BAGUIO CITY, PHILIPPINES - Fresh deep fried Calamares, a hearty bowl of Caesar Salad, a delicious bowl of Callos, the smell of a freshly cooked Paella and a pitcher of a cold refreshing Sangria. Takes me back to Spain; well I've never been there just feels good to say it. HAHA!
Cafe Adriana, one of the subsidiaries of Hill Station is a traditional Spanish Restaurant chain in Baguio. Serving Paellas and traditional Spanish dishes this restaurant is favored for its authenticity and unique tastes.
My Uncle Billy wanted to have a family dinner with the adults (that includes me) before he leaves for the states. With a magnificent view of the mountains and an open veranda this restaurant was a no-brainer.
(L-R) Kuya Don, Travis, Kuya Jun, Ate Dolly, Uncle Billy, Me, Auntie Lani, Mom and Dad
Thanks to Alexis' and Kaye's help booking a reservation and pre-ordering was a breeze. Making reservation is always preferred with these kinds of restaurants specially when you come as a big group. Also pre-ordering helps eliminate your waiting time and helps the kitchen prepare your food right.
Now to the food, I've always been a fan of Hill Station, the food here is TO DIE FOR and the servings are plenty. Cafe Adriana is concentrated on traditional Spanish dishes, with several Paella selections and numerous Entrees you would want to come back and try them all! Not to mention the monthly promotional dishes and the weekly Sunday brunch, there are a lot of ways to enjoy food at Cafe Adriana.
What we had:
We started of with Calamares, most restaurants serve frozen squids which tends to become rubbery when fried, this on the other hand is soft as butter and the aioli compliments the dish like butter and toast.
While waiting for our entree we had two salads; Cafe Adriana and Classic Caesar.
The Cafe Adriana salad was scrumptious! The leafy greens, cheese, fruits, nuts and dressing complemented each other so well.
Classic Caesar had a distinct feature, its homemade Caesar dressing was quite different from your regular Caesar Salad but in a good way.
Oh did I mention we had a whole pitcher of Sangria?
Now on to the Entrees
We all had separate plates and had the Paellas to share.
There were so many things to choose from! But if you ask me I'll definitely order their version of a Surf n' Turf called Bistecca y Carabineros. I had the Steak Medium Rare (cause that's how I like it) and the Prawns were delicious! Mashed potatoes comes with this dish but you can request for rice if your not a fan of them Mashed potatoes; it also came with a side of Sayote Tops salad.
Mom had the Callos, her all time favorite, a stew made with meat with beef and ox tripe - the edible lining of stomach (towel like texture). Believed to originate from Madrid, the rich red sauce is flavored by peppers, Spanish chorizo and some Spanish spices. Their version of Callos was delicious, not sure if they used red wine but it had delicious wine taste.
Dad had the Lengua Estofado, well I picked it for him, it was soft and delicious. For those who don't know what Lengua is, it is the tongue of the ox, yes the TONGUE it's delicious if you haven't already tried it, it usually comes with mushroom gravy
Not sure but someone had the Salpicado, beef tenderloin cubes marinated and cooked with garlic bits and olive oil served with red rice and a side of Sayote Tops salad.
Auntie Lani had the Pollo al Jerez, Chicken cooked in sherry and mushroom. It was a peculiar taste but scrumptious nonetheless.
Down to the Paellas or as the Spanish would say "Las Paellas"; What we had Paella Negra and Lengua, Setay y Aceitunas
Paella Negra as the name sugggest this paella would be black, it's actually an all seafood paella blackened with squid ink. Get the picture? No? well scroll below :)
And the other paella, you guessed it, another dish with OX TONGUE :P; Lengua, Setas y Aceitunas, this dish literally translates to Tongue, Mushrooms and Olives. It's rich flavored paella rich is topped with ox tongue, chorizo, mushroom and olives.
Cafe Adriana concentrates on Paellas, they also offer Paellas for Vegans - Paella de Legumbres and a Paella with a variety of sausages - Pollo y Chorizo. Visit them and get your paella fix.
After having all of that, we made sure we had room for dessert, because they have a selection that will make you come back for more.
For dessert we had these:
First up is the Leche Flan Cheesecake! Soft, firm and not to sweet this cake is perfect for those who don't want something diabetic. On the right is the Chocolate Lemon Tart, tangy lemon mixed with rich chocolate ganache on a crunchy crust - definitely one of my favorites!
And the mother of all desserts, one that is "TO DIE FOR" Death by chocolate! Super moist chocolate cake served in ramekins heated and topped with a heavy scoop of rich vanilla ice cream! Just imagine that! A match made in heaven! the perfect ending to our meal.
All desserts mentioned above are available in all subsidiaries of Hill Station.
On Sundays they offer a Brunch Buffet that costs Php 495 for adults and Php 295 for Children 7 Y.O. and below. You can check their instagram for their menu on their upcoming buffets. Don't forget to check them out whenever your travel to #BaguioCity this restaurant is a true gem, you'll definitely get your money's worth!
You can also visit their other branch Bistro by Hill Station located at Ayala Technohub, Camp John Hay follow them on instagram. Serving you light to heavy meals and sandwiches, perfect spot after a long walk around the camp.
Also don't forget to visit their Main Restaurant, Hill Station, located just below SM City Baguio this restaurant is situated in what was once an abandoned building we all know as Casa Vallejo. It is named after Baguio's heritage as the American's Hill Station during their occupancy. Serving you numerous entrees from all over the world this restaurant Check them out on instagram.
And in case you want to take some of their dishes to-go why not purchase it from their boutique, they also sell dressings, sauces, frozen food (sausages & certain dishes) and other kitchen wares. They also feature products from Amparo's Apothecary a local apothecary based in Baguio, selling handmade soaps, hand sanitizers, perfumes and many more! Using local ingredients from the Cordilleras, check them out on instagram!
Our experience in Cafe Adriana was excellent. This restaurant is definitely one of my highly recommended restaurants in Baguio boasting authenticity and a great value for your money. So come and visit Cafe Adriana and enjoy every dish to the last bite!