Our second day here in Quezon Province was unexpectedly more relaxing but still filling than what we've thought. And if our food discovery from the first day were more homey and comforting, these food finds that we had on the second day of Electrolux Discover-E Quezon Province leg, well, they are more of sophisticated or classy in a way that these are presented in "sossy" way. Hihihi.
After having a hefty breakfast at Queen Margatette Hotel in Lucena City, which is mostly composed of Lucban Longganisa and fried rice, the group pushed to our next destination for this gastronomic adventure worth-sharing! Are you ready for some Discover-E?
A place that at first glance will immediately make your heart skip a beat through its vibrant color that is brought by its bricked walls, UGU Bigyan Pottery Garden is located at the innermost part of the town of Tiaong, peacefully hidden in its sanctuary of amazing art pieces and wonderfully crafted pots.
I'm a red-brick lover, and the moment that our car passed at this place, I knew that it'll be a treat if I could just a photo taken inside it, and voila, in just a second, my wish was granted! Hahaha!
UGU Bigyan Pottery Gardem may not be that popular, but I can assure you that the moment you stepped in, you don't wanna go out anymore. The atmosphere inside is very different. A lush of green is to be found too, complementing the red bricks surrounding the place. There were a lot of hand-made chimes inside in a form of leaves that gives that relaxing sound. It is like a spa place only this one is more of a restaurant and pottery and art gallery and shop. Hehe.
Since they know that we are coming, a long table perfect for a group of ten is reserved for us. By the time we got there, we were the only guests, so the full attention of their crew was ours. I guess since the place isn't well advertised, it will give its discoverer some "Yes!" moment. Yes, because you will get to enjoy the place by yourselves, and another yes because you'll get to enjoy the place's serenity and tranquility.
We weren't able to meet the owner of the place, Mr. Augusto "Ugu" Bigyan, who is also the artists behind these spectacular pieces, but her wife was there to welcome us, as well as their very friendly and accommodating staff who told us to just sit down and they will take good care of us. And by that, they mean we don't need to worry about our food because since there's no menu available for us, they'll be preparing their best dishes suit for our adventure.
Imagine, a restaurant with no menu? It gave me an impression of eating at home - I like! Hahaha! After some minutes, here's what we've got.... some of it actually. ^_^
Kulawo
Spicy Prawns Cooked in Coconut Milk
Mussels and Pechay Mix
Lato Salad
Sweet taro with Tapioca
Everything was seriously delicious and very Pinoy! After that super filling lunch, I decided to look around again, til I got to see this... I've been hearing Paho for a long time now that it was only here that I finally get to see one...or more. Paho is a brine or pickle small green mangoes. According to the lady who assisted us, the taste is a little sweet. It is a perfect match to fired fish even even fish paste or bagoong. :-)
We stayed at UGU Bigyan for like more than an hour, just lounging and enjoying the peacefulness of the surrounding. It is so unusual to get to experience something like this in a restaurant that is so beautiful, so yeah, we are took the opportunity. Hihihi.
After everyone got relaxed, we all decided to go and bid goodbye to this beautiful place. The place was very inspiring and relaxing at the same time, so I promised to be back soon. :-)
Our next and last destination was something like UGU Bigyan Pottery Garden but in a more Hispanic way.
I've seen some beautiful period houses here in Quezon before, but I honestly didn't know that there are really a lot of them, specifically in San Pablo, Quezon, where some of it are open to experience! Our last stop - Sulyap Gallery Cafe.
A cafe, gallery and bed & breakfast at the same time, lovers and even family will get a wonderful time experiencing the past through their well-maintained Hispanic houses that are just so breathtaking.
Inside the compound, there are four structures that you'll see. The biggest one is the gallery that holds like a thousand of beautifully crafted furniture, antique replicas and other aged items that of great value nowadays. I believe it is free to see it if you are dining or staying here in Sulyap, but other than that, you have to pay an entrance fee to take a look at the items inside. Believe me, it was worth the peek.
The two other structures, which are called Casa Obando at the houses or rooms where guests who opt to stay for a night or nights can be accommodated. While the last one is the cafe, where we had these sweet and refreshing Pinoy style crepe.
In fairness, it was the perfect ending to this amazing and super fun gastronomic Discover-E here in Quezon Province. I know that there are still a lot to see and taste from this part of the country, and I just can't wait to see or hear it from other Langgeros out there!
So, if you have any Filipino food discovery and you happen to have an Instagram account, you might want to join the Electrolux Discover-E photo contest. All you have to do is post your Filipino food discovery on Instagram, use the hashtag #DiscoverE and tag @ElectroluxPH and @axle16alex. You might win some exciting prizes from Electrolux Philippines!
Thank you again, Electrolux Philippines and Fleishman-Hillard Manila for this fun, learning and filling trip! Happy eating, everyone!
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