A Secret Garden in Baguio

I could not have picked a more appropriate name for this small eatery hidden in the folds of the hills of Paterno St. in Baguio City.

The nondescript sign said "Secret Garden", and was flanked on one side by an equally nondescript banner saying "Pizza, Pasta & More".

However just three steps past the sign revealed a lovely and picturesque scene...tents covering two tables in a lush garden, overlooking a small valley and mountainside, leading to a pebbled walk that in turn unveiled a quaint room made of wood, bamboo, and glass, scented with pine, and surrounded by little touches of whimsy.

Because the sign boasted of their pizza and pasta, we decided to order a four cheese pizza and two vongole pastas, plus a romaine salad.  Libation of choice was strawberry smoothie sans ice...  As you can see, we were very much carried away by the culinary choices the Pine City was famous for....

The romaine lettuce in the salad was crisp and crunchy, and went well with the slivers of grapes, strawberries, carrots, turnip, cucumber, and tomato tossed with it, and topped with a thick homemade dressing of mayonnaise with just the hint of mustard and garlic.

The pizza was unbelievable! The crust was thin, but not burnt...and the generous portions of cheeses were a delight to savor.

The vongole had just the right amount of spice, neutralizing whatever fishy taste shellfish might have had, mixed with noodles that were truly al dente, right to the bite, not at all soggy.

But the best treat of all was the strawberry smoothie. Made from a cupful of fresh strawberries, enhanced with just a smidgen of sugar and a dash of fresh milk, it was such a tasty experience.  It was by far the best proof that we were enjoying the city of Pines for real.

The prices were not unreasonable: pizzas came in two sizes and two prices, 12" and 8" varieties.  The pasta came in huge platters meant for sharing, ditto with the salad.  Perhaps the general quality of the food and the friendly prices were the reason why most of the guests were young, with it hipsters, whose tastes are fickle and budgets limited.

And on this evening, the penultimate night of the floral festival or the Panagbenga, fireworks suddenly erupted and exploded into a kaleidoscope of color in the chilly night air, providing a fiery yet fabulous landscape to dine by.

With Baguio city seemingly shrinking in the face of increasing population, traffic, and cars, the "Secret Garden" provided a pleasant respite, and constituted a good find in this gourmand's search for culinary and dining discoveries!