Baguio became my favorite place when I've sampled one the best hot chocolate Philippines has to offer. The best complement for the city's cold and romantic August weather is no doubt Choco-late de Batirol's traditional hot chocolate menu.
It was drizzling during our first day in Baguio and I've decided to try the humbly renowned Choco-late de Batirol of Baguio. The serene resto-garden is located in Igorot Park and surrounded with the opulent greenery of Camp John Hay giving the whole setting a rain forest feel.
The cafe itself is built with a nipa hut in mind. I wondered how such a small-looking place can stand a heavy weathers in more than 20 years of existence.
Upon entering the place, I couldn't hide my astonishment. How can a place look so meek from the outside and suddenly look so...alive and strikingly traditional? Some tables and chairs are made of huge wood slabs making you feel like you're sitting on a tree. On walls hung different relics and antiques. Wooden carvings of tikis and bulols stand on different surfaces. Antique batirol (pitchers) are on display near the counter. The smell of the place is heavenly, as well! You can smell a mixture of the scent of cacao beans and the musky scent of wood.
But what fascinated me the most, though was behind their counter, you can easily see how the choco-late is made.
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| Making of the Choco-late de Batirol |
Borgy and I ordered both the Traditional Hot Chocolate (P80). I also ordered Bibingka (P105) and Suman sa Lihia (P64).
Just after ordering our food, it started raining lightly outside and I just can't help but feel nostalgic. The atmosphere and warmth of the place reminded me of my childhood days in Zambales. I remembered how on days like those, I usually put on a sweater three sizes big and curl up on a chair beside our window while I read my fairy tale book. I remembered feeling completely relaxed. It felt melancholic; how I wished I could go back to those days where my biggest worry is whether or not I've hugged all my stuffed toys equally as to not offend any of them.
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| Preparing the Choco-late de Batirol |
When they served the food, I immediately went for a taste of their acclaimed choco-late or hot chocolate. And bless my soul, it is heavenly! It was thick and creamy but when I took a sip, it was not overly sweet at all. Instead, it's a little bitter. Of course, it is made of cacao beans, after all. It smoothly went down my throat and warmed my soul.
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The bibingka and suman sa lihia were perfect as well. It tasted like how they prepare it in the province where all neighbors love each other and occasionally give each other food. It reminded me of home. :")
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| Suman sa Lihia (P64) |
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| Bibingka |
After a while, a man approached us and asked if the food were okay. Later on, we found out that guy is the owner of the place and has been managing Choco-late de Batirol for years.
As we were finishing our light dinner, the girl who served our food came to our table and offered us two small cups of hot chocolate for a free taste. The flavor was their new creation: Almond Chocolate de Batirol (P90). It was as heavenly as the traditional flavor. I tasted a bit of cherry in it, though but still, it's perfect for someone looking for a nutty-almost-fruity sweetness.
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| Almond Choco-late de Batirol |
Aside from their traditional menu, they also offer other products like peanut and garlic chips, salmon skin (which was extra extra spicy) , taba ng talangka (which I wanted to buy but Borgy objected because he doesn't want me to die early. Haha! ), choco-late paste, and other Islas Filipinas Food products.
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| Choco-late de Batirol's Natural Blend Cacao |
They also ship choco-late but it's a bit pricey. If you're interested, you can check out their website here for more information about their advocacy.
As we were leaving, the owner of the place bid us farewell and thanked us for visiting. Definitely Choco-late de Batirol is one of my most favorite places in Baguio and I will surely go back to get another sip of their heavenly concoction. I'm sure once you've been here, you'd feel the same way. ;)
Choco-late de Batirol
Igorot Park, Camp John Hay,
Baguio City, Philippines
What a delightful description of Choco-late de Batirol's signature drink, you're an amazing writer. More power to your blog! (",)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! :) I'll be sure to visit your blog (X Marks the Spot for Good Baguio Foods) when planning for my next Baguio food adventure! ;)
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