The Hags of Beans

http://bagofbeanstagaytay.net/

Close your eyes.  Imagine that you are in Tagaytay.  Feel the cool breeze of the night touching your skin.  Then, the air suddenly gets infused with the aroma of freshly baked bread.

That was exactly what we experienced outside Bag of Beans in Tagaytay.  As if the world stopped and we just want to be lost in that moment forever. It was a few seconds of nirvana.

Happee Bride handing Senyorito Lakwatsero a butterfly

Last Sunday, 9-1-1, Yaya was a secondary sponsor at the wedding of her long-time friend, Happee Bride.  The ceremony was at Caleruega in Nasugbu and the reception was at a hotel in Tagaytay. We - Driver, Mayordoma and Senyorito Lakwatsero - saw this as opportunity for another food trip.  So, we volunteered to be Yaya's assistants.

It was almost dark when we reached the reception venue from the church because aside from the distance between the two places, Yaya sort of pointed the group at the wrong direction.  Navigation talent must really run in the blood.  Yaya and Mayordoma are real-life sisters (if you have been reading this blog from the start, you will know the significance of the navigation aspect).  Anyway, while Yaya was attending to her secondary sponsor duties at the reception, Driver, Mayordoma and Senyorito Lakwatsero set out for Bag of Beans.

Freshly baked raisin bread

Bag of Beans is known for its Raisin Bread.  This is Tagaytay's version of the famed bread from Baguio Country Club. This was actually the purpose of our visit to Bag of Beans - to buy raisin breads. But since it was already dark, we  decided to have dinner as well.

It was our first time to dine at the place since we're only used to buying bread at their bakeshop. So we really didn't know what to expect. 

The dining area has a garden set up with a little whimsy in it. The wait staff were very courteous and attentive.  When we looked at the menu, it was a little bit pricey especially their steaks (blame it on the Tender Bob's factor - read earlier blogs to understand). There was really nothing fancy in their menu.   If you're familiar with Pancake House, they have similarities in the selection.  What makes them different is their selection of dessert and savory pies.

Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes

Drive ordered Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes (said to be one of their bestsellers), Mayordoma - Beef Tapa Filipino Breakfast, and Senyorito Lakwatsero - Cheeseburger with Fries.  When our orders arrived, we took back our initial opinion that their meals were pricey.  The servings we got were very generous.  One order can be shared by two (not so hungry) people.  Even Senyorito Lakwatsero's order which was a Kiddie Meal was already good enough for one hungry adult. Taste-wise, Driver said that her order was much better than the roast beef she had some blogs back.  For Senyorito Lakwatsero, so long as there's fries, he's happy.  For Mayordoma, the beef tapa was filling but could use a little tweaking to make it more savory and it wouldn't hurt to make it a little more tender.

As foodies, we believe that a food trip should not only be about the food but the total experience which includes the quality of service and the ambiance. We don't mind paying a steeper price if a restaurant can provide all three. After all, whether restaurants admit it or not, these aspects are factored-in in the price. Did we hear somebody say overhead? Overall, we'd recommend Bag of Beans especially for those who want to enjoy a meal away from the maddening crowd.  They provide both quality meals and quality time. 

But here's what's ironic, we were already on our way home when we realized that we went to a coffee shop but did not even order coffee!!! Duh, the place is not called Bag of Beans for nothing.  Well, there's always a next time.