Sonya’s Garden’s full name is Sonya Garcia’s Secret Cottage Restaurant Inc. At least that’s what it says on their menu which someone handed out to us as soon as we stepped out of our car after parking. And I’m just so happy that finally, I’d be able to eat here… and during our 2nd Anniversary at that!

Amidst the verdant and flower-laden garden, with nothing but thick hibiscus shrubs and romantic hydrangeas as witnesses, the young man knelt on one knee before the lady and asked her if she would be his sweetheart. She replied with a single-minded “Yes!”

And what better way to celebrate the overflowing of the heart than with the filling of the belly? Dinner had to be served! The table was draped with fine embroidered linen and laden with freshly picked lettuce and arugula, sweet-fleshed mangoes, pineapples, and other fruits in season, and an array of dips and sauces for drizzling over salads and pasta. It was an explosion of flavors and feelings. From this proposal began the public’s love affair with Sonya’s Garden. – SonyasGarden.com

I can’t believe it’s been two years since Mahal asked for my hand from my grandfather, parents and siblings in Cagayan de Oro. Two years? Wow! It seemed like only yesterday! I can still feel my surprise when for the first time my grandfather talked to a suitor of mine. He never did that to any of my exes!

Anyway, it’s actually our 26th monthsary yesterday, October 15, which we almost forgot because we were in Eastern time zone, we had so much going on with baby Tuz’s vaccine, checkup, errands and work around the house (that got a bit flooded recently during a sudden heavy downpour) and we were so busy with so many other things  (like soap making) that we didn’t have anything special planned. The weather is also not very cooperative with typhoon Karen making a landfall this dawn and another one on the way come Monday (stay safe, everyone!).

But last August, on our 2nd anniversary, when the weather was still so nice and cozy, we had a series of anniversary celebrations (in case you haven’t read about some of my posts about that yet) and we headed to Tagaytay once again.  It was just a simple lunch but we super loved it because we had it at Sonya’s Garden!

 

A BIT OF HISTORY

Last time I’ve been to Sonya’s Garden was in Nov. 13, 2005 (photo on the left). I had a ten-year membership in Club Panoly and Tagaytay was one of those places I frequented because of their hotels there aside from Boracay where I would vacay almost every month. I came from Breakfast at Antonio’s then and decided to visit Sonya’s Garden. I had a vivid memory of it being so full of flowers in bloom and other vegetation that I patterned the look of my old small apartment in QC after it. I didn’t get to eat here though coz I was still very much healthy and slim then and I wasn’t into organic food yet. Plus, I was always on a budget (and coming from Breakfast at Antonio’s I already spent a substantial amount of my salary). So I told myself, I’d like to go back to Sonya’s Garden someday if only to taste their edible flowers and other super foods I’ve never tasted before (like tarragon, arugula, basil — (which sounded yucky in my head at that time but now, I live for it for health survival…lol!). I guess it wasn’t yet my time to experience Sonya’s Garden’s famous healthy and organic dishes in 2005.

 

a decade later…

I’m really very happy to have spent an anniversary at Sonya’s Garden with a man I love with all of my being — my best friend, my confidant, my bodyguard, my driver, my yaya, my financial and life partner, my heart,  my laughter… my everything — and it’s our 2nd anniversary! It’s really very, very timely. Because aside from the fact that it’s the most romantic restaurant I’ve ever been to, at 38, I’m also already on maintenance meds (Amlodipine) for my blood pressure (all thanks to the alcohol and fatty food I enjoyed during my 20’s and early 30’s hehehe) so I really am into organic food now and living healthily especially that we have a baby and I’d like for us to live longer and have more kids in the near future if still possible.

So anyway, enough with this long introduction. Here’s a photo essay of our 3-hour lunch at Sonya’s Garden where we had the most scrumptious organic food including pasta and desserts and where we later on shopped for other organic stuff like spa products, organic concoctions, etc. We highly recommend this place and we’re thinking of staying overnight at one of their villas one of these days.

 

Celebrating our 2nd anniversary at Sonya’s Garden

Despite the heavy drizzle that afternoon, Sonya’s Garden’s conservatory is still so beautiful.

Yummy garden salad with super veggies and edible flowers! Plus they make their own hand/linen sanitizer!

Simply yummy! First time to taste tarragon tea and since then we’ve been having it at home too. The bread was so tasty! The chocolate cake… my, my! So heavenly! And everything else was just so delicious!

Happy 2nd anniversary Mahal! And to baby Tuz, happy 9 months old! I love you both so much!

If only baby Tuz can talk, he will surely say how beautiful this place is…

A visit to the garden… Beautiful!

If only Baby Tuz can already walk, he’ll be chasing after the butterflies among the flowers…

Exploring all the nooks and crannies in Sonya’s Garden

We can walk here forever…

Checking out Sonya’s Garden’s Country Store and Apothecary Shop.

Heading the Sonya’s Garden’s Bed and Breakfast

Exploring the inside of the beautiful villas in Sonya’s Garden. It’s P3,000-P3,600 per person per night!

Loving their bathrooms…

Bees, water basin with flowers, more flowering plants and ornamental designs

Various organic plants at Sonya’s Garden

Super pretty furniture for sale here!

Checked out Sonya’s Garden’s Panaderia before we left.

 

MORE DETAILS ON Sonya’s Garden

Contact Information:

Address: Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite 4123, Philippines
Restaurant Mobile #: 0917 532 9097 or 0917 529 1080
Bed and Breakfast Mobile #: 0917 533 5140 or 0917 503 1080
Spa Mobile #: 0917 523 1080
Email: info@sonyasgarden.com

How to get there:

From South Super Highway, exit Sta. Rosa. Upon reaching Tagaytay main Aguinaldo Highway, turn right towards Nasugbu, Batangas. Go past rotonda. proceed 10 kms. After Splendido Gold Course and Sunrise Hill, make a right turn on Buck Estate. Drive 2 kms. Left gate.

Food Prices:

Breakfast – P560.00 net per person
Time: 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Menu: Fried rice, Chicken and Pork Adobo, Mushroom and Cheese Omelet, Daing na Bangus, Fruits, Bread with assorted jams, Hot Chocolate, Coffee or Tea.

Lunch or Dinner – P683.00 net per person
Menu: Sonya’s Classic Menu / Eat All You Can
Garden Salad, Bread, Pasta, Desserts, Beverages

For more information, just head to their website: http://www.sonyasgarden.com

 

A BIT OF A SIDE TRIP

To end our 2nd anniversary celebration, we headed to People’s Park after since we didn’t want to go home yet. Unfortunately, it was already closed. That’s okay, we went back a few days later and I’ll blog about that when I do my next Tagaytay post. Til then!

Dropped by People’s Park for a little while before finally heading home…