I’ve always wanted to see Lucban church after seeing it from afar one time we passed that town. When we finally had the chance to do so, we opted to have an early lunch in a restaurant that seems to be quite popular since we couldn’t get in the first time we went there, Kamayan sa Palaisdaan in Tayabas, Quezon.
Because it was before lunch, there were just a handful of customers in the restaurant. The staff had our temperature taken and our hands sanitized, we walked around to see where the best seats are in this open air ambiance. The restaurant was surrounded by water with koi fish and tilapia swimming about. I think they called this part Fisher’s Lake. There were also parts where you could dine with your feet were submerged in water. Maybe I’ll try that next time.
As we walked around, I noticed some paintings being sold by local artists. It was nice to see a touch of culture, artistry in such a beautiful setting. Then we saw this man-made waterfalls on the side of Fisher lake that made us curious. It was a three-tiered waterfall gushing profusely surrounded by trees, a relaxing sight especially when you’re from the city. And since it felt a little cooler on that side, we decided to get a table near it.
But there were limited waiters that time, too far to call somebody from that area. So I decided to order in the counter since a menu board was there too. I noticed many guests coming in already, good thing we came in early. While waiting, we busied ourselves taking pictures of the waterfalls while my son looked at the various fish in the pond. We barely had breakfast so when the food arrived, we were glad especially of its big serving.
Of course when you are in Quezon, one should try their pancit lucban. We had one mixed with different veggies and meat. Its noodles are unlike the other pancit noodles. It has its own unique texture, a little firmer than the others. The pancit flavor meanwhile has its own flavor that’s a little peppery and a bit robust. It is something to try when one visits the Quezon province.
The chicken tinola we ordered was served in a black claypot. The meat was tender and had this distinct “native” chicken taste unlike the ones you buy in groceries in the city. Maybe because it had this fresh flavor that I can’t explain. I just remember eating a “native” chicken like this one cooked in a farm that made me realize that it was different from the usual chicken. Accompanying it were green papaya slices that were tastier than the sayote slices which I usually mix in my tinola at home.
We also had their fried tilapia which expectedly tasted fresh since there were a lot of those swimming in the pond. Then I also had their steamed eggplant which came with brown bagoong. But I preferred my favorite calamansi and soy sauce dip which I usually pair with my steamed or fried eggplant.
We also had their ensalada, chopped green mangoes, tomatoes and onions with slices of salted egg and tiny bowl of sweet alamang. I usually order this kind of salad when I have fish or any other seafood. It not only adds to the “probinsya” feel of the entire meal but it is also appetizing.
And because I like grilled squid so we had those too. I liked that it was tender, not rubbery and had this smokey flavor. It tasted fresh too maybe because Quezon is also near the sea and have access to fresh seafood.
We didn’t have dessert because we were full already and had the leftovers to go. But I had their ripe mango shake so that my “dessert”. Sipping it while watching the waterfalls was quite relaxing. It’s not often you can dine beside a waterfall even if it’s man-made which makes this dining experience unique. And because each table is separate, this setting makes it ideal for social distancing while dining outside.
After lunch, we proceeded to our long awaited visit to Lucban church. It’s like going back in time which is why my family like visiting old churches and historical places. We also like buying souvenirs in places we visit and this time we bought some Lucban longganisa and woven bags near the church before heading home.
I’m glad I was given the chance to try out a new restaurant like Kamayan sa Palaisdaan and visit Lucban church, a church I’ve always wanted to visit even just for a day. It’s not often you can dine in a unique place with a touch of nature and culture and visit a place of worship full of history. There are still so many places to discover in our country, many restaurants to try so I hope as the pandemic wanes, we have more chances to do so.
