tagaytay City that offers single-origin coffee. To date, the cafe serves eight single-origin coffee sourced directly from coffee farmers in the country. Craft beers and a selection of sweet offerings are also available.
Shambala Silang
While Tagaytay has long been enjoying the spotlight of being a great weekend getaway spot with the scenic Taal volcano at the backdrop, Silang is slowly rising to take its own rightful place.
Shambala Silang is a haven of tranquility for people who love art, culture, heritage, and of course—food.
Named after a mythical Himalayan kingdom, Shambala Silang is an inviting place to be one with nature. You can stay for a night and rest in one of its authentic and indigenous Cordilleran huts tucked amidst the area’s lush vegetation, flowers, and bushes. If one is just visiting for a day, a tour around a rich collection of art at Tawid Gallery is a must where one can learn about the culture and heritage of the Philippines.
Of course, a visit to this place is not complete without the food. One has to taste their very own Manok sa Dilaw, bulalo, and many other delectable offerings through al fresco dining from the day ‘till night.
Gourmet Farms
Gourmet Farms is the first organic farm in the Philippines. From two hectares of land with lettuce and culinary herbs in the ‘80s, it expanded to 12 hectares of a vast organic farm, manufacturing plant, and roasting facility today.
When dropping by Gourmet Farms, one can be enticed by the smell of fresh coffee beans from its commercial roasting facility. It churns 150 tons of roasted coffee a month, making it one of the best coffee traders in the country.
Aside from gourmet coffee blends and teas, people line up to taste pasta and pizza from The Dining Room. Make sure to buy yourself their bestseller coffee buns you can bring back home.
Kain Na! Food and Travel Festival
According to Marites T. Castro, Officer-in-Charge of the DOT IV-A, the province of Cavite holds great potential in food tourism in this pandemic. As the DOT reboots tourism, it includes food adventures and experiences in its tourism circuits within the region.
Some of these food tourism hubs were showcased in the Department of Tourism’s recently concluded Kain Na! Food and Travel Festival in Tagaytay City from December 9-12, 2021. The event showcased distinct flavors from various regions, including CALABARZON. More than 10 physical booths were mounted at Ayala Mall Serin for a four-day showcase of delectable cuisine and local products.
With the theme “Traveling Flavors,” the festival looks back on the quincentennial celebrations in the Philippines, highlighting Galleon Trade which facilitated the meeting and melding of eastern and western flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques that are still practiced up to this day and has helped shape the local food scene.
Kain Na! Food and Travel Festival is part of the DOT’s continued efforts to bring back tourism in the country and highlights local food that Filipinos and even international visitors can keep coming back for.