Experts say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. According to studies it jump starts the body’s metabolism… blah, blah, blah. But to me, it is the best excuse to chow on those cholesterol-rich egg yolks and artery-clogging-thinly-sliced pork belly otherwise known as bacon.
When we are in the pine city, we only have one place in mind to satisfy our morning cravings. Located near Rizal Park is this little place called Café by the Ruins. Aside from good food, it also houses several works of art. Some fixtures are also masterpieces in their own right. The café has received its share of good and not so good reviews, but for us it is one of the best restos in Baguio. 
A great way to start one’s meal here is by sipping their caffeine brew. What makes it more interesting are the sugar sticks (look at the picture above: it is the little cylindrical shaped thingy on the saucer with the coffee) which they serve with your hot beverage. I read somewhere that you can use it as a straw and that I did. It was fun and it was good we did not buy a bottle or I’ll be taking diabetes medication after finishing the stash.
I am no bacon connoisseur, but I love it. The best I’ve tasted so far is this Café’s version, which according to our host is home made. It is not super thin as the ones you buy at the grocery, but it is still crispy, smoky and 100% satisfying. Customers can order them as a meal either with eggs, brown mountain rice or French toast. We always order them both… with extra rice please.
Breakfast meals usually come with a small serving of seasonal fruits, so just in case your dietitian or mom calls you can tell her you had something healthy for breakfast.
Café by the Ruins, 23 Chuntug, Baguio City
Tel. 442-4010 / 446-4010 Fax. 442-5272
feedback@cafebytheruins.com.ph
After 7 hours of travel (including pit stops) we finally arrived in Baguio. Many say Baguio has lost its charms, but for some reason we still believe Baguio is a good vacation spot. It must be the cool weather even during the summer months or maybe the fresh produce that can be had all year round.
We’ve been here several times. Usually we just love the fact that we can walk around the city and not feel an ounce of heat. Though Baguio is fast turning its green landscape into gray concrete sceneries, I dare say that Baguio is still one of the best looking cities.
This time we had one specific mission. We would sample all the restaurants humanely possible in three days.
Let me start with probably the most popular food place with the locals. We asked half a dozen people where it is and they all gave specific directions. And what was even more amazing was that some were able to describe the resto’s red and yellow signage.
At the back of the Baguio Center Mall is an old building which houses Good Taste. We were actually overwhelmed the first time we got in. There were so many people inside that you would think they have an ongoing garage sale. At way past lunch time one would think you’d have an easy time choosing your seats, but this joint is so popular we only got seated just before 2 pm.
The wait staff was pretty quick and in no time we were able to order and get the food. The first on our menu was buttered chicken (145 pesos), which is one of their bestsellers. When it arrived, I immediately said I only ordered half a chicken only to be rebutted with: “this is half a chicken”. The serving was so big, the wife and I joked that it was not chicken but turkey. It was a bit sweet and sour. One bite and you’ll know why this is one of the bestsellers.
We also ordered lechon kawali (135 pesos) or pan fried pork. It wasn’t as crispy as other lechon kawalis we’ve tried, but this one was tastier. It wasn’t really a big winner in our books, but again the serving size was bigger than expected
Our meal won’t be complete without their version of fried rice (85 pesos). It was good enough that it could actually be eaten without any other viand.
I bet you can feed a big family with just a thousand peso budget. The serving size was meant to be shared and it was so unfortunate that we only have two stomachs and we still have a couple of food stops after this. If you just want an honest to goodness cheap meal and if you are not so particular with the ambiance then Good Taste is the place to go.
Location:
At the back of Baguio Center Mall ( Near the market and Dangwa terminal)
