Friday night was made to be a slow one with a simple dinner plan and DVD night.  Little did I know that the dinner would hype me up.  We always see the Sanctuario Tagaytay restaurant whenever we are in Metrowalk.  I have always made a mental note to eat here but never gotten around to it.  My officemate Karen Z mentioned this restaurant a few times because her boyfriend John really raves about their arroz caldo.  I am not a fan of arroz caldo but it piqued my interest that an arroz caldo can actually have that effect on someone.  I can only deduce that the restaurant must be something.

You step into a quaint restaurant surrounded by deep red walls.  There are about 8-9 wooden tables that can comfortably accommodate 30 people.  The wooden benches are unique pieces of furniture that carries with it an Asian charm.  Throw pillows with flower designs and the dim lights make for a chill back atmosphere.  One wall is decorated with golden peacocks and grapes metal fixtures.  A few photos of their dishes hang on the wall.  A red lamp in one corner, three roosters on 1 ledge and an Indian head on another completes the look.  The door of their kitchen is the traditional brown oak swinging doors with a peephole.  A small duck is amusingly perched on top of the door.

Sanctuario becomes a hotspot lounge on Fridays when the after-work crowd kicks off the weekend with good food.  There were only two tables free when we came in for our 9pm dinner.  A lady approached us and sweetly offered their table (used by her family) as she saw my nose crinkled at our table location.  Actually, I really had sniffles that day, allergy of some sort.  I gently declined and said we were okay with our table.  When one of the larger tables got vacated, right on cue, we were transferred to a more comfortable location. 

Operation hour is Monday-Saturday 11am to 11pm, while Sunday 9am-11pm.  Sanctuario is located in Metrowalk near Pancake House.  This Sanctuario Tagaytay apparently is an extension branch of the one in Tagaytay, which I learned from the owner. 

On the Table:

Hot Chocolate P60

Bubba was surprised that this was served in an espresso cup.  He enjoyed every slurp that had pieces of chocolate powder reminiscent to chocnut texture.

Sanctuario Pate Platter P120

5 kinds of pate sliced like mini-cheesecakes: roasted garlic and cheese, liver pate, quezo, salted egg and smoked bangus with cream cheese.  Delectable pates.  I especially liked the roasted garlic and cheese combo that had a good hint of garlic but not too pungent.  I also loved the quezo pate, which tasted like keso de bola with bits of pimiento and the smoked bangus that blended well with cream cheese.  Salted egg pate was something new to try and was also likeable as the saltiness of the egg is contrasted against the sweetness of sun-dried tomato and olive oil.  

Pan de Sanctuario P25

Single serving means 4 pieces of their soft warm medium-sized pandesal.  Freshly baked!  I’ve heard people rave about their raisin bread so that’s a definite must try next time!

Adobo Tostado P145

Chicken adobo stripped, similar to adobo flakes but with more meat into it.  Deep fried to a crisp and served with egg, diced tomato with bagoong and rice fried in its sauce.  It wasn’t salty and the crispy flakes are not too frail that it crumbles.  It’s chunky but crispy.  Just as I was getting a tad bored with my conversation with the adobo, the sweet and spice of the bagoong tells me a different story that perked my interest.  The rice could use a little more soy flavor but overall, I was a happy eater.

Bulalo Pasta P280

This is the house specialty.  I wanted to order Lamb chops since I was craving for one.  The combination and name made us hesitate in ordering it but the adventure eater in us won and we gave it a go –I am so glad that we did.  The pasta was good but it was the bulalo that took the spotlight.  Meat was so lovingly tender (yes, I know it sounds like a song) and exploded with flavors.  Bubba frowns at me as I ate the bone marrow.  Yes, that soft yellow jelly substance, which is the crowning jewel of a bulalo.  That gave me a rush –a tingling feeling at the back of my neck.  Ooooh.  Maybe it’s only high blood *shrugs* I don’t know.  As Original Sin quotes, “Live a short life… but an exciting one.”

Right from the start, diners can easily fall in love with the attractive Oriental décor and refreshingly imaginative cuisine.  A third ingredient of Sanctuario’s success is the inviting atmosphere.  Part owner Carol Reyes greets every patron with genuine pleasure and is quick to turn newcomers into friends.

Of course the real star at Sanctuario Tagaytay remains to be the food.  The menu emphasizes fresh ingredients, used simply to let the flavors come through. 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/442/08_0516-_Sanctuario_Tagaytay