The restrictions have been disheartening during this pandemic. You can’t visit many places you want to without going through some testing. But nonetheless, before the restrictions began again, I’m glad to have re-visited Sonya’s Garden on one trip to Tagaytay. Honestly, I haven’t been in this place for more than 10 years. It was my first time to visit their bakery and a small store that carried their brand of hand soaps and bath soaps that were a delight to use.
Anyway, going back to Sonya’s Garden again was an experience especially their restaurant. Going inside, it was like being stepping into an oasis. Far from the heat outside, you step into a place with billowy white sheets above and chandeliers. It was non-aircon but it still felt cool because of the steady breeze of the wall fans. Noteworthy too are the crisp and embroidered table cloths which I love.
They had a set meal that was buffet in nature. You can order as many as you like and they bring it to you. But you can also order other viands like roasted chicken. So for starters, they brought out their fresh salad topped with edible flowers and a glass of dalandan juice. The salad was a combination of different greens and veggies sprinkled with nuts slightly doused in Sonya’s Garden dressing which was light and tasty. The dalandan juice was also refreshing on a sunny day.
A bread basket was also served. It contained different types of bread that were soft and freshly baked. With it came different spreads like kesong puti, anchovies sauce, olive tapenade, salsa and pesto. Among these spreads, I liked their pesto the most. Unlike the bottled ones which can be quite concentrated, their pesto was on the sweet side and didn’t have that hint of sharpness from the basil leaves or garlic which sometimes happen in pesto sauce. Maybe the presence of pine nuts helped temper and refine its flavor.
Meanwhile, my son liked their roasted chicken which was a separate order. It tasted like it was marinated in some kind of herb before it was roasted. And complementing the chicken was this gravy sauce that looked ordinary but had this savory taste. It tasted like the drippings of the roasted chicken and had this certain creaminess that was unlike the other chicken gravies I had before.
The main course was linguini with different sauces along with small portions of capers, olives, mushroom, parmesan cheese and also a plate of fried salmon pieces. Though the salmon was a bit dry for my taste I liked their fresh sundried tomatoes sauce. Because unlike the ones bought in grocery stores, this one lends certain sweetness to it like the pesto sauce and I surmised that it tasted that way because it was made with fresh ingredients like hand-picked tomatoes and basil.
But it doesn’t mean that their other sauces were not good because they also seem to know how to prepare savory sauces too like their chicken gravy and this white pasta sauce which may look creamy but not heavy at all. My husband who is not a fan of white sauces liked this version. Together with some linguini noodles and mushrooms, it was a hearty and healthy meal.
Lastly, for dessert, we had a small piece of brownie topped with another edible flower. Alongside it are tiny pieces of caramelized sweet potatoes and a small caramelized turon served with tarragon tea. It was a sweet and warm finish for this healthy meal.
As I’m writing this post, we are on lockdown again. Yes, this is a late post. I don’t know when the borders will open again. But I’m glad to have escaped the city for a while and indulged myself in the dreamy environment of Sonya’s Garden, their refreshing salads and their hearty plates of pasta.
