I often go to Batangas to visit my father and our small farm. And if I can and my husband grudgingly oblige, I go to the beach which nowadays seems to be a dream. Wandering around Batangas, these are two restaurants I discovered and love to order in when I’m there. They offer good food comparable and sometimes better than some restaurants in Manila. Given that my inner foodie was partly influenced by my Lola’s cooking in Ibaan, Batangas, it is not surprising to find other food haunts in other parts of Batangas.
Antonio’s Kitchen in Rosario, Batangas
It is a small restaurant along the national road connecting Ibaan and Rosario, near Maquiling Depot. We discovered it one time coming from an idyllic weekend in Laiya. We were looking for a restaurant to eat in during the lunch hours but that time many fastfood parking were full. Before the pandemic, Antonio’s had a parking space at the back which had a carwash. But now, though they accept dine-ins for locals and we were invited inside, we still opted to order take-out and park somewhere to eat.
Anyway, I’ve always liked Antonio’s Kitchen’s version of chicken curry. It had fried chicken breast cooked in turmeric and coconut milk. The chicken was cooked well, a little crispy on the outside and it was well-seasoned. I liked their sauce which had a subtle turmeric flavor that was not overpowering. My son love ordering this dish and I also order this often.
Another thing I liked is their version of fresh lumpia or fresh spring roll. It was a delight because the vegetables tasted fresh and crunchy. Inside Antonio’s own lumpia wrapper is a bed of thinly sliced carrots, ubod and other greens and I think some apples too because it had that sweet crunch to it then topped with chopped peanuts.
Aside from the food, what I liked during this take-out meal was how they prepared for curbside ordering. For convenience, they placed all the take-out orders in a carton that you could put on your lap. They also provided plastic utensils, straws and thoughtfully even plastic gloves if you need it. That’s customer service.
For drinks on this take-out, I ordered their strawberry shake and the owner proudly told me that it was made with real strawberries. I believe so because you can really taste the authentic strawberry flavor.
Aside from the dishes we ordered for take-out, Antonio’s Kitchen have other dishes in their kitchen arsenal that are also carefully prepared and well-flavored. Their ambiance inside may look like dining in someone’s else’s home but they have leveled-up home-cooking to a more upscale kind of food preparation. So whenever I want to eat something sumptuous or maybe some fine dining type of food near Ibaan, I often go to Antonio’s Kitchen, it’s a gem amidst the bustling cacophony of cars, jeeps and buses on the national road.
Lucia’s by BLN in Lipa, Batangas
We were out looking for flowering plants in Lipa when we chanced upon this restaurant. Who will not be beckoned by the bright yellow cosmos flowers at the entrance and the rustic country ambiance of the place? And I’m glad the food did not disappoint.
The seared salmon with mashed potatoes is something I would order again. It was well-cooked, no aftertaste and it was seasoned well. Paired with freshly made mashed potatoes, I liked that it had this some kind of texture which meant that it did not come from a box. It was also embedded with a little garlic and some herbs which I also liked. The salmon also came with grilled vegetables and a slice of lemon. Just a squeeze of lemon on your salmon and you get this burst of refreshing flavor. It is a healthy and tasty alternative if you want a lighter meal other than fastfood.
Meanwhile, my son loves their pork ribs which was so tender that it can fall off the bone. Its barbecue flavor has seeped well into the meat resulting into a delightful combination of soft and tangy flavors. Small chunks of corn on the cob also accompanied the ribs providing a fresh contrast to the barbecued meat.
We don’t usually dine out during the pandemic and it is only when we go to Lucia’s that we want to because it is open air. We don’t mind that it is without aircon as the artistic décor more than compensates for it and they offer curated meals too. I can say that nowadays it is a treat just sitting there in Lucia’s especially after a long trip and numerous days of being holed up at home. Feeling the warm air outside and seeing colorful flowers on its roadside make you feel hopeful that better days are coming.
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