Ever since the pandemic hit us, any chance I get to go out of town and release from the confines of my home, I look to the province. I make sure though that travel requirements are not so strict to avoid all the inconveniences of filling out all sorts of forms.

I remember driving for four hours to Laiya, Batangas just to pick up some longganisa. I met my supplier, exchanged goods, and in no more than 10 minutes, I was off driving back. These drives are my breaks from the confines of my room. They’re invigorating!

Another place I’ve been visiting lately is Jalajala in the province of Rizal. Here, my friends and I have been able to find pieces of land right beside Laguna de Bay. Windy and cool in the “ber” months, it is a three-hour drive through beautiful scenery, fruit and vegetable vendors, and various restaurants.

What convinced me to invest in Jalajala is the presence of hot springs on the property. A friend has a vacation home here and we spend our evenings there. A dip of 15 to 25 minutes in the hot spring pool does wonders on one’s health. We sleep so well. This friend’s home is now offered to groups who want to spend short stays in the area, replete with food. Fruits and vegetables are readily available and inexpensive, plus seafood from the lake is abundant.

Passing through Antipolo, you see a lot of very interesting restaurants with breathtaking views. I have to wait for friends to send me tips on which of these dining places I should try.

One drive back, I found a good Vietnamese restaurant somewhere in Antipolo. Waze is a great help in finding these places.

I tried the Vietnamese restaurant Ca Phe Saigon Antipolo on the way back from Jalajala. I remember having great and authentic food there.

We sat down and of course ordered my staple—fresh vegetable rolls with shrimps and pork. These rice rolls are stuffed with rice noodles, shrimp, pork, lettuce, and some herb. On its own, it is bland. But dipped in a hoisin peanut sauce and some sriracha, this baby comes to life. Then there was another appetizer called Banh Cuon. These are crepes stuffed with steamed pork and topped with Vietnamese meat loaf and fried onions. Sweet patis on the side also brings this dish to life. Most of the dishes have this common sauce. I had a dish called Bun Thit Cha Gio or dried noodles topped with sliced crispy lumpia, shaved meat, lettuce, peanuts, herbs and of course the sweet patis sauce. We also had a huge yellowish crepe stuffed with shrimps and veggies. You cut part of the crepe with the veggies, wrap that in lettuce with some sliced cucumbers, dip into that sauce, and voila, heaven! The beef noodle soup is also a winner. The bowls of beef and rice noodles are brought to your table without the broth. On the side, you add bean sprouts, mint leaves, and other herbs. The waiter arrives with a thermos of piping hot beef broth that he pours into your bowl and you enjoy this delicious Vietnamese specialty. Each dish is delicious! What I love with food like this apart from the unique flavors is that they are also healthy. In Saigon, you eat so much greens you feel great after. Everyone enjoyed this lunch. This will become one of our regular stops going to or coming from Jalajala.

To or from Jalajala in Rizal, you see a lot of very interesting restaurants with breathtaking views, like the Vietnamese restaurant Ca Phe Saigon Antipolo.

Now that there is ease in travel, we are headed to a friend’s resort in Morong Bataan. I’ve been going to coral view resort for years. I love the place. On the way there, my eyes are set on either Gourmet Garage or Texas Joe’s House of Ribs in Subic. These dining places have become a regular stop on our way to Coral View resort in Morong!

I hope I can find other new discoveries in all the travels I’ve lined up now that we don’t have to be so cooped up anymore.

Happy eating!

By the way, we are organizing a food tour to Singapore this April, four days and three nights. Interested to join? Email me at [email protected].