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| My cheesy starter plate: cream cheese rolled in black pepper and garlic, kesong outi, edam, marinated black olives, raisins, walnuts, assorted cold cuts |
We arrived at the newly-opened Costa Pacifica Raintree resort just when the sun had started to show up its striking rays on the horizon. Check in was a breeze as we were welcomed and assisted by the friendly management and staff of the resort. Before going to our room, Pettina, the lovely F&B manager of the resort’s signature all-day dining restaurant, invited us for a hearty breakfast. Perhaps she could read our minds that we were already starving from the five hour no-stopover bus ride. =)
So we just freshened up in our beautiful Pacifica Suite and off we went to the Beach House. When we finally had our table near the buffet area, I was observing the layout and the design of the restaurant. It looks and feels familiar. Linear lines. Bubble lamps. Glass doors. And when Randy, the super accommodating resort manager, sat down with us, I was able to confirm my intuition: the restaurant, as well as the entire resort, was designed by no less than the architect Ed Calma. For some who doesn’t know him (I doubt if there is), he was the man behind the Mind Museum, among others.
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| The chic interiors of the Beach House |
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| Bubble lamps hanging all over the place |
Randy gave us a brief introduction about the property, and soon led us to the buffet area. We started with premium cheeses, nuts and cold cuts, of which, my favorites were the cream cheese rolled in black pepper and garlic, kesong puti (native white cheese made of carabao’s milk), feta, marinated black olives, and walnuts. I must say the cream cheese in spicy black pepper was a winner.
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| Assorted premium cheeses, raisins, and nuts |
There was also a bread and pizza station, where we were awakened by the aroma of freshly-baked breads by the wood-fired oven. The breakfast pizza was also good, especially when I combined it with a few slices of crispy bacon and sausages.
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| Bread and pizza station |
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| Breakfast pizza |
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| Sausage and bacon galore |
Costa Pacifica belongs to the Raintree Group – a league of restaurants that includes famous names like Museum Cafe. Kabila, Stella, Rocket Room, Chelsea, and Saboten, among others. That being said, the food here, whipped by top-caliber chefs, are sure to be nothing short of impressive. And I mean it. With Chef Kalel Chan at its helm, the food at the Beach House will definitely satiate your palate.
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| Waffles with the famous Baler peanut butter |
There was also a congee station complete with condiments: garlic, chives, furikake, chili sauce, patis (fish sauce), as well as tokwa’t baboy (tofu with pork usually served with vinegar and soy suace). I had a bowl which I topped with their sinful bagnet (crispy pork belly), tofu cubes, and tons of fried garlic and chives. To complete my hearty congee, I added drops of patis. This concoction actually garnered many likes on FB! Well, I couldn’t contain my excitement and posted this photo right away!
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| My special bagnet-tofu congee |
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| Condiments at the congee station |
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| Tokwa’t baboy |
The main courses include roasted tomatoes with basil, biniklad na dilis (crispy fried dried butterfly local anchovies), boneless bangus (milkfish), tocino, and rice. Outstanding was the biniklad na dilis which complemented my mushroom and cheese two-eggs omelet.
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| Mains |
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| Tomatoes and basil |
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| Biniklad na dilis |
I wonder where we can buy this kind of dried fish here? It’s super delicious! It’s not salty at all!
Fruit juices are also included in the buffet spread, so you can drown yourselves with fresh coconut water, or freshly-squeeze orange, pineapple, or watermelon juice. I had four glasses of coconut water on the rocks on the first day alone. It’s just so fresh and tempting to pass on!
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| Fresh fruit juices |
For dessert, there were some slices of watermelon (which by the way, are abundant in Central and Northeastern Luzon), oranges, and apples. Hubby, of course, indulged on his favorite watermelon, while I munched on the delectable suman de Baler dipped in peanut butter and coco jam. The combination was too die for. Better make sure you bring home some as it will definitely haunt you for days after leaving Baler.
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| Fruits and suman |
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| Suman de Baler, coco jam, peanut butter, kesong puti, edam, and raisins |
I also tried the breakfast pudding with vanilla sauce which also good.
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| Breakfast pudding |
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| Hubby’s watermelon slices |
And to cap off our hearty breakfast, we had freshly brewed Aurora coffee with chocnut (local chocolate infused with peanuts) on the side. I just love the idea of having my childhood favorite chocolate bar with my caffeine fix.
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| Freshly-brewed Aurora coffee with chocnut on the side |
Related Posts:
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80 Buton St, Sitio Labasin,
Barangay Sabang, Baler, Aurora, Philippines
106 Paseo de Roxas cor. Perea Street, Makati
caguilar@costapacificaraintree.com
tel (632) 576.4555 | fax (632) 893.2561
Special thanks to Mr. Randy Salvador,
Ms. Mela Sison, Mr. Sherwin Cruz,
and Ms. Pettina Mae Cruz for making
Travelogues by Matet Garcia-Reyes 