This blog post will be part of a series of posts that I’ll be doing about Tagaytay Must-See Food Places and Tourist Spots. And since we’ve just celebrated our second anniversary this month, there’s no better way to spend it on a rainy afternoon with our baby Tuz than by heading there for some fancy late lunch.

~~~oOo~~~

I’ve been wanting to go back to Tagaytay for a long while now and I was really planning to do that on our anniversary month (We turned two last August 15). It just kept getting pushed back because of the monsoon season until one Sunday afternoon, when the weather wasn’t as bad as the last several days that we finally decided to go. Should the weather get worse once we’re there, then we can stay somewhere in Tagaytay City. But if not, at least we’re just almost an hour away from home (with light traffic).

Mahal listed a bunch of places that we can go visit in Tagaytay. Some of those places I’ve already been to so when he mentioned Marcia Adams, I immediately got intrigued and told him “I haven’t been there. Let’s try it!”

Baby Tuz and I slept most of time during the ride. It was early Sunday afternoon, I wasn’t ready to wake up yet but the thought of good food and the fact that we’re finally celebrating our 2nd anniversary beckons. Good thing that Waze is a very reliable GPS companion so Mahal did not have a hard time finding Marcia Adams. Parking lot was a bit small though so we had to squeeze in Dex (our Chevy Trailblazer) to the little spot left available for one more vehicle.

By the time Mahal had baby Tuz out of the car and me carrying a big umbrella as it was drizzling outside, we felt a bit lost for a moment. The front of Marcia Adams restaurant is filled with plants and shrubs plus the cars lined up at the parking lot. So the entrance, leading to the inside was not very visible (to us at least, that rainy afternoon).

Moments later, we saw the narrow pathway leading to the inside. The pathway is uneven and lined with rectangular rocks. One really has to be careful going down because it’s a bit slippery. If it had been sunny, I can already picture how much more beautiful the place can be with all its plants surrounding us. Marcia Adams after all is a rustic garden restaurant reminiscent of how I pictured Tuscany in my head (while watching the old film Under the Tuscan Sun — where part of Baby Tuz’s name came from — his full first name is Eurwyn Tuscany Kale). It had that kind of vibe, as if we were in Tuscany and already, I was happy to be there.

Because of the rain, we weren’t able to explore all its nooks and crannies, just the three major dining areas:

One that’s open-air but with roof, with an overlooking view but which view is partly covered by tall grass and shrubs. It has a lot of light coming in since it was outdoors.

Then there’s another dining area right across, one that is enclosed, much bigger, dark but filled with romantic lighting.

It has a veranda filled with another set of table and chairs and to its right, after the hallways where the bathrooms are located, is another enclosed space for dining, with more light coming in, but a little less spacious.

We chose to stay at the first dining area we saw, one that’s open-air with lots of natural light so we can enjoy the view and the breeze of that rainy afternoon.

We also had the chance to meet the owner, Mr. Adams (Marcia is his Filipina wife) who was very kind to us and made sure we were okay. Then we started ordering.

Okay, I must admit that we weren’t able to research the prices of their menu right before coming here so I was a little surprised with the prices. Minimum price per meal there is P700++ for the main course. Yep, it’s pricey. Good thing that these main courses already include one appetizer and one dessert. All food is just good for one person too. No dishes for sharing.

After inspecting the menu, Mahal and I decided to get the following:

Appetizers:

Tzatziki with Lettuce Chips (This refreshing yogurt dish is served all over Eastern Mediterranean whether as part of a mezze or an accompaniment to meat dishes. *mezze – a selection of small dishes served to accompany alcoholic drinks in the Near East, the Balkans, and parts of Central Asia.)

Hummus with Whole Wheat Tortilla (A blend of chickpeas, garlic and oil served with grilled whole wheat tortilla)

Main Courses:

Greek Lamb Stew (Cooked slowly in red wine, tomatoes and cinnamon. Hearty flavor yet subtle.) Price: P895

Greek Octopus Stew (Cooked slowly in red wine and herbs. Tender and delicious. *seasonal) Price: P855

Desserts:

Banana Split with Chocolate Ice Cream (Special Chocolate and Almond Sauce with French Liqueurs)

Panna Cotta with Lemon Sauce

We didn’t anymore order any drinks except water for health reasons. We need to watch out our for our blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Plus Mahal has a mild kidney stone problem so he really has to always drink a lot of water. I would’ve loved to order a glass of wine each since it’s just P110/glass of Sauvignon Blanc but I’m currently taking Sylmarin for my liver so I don’t want to counter its effects.

Anyway, the food, everything, all of the things we ordered were heavenly! I’m having goosebumps while typing this because it’s seldom that both Mahal and I find a food place that serves dishes we really, really like 100%! The portions are just right, the taste of each of the dishes were bursting with just the right amount of flavors in our mouths and the dessserts tasted fantastic! Every peso spent on this lunch was oh so worth it! We will probably come back again next time and try the other dishes. Although these two main courses we ordered, according to the waiter, are already their bestsellers. Plus, they’re the kind of food we don’t make at home so it’s really, really perfect! We experienced a place we’ve never been to and tasted dishes that are new to us. Happy Yummy Anniversary indeed!

I’ve taken photos of the Marcia Adams menu so in case you’re planning to visit, you can already plan ahead your budget and what you’d like to order.

Bon appetit!