Hello, Hivians! How have you been? Halloween has gone and the Christmas season envelopes us again. With that and the easing quarantine restrictions in the country, I guess, we’re all itching for a vacation with the family. As for my family, we decided to visit Tagaytay last week for a sumptuous lunch with a relaxing view. We chose to eat at Leslie’s for the bulalo. Also, it offers a lovely view of the Taal volcano.
For non-Filipinos out there, Tagaytay is a city atop a mountain ridge that overlooks the picturesque Taal Volcano, a volcano in the middle of the lake that is also filled with a lake. Here are some good photos I found online of the Taal view from Tagaytay for those who are interested:
Tagaytay is just an hour away from our house but we visited it only once for the past two years because it was constantly on alert for an eruption since 2020. Aside from that, it has very strict protocols for kids and senior citizens throughout the pandemic. The last time we went there last March, restaurants would not even let us park in the parking lot when they saw my daughter in the car. Last October 20 though, Tagaytay opened its outdoors to kids. Thus, a lunch in the breathtaking city is well and good. Or so we thought.
As we reached Tagaytay road, we were greeted by a thick fog that hid the beauty of Tagaytay. I forgot that during November to December, the city is basically covered with fog so we were unable to see the volcano. At least, the weather was cool and windy.
We reached the parking lot of Leslie’s and we were thankful that the security guard let us in. However, when we reached the entrance of the restaurant, the receptionist told us that the city was once again restricting kids even in outdoor spaces so we had to leave our little one in the car. We were not alone in this debacle since another family with kids and a family with a senior citizen were also blocked from entering. Apparently, these restrictions came back a few days before we came.
Thus, we just decided to eat in turns and our little one ate in the car. Fortunately, I still could dine inside with my husband as our peers agreed to take care of our little one during me and my husband’s turn. We ordered bulalo steak, chopsuey, Leslie’s special fried rice and leche flan. When we entered, our food was ready and we were greeted by the most mouthwatering bulalo steak I have seen. The leche flan looked delectable as well.
Both of them did not disappoint. The bulalo steak was. just. heavenly. It was slightly crispy on the outside but soft and juicy inside. The meat was so flavorful. Hands down, the best bulalo steak I have tasted.
As for the leche flan, the texture was everything I wanted a premium leche flan to be: smooth but slightly firm. The sweetness and creaminess were well-balanced. The syrup was slightly too sweet but overall it was so yummy.
Unfortunately, we were unable to take photos of the fried rice and chopsuey since they were also delicious. Leslie’s special fried rice perfectly complemented the bulalo steak as it has bulalo bits.
After eating, we headed to the terrace to take photos amid the Taal view. Lo and behold, here is our view of the Taal volcano:
As you can see, the volcano was already covered in fog. Fortunately, I have already seen the volcano numerous times but for tourists who haven’t seen it, I suggest you visit the city during summer for a better view. I remember visiting Tagaytay on a December when I was younger and we could barely see anything because of the thick fog.
Good thing, the food at Leslie’s was really good and the place was scenic even with the thick fog. Here are some other photos of the place:
Leslie’s is a must-visit for the bulalo steak and the scenic views. If you want a better view of the Taal volcano, visit around the summer. But if you want windy weather perfect for having bulalo, November to December isn’t bad. Also, for parents and the elderly, please make sure they’re allowing children and senior citizens when you plan on going there.
If you plan on visiting Leslie's, here's it's code on pinmapple: [//]:# (!pinmapple 14.103363 lat 120.952817 long Leslie's d3scr)