OLD WORLD CHARM Owned and operated by the Razon family, this hideaway is the next best thing \*\*By Nestor Cuartero\*\* On a bright and breezy, sun-smiley day, for a change, following a series of intermittent rains and thunderstorms recently, we paid homage to the Taal Basilica, canonically known as the Minor Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, that imposing church in the historic town of Taal, former capital of Batangas. Taal Basilica, founded in 1572, is considered the largest church in Asia. Damaged by a massive volcanic eruption in 1754, it has been reconstructed to its original architecture several times over, yet it continues to reign on top of a hill, overlooking the entire town filled with old houses and other memorabilia like a guardian angel. \!\[20221128\_103127\.jpg\]\(https://storage\.googleapis\.com/mb\-mkt\-neo\-prod\-1\-uploads/20221128\_103127\_129e875bf7/20221128\_103127\_129e875bf7\.jpg\) Famished after an hour’s drive from Rosario town and a long and winding, extended novena-prayer by my sisters, Cely, Marlyn, Marie, and Nellie, we proceeded to the town market at high noon to pick up the town’s famous signature products. The Taal public market is surprisingly neat and clean. It has long rows of stalls selling basically two products, tapang Taal and suman Taal. We find the much celebrated tapang Taal too salty for our gall stones, although the suman’s sweetness in aromatic coconut milk is just right for this non-diabetic. We pause by a small store, by Gina Tamayo, where Mac, the friendly storekeeper, gives us a discount on a dozen pieces of suman and 10 packs of sinaing na tawilis wrapped in banana leaf (too salty, too, I must say. Taal town must have salt beds by the hectares). \!\[20221128\_103055\.jpg\]\(https://storage\.googleapis\.com/mb\-mkt\-neo\-prod\-1\-uploads/20221128\_103055\_ce138672c8/20221128\_103055\_ce138672c8\.jpg\) The cheap, yet not-so-cheap purchase makes us even hungrier, as we set out to snoop at more cooked items, notably kalderetang kambing and sinaing na tulingan, around the public market. It was then that we stumbled upon this lovely events place along Diversion Road upon recommendation of good friend Teddy Razon, former high school classmate at La Salle Lipa, who’s now a golfer-businessman in Texas. \!\[20221128\_104524\.jpg\]\(https://storage\.googleapis\.com/mb\-mkt\-neo\-prod\-1\-uploads/20221128\_104524\_686a41ca96/20221128\_104524\_686a41ca96\.jpg\) Taal Bistro presents a beautiful mix of romanticism, old-world charm, excellent food, cool breeze, open spaces, and friendly service. What more can this passerby ask for? Owned and operated by the Razon family, it is the next best thing to do in this old heritage town untouched by either McDonald or Jollibee. There are two outlets to choose from. The first Taal Bistro, started in 1997 by Teddy himself, is right smack in the middle of town, close to both church and market. \!\[20221128\_102731\.jpg\]\(https://storage\.googleapis\.com/mb\-mkt\-neo\-prod\-1\-uploads/20221128\_102731\_cf7b4c0c09/20221128\_102731\_cf7b4c0c09\.jpg\) The second, founded by Teddy’s brother, Catalino, a medical doctor, followed suit in 2007, a big, Moroccan-Mediterranean-inspired house ideally situated at a more spacious location, a subdivision, no less. It sits proudly like a queen mother within a sprawling compound with, to put it mildly, acres and acres of parking space. This makes it ideal for weddings, banquets, and birthday celebrations, says Dong Razon, who runs the place with his wife, Mia. Over all, the bistro can seat up to 500 guests, spread out in three platforms. Our small group feasted on Bistro Chicken on a hot, sizzling plate (soft, honey-sweet), Deep-fried tawilis, ginataang gulay bathed in fresh coconut milk, crispy pata, and adobong manok sa dilaw (Turmeric). Every dish is a delight! And priced reasonably, too. Next time around, we’ll definitely pay you a visit again, Taal Bistro, to indulge once more in your basic good taste and class.