Leveling up that staycation dining experience

For most people who live in Metro Manila, there is perhaps no easier getaway from the city’s now-back-to-almost-normal hustle and bustle than Tagaytay. Roughly two hours away from the metro in ideal, weekday traffic, Tagaytay is a haven for foodies and staycationers alike. And one of the best destinations that satisfies both types of “revenge travelers” is Anya Resort Tagaytay. 

Now there’s another reason to visit this luxury wellness resort. Just this week, on March 23, Anya Resort’s restaurant rebranded itself into Samira by Chele Gonzalez—yes, the same Chef Chele whose fine dining resto in Taguig is currently no. 69 in Asia’s Top 100 restaurants for 2022. 

“This is a partnership that has been two years in the making,” says Santi Elizalde, president and CEO of Roxaco Land Corporation, the parent company of Anya Resort Tagaytay. “A partnership is more than just signing on the dotted line. It’s about having a shared passion—a shared passion to do great things. Sure, business is part of it. But at the end of the day, it’s all about what new heights you want to achieve together.”

And what great new heights did they achieve, indeed, as we experienced during the two days we were treated to the new menu Chele had developed for the rebranded Samira. A tasting menu of six courses featuring dishes that reimagine the flavors of Tagaytay. From bulalo tacos to buko pie in textures, Chele demonstrates his expertise in deconstructing a meal but not just for desconstruction’s sake. Each dish is creatively thought of and carefully executed to the point that the beauty from its visual presentation matches the experience of that exquisite first bite—what you see, as they say, is what you get, and perhaps more.  

“It’s about making something that is very much Tagaytay but also something more. It’s a different experience that we offer here and it complements the other restaurants in the area,” says Chele who developed and worked with a team to realize this reimagined vision for Samira. “This is not just a restaurant. It’s a project where we’ve put a lot of love and passion.”

Apart from the tasting menu, Samira by Chele Gonzalez also offers a creative ala carte set, a good selection of beverages that work well with the dishes, and other Spanish favorites that regulars as well as new guests at Anya Resort Tagaytay would certainly enjoy. 

One other not-to-miss meal is the Cocido Samira, which is perhaps the perfect representation of what Santi and Chele both describe as that melding between Tagaytay flavors and Spanish cuisine. A cocido, literally, is a stew, and just like in Spain, there are many types of it in the Philippines—one example of which is the bulalo. Chele’s version of the cocido for Samira takes elements from the bulalo and from some Spanish ones, and he combines it with a paella that was, arguably, one of the best I have tried. 

“We wanted to level up the dining experience we offer at Samira, to match what we believe to be a a great experience we offer here at Anya,” says Mikel Arriet, general manager of Anya Resort Tagaytay. “This is why we chose to partner with Chele.” 

As far as partnerships go, this one between Anya Resort Tagaytay and Chef Chele is one that has definitely started with a satisfying plate of deconstructed Filipino-Spanish flavors that combine into a fully luxurious experience for any “revenge traveler” to enjoy. 

For reservations, email [email protected] | (+639) 17 704 6159 | IG: @samirabychelegonzalez, @anyaresorttagaytay