When traveling to Tagaytay for the weekend, be prepared for a gastronomic trip. It would be good though to plot in advance the places you would want to go to for a real sumptuous meal in order to optimize your brief vacation.
One restaurant that stands out is Ribchon. It is located along Mahogany Avenue, the go-to food district of locals, a few meters off the ridgeview of Tagaytay.
Ribchon, as the name connotes, is ribs and lechon combined. The ribs of the lechon, in the same way as the popular Filipino pork roast, are deeply marinated in herbs and spices and spit-roasted over charcoal for many hours at a time.
While the Ribchon, Baby Back Baboy in itself is the bestseller of the restaurant, countless others in the menu are likewise worth the try, not just by meat lovers, but also pescatarians and vegetarians. As co-owner and executive chef Tristan Bayani reveals, “everything on the menu moves”.
With his passion for fusion, Chef Tristan’s menu is predominantly original fusion and the rest are purely traditional. Take for instance, the Okoy Salad, shrimp and veggie fritters rendered into a salad with homemade Tanglad (lemongrass) oil, yet it is also available through its traditional version of finger-foodie fritters, called Ribchon Okoy Bites. He also offers Oyster Sisig, breaded oysters sauteed with mixed vegetables and spices, served with fresh egg on a sizzling pan, as well as its original pork version, Sisig.
As there are still a handful of mains and desserts to delight in at Ribchon, the restaurant, you might as well allot a couple of hours for your meal in order to truly enjoy and digest every bite of every dish. Its ambience is also notably relaxing, amid the spacious dining area, comfy furniture and dedicated staff to serve you, whilst transforming a simple meal into a celebratory feast.
Other dishes to include in this feast are Bangus Belly-Stuffed Laing, pan-fried milk fish filled with gabi leaves that’s slowly simmered in coconut milk, and Poqui Poqui, homestyle longganisa wrapped in veggie omelet, which is makes for a filling brunch before heading down to Manila.
And if you love red meat, you will definitely have a blast with their Bulalo Steak, roasted bone marrow, Crispy Beef Steak Kare-Kare, Lechon Paksiw and Ribchon Baka or the white meaty Ribchon Manok, charcoal roasted with Tanglad oil, which go well with beer, if you drink alcohol. Other oils and sauces that are available to match these meat dishes are Chef Tristan’s own Kapeng Barako and Beer Barbecue Sauce.
Ribchon’s traditional dishes are also a favorite among diners, especially the famous Batangas Bulalo stew, Classic Kare-Kare stewed oxtail and veggies in peanut sauce and Sinigang na Salmon Belly sa Miso, which are all great to warm the belly during this chilly season in Tagaytay.
The desserts are definitely not to be skipped, given the myriad of sweet options on the menu, such as Ube Ganache with Butterscotch, Strawberry Creme Brulee Cake, and the bestselling specialty Bibingka Cheesecake. Of course, traditional sweet endings are also on offer, like Halo-Halo and Leche Flan. They also have sweet beverages like fresh tropical Fruit Shakes and Gulaman.
With regard to the dining area, Ribchon has indoor and outdoor, either native huts at the garden area or al fresco style to accommodate even your pets. The entire space is great for holding events, as well, considering their vast parking space and regularly attended water closets.
So, the next time you decide to come to this highland and see Taal Volcano, you now have one more restaurant to give you a unique dining experience in Tagaytay.
Ribchon is located at Mahogany Avenue, Tagaytay City. Contact them at 0916 687 1568 or look for them on fb and IG through @ribchonph.
