The ancient notion of cacao as a status symbol, and its health benefits of lowering the risk of heart disease and boosting the mood, mix well in Tsokolateria, a café that specializes in chocolate-infused meals.
Tsokolateria is one of three food stops in a restaurant complex that also houses Hawaiian BBQ, famous for its grilled items and fancy desserts, and Pamana, which offers heirloom Filipino recipes. Owner Happy Ongpauco-Tiu combines her imagination, resourcefulness and style in offering palate-pleasing meals that are artistically plated at an affordable cost.
These three restaurants are ensconced in a multilevel building built on the slope on Upper Session Roadside in Baguio. The street view reveals a panorama of sky and homes on the hillside in Leonard Wood. Statues and totems of Igorots lend a sense of place.
Tsokolateria specializes in native cacao sourced from various regions. Like wine, the tablea manifests distinct qualities according to its origin: from Cotabato, smooth and floral, tinged with nutmeg; from Davao, creamy, evoking the subtle richness of coconut; from Alfonso, Cavite, intensely earthy and dry. The bitterness of Manila tablea is toned down by its nuttiness.
This tsokolate drink is given a dash of pizzazz by a fine disc of chocolate with tiny bacon bits. While steaming tsokolate is poured over it, the heat melts the disk to add another layer of richness. The salty crunch of the bacon bits tempers the sweetness.
In keeping with the play of salty and sweet, the crispy lechon belly crackling is dipped in tsokolate instead of vinegar. The native chilli con tsokolate has an enduring after-burn of red chilli that complements the hefty potato fries.
The champorado is like no other. The mousse-like layer of tsokolate engulfs the porridge of puffy red rice from Benguet.
Tsokolateria’s repertoire offers luxurious indulgence of familiar food. The meals are flecked with cacao for a subtle spike. A simple waffle dish becomes a delight with variations such as peanut butter, fresh banana, muscovado and cashew, or savory versions with salad greens, adobo flakes and egg or bacon belly, arugula and egg.
The fluffy bibingka is a soufflé. This egg-based dish with a springy top and molten inside is localized with ube, macapuno or calamansi.
Sandwiches are put together in a detailed manner, filled with textural contrasts and colors that make them look beyond the commonplace.
The bruschetta platter is a favorite of bloggers. Dense but sweet pan de sal are heaped with adobo flakes, mushrooms, spinach and kesong puti; bacon belly with caprese (tomato, basil and white cheese); calamares; and avocado with molten cheese and eggs.
Other sandwich versions are the croquet Madame and the sizzling melted cheeses with garlic-infused cacao, salsa and pan de crostini.
Then there are local dishes with a twist—longganisa with cacao nibs; longganisang hubad with caramelized onion, cacao, cheese and tomatoes; and the salpicao, tenderloin marinade with garlic flakes, cacao nibs and spicy sriracha-laced rice.
The humba tocino goes perfectly with cacao paste. The smoked bangus, danggit and chicharon platter also pays homage to the cacao.
If chocolate isn’t your thing, meat eaters love the next-door restaurant, Hawaiian BBQ. Its signature dish is the baby back ribs that are rich and tasty and not overwhelmed by the sauce.
Families can share the barbecue platter of sugpo, chicken, and pork belly with corn, mango and banana.
Ultimately, it’s not just the food that completes the experience. The branch manager, Richard Tagudar, trained the staff to be efficient, attentive without being obtrusive. He worked for the US Air Force, managing the food outlets and studied at the University of Bradford in Singapore.
“The quality of the service and customer satisfaction make people want to come back,” he says in Tagalog.
Tsoklateria, Hawaiian BBQ and Pamana are located at Igorot Stairs, Upper Session Road, Baguio. The Tagaytay branch is at Boutique Bed and Breakfast on Aguinaldo Highway across Serin Mall.