At the foot of Mt. Banahaw is a homey weekend destination where one can chill, have good food and a private hair makeover.
Casa Lucretia bed-and-breakfast (tel. no. 0945-8132831, 0918-9356038; @casalucretia on Instagram) has yet to officially open Nov. 17, but guests are already booking for the Christmas holidays.
Haircut and coloring are part of the menu since the Laguna property is owned by Lourd Ryan Ramos, 42, the seasoned hairstylist who operates the Creations chain of salons. When COVID-19 closed hair salons, Ramos, a self-taught cook, gathered his staff and pivoted to selling food via Kusina ni Lourd, his brand of pre-ordered comfort Filipino food (price starts at P350 per solo tub and P3,500 for feast size). His bestsellers are kare-kare, roast pork and slow-cooked laing, which takes five days to make.
“I boil and clean the leaves, air-dry them, clean the leaves again and boil them in coconut milk for three hours over low fire so it’s nagmamantika,” Ramos said. It’s a tedious process but the rich, porky laing became a favorite among his salon clients and friends, who include socialites, politicians and even professional chefs.
Since last year, Ramos had to painfully let go of over a hundred employees. Those who stayed with him are “all-around” fully vaccinated staff trained in doing hair and making meals, and now housekeeping.
‘Bahay na triangulo’
“Lucretia” is associated with being “cray” (slang for crazy among millennials and Gen Zs), but it actually means wealth in Latin, Ramos told Lifestyle.
He inherited the land in Barangay Abo in Nagcarlan and, inspired by Netflix renovation shows such as “Stay Here” and “Instant Hotel,” had construction started in June.
His loyal clients are the same guests booking at the quaint Casa Lucretia—a literal hideaway tucked in the barrio. It took us a two-hour road trip from the GAC Motor showroom in Pasig to get there.
Casa Lucretia does not have signage yet, but when this writer got lost during a scenic walk, the locals pointed me out to the “bahay na triangulo.”
The compact house is an A-frame, two-bedroom loft that sits on a 300-sqm area. It’s pet-friendly and ideal for a family of four, solo travelers or small barkada that want a retreat (negative swab test required for the unvaccinated). Rate is P5,999 per night, which includes use of the plunge pool (under construction as of this writing) and kitchen if guests want to cook—but really, skip the hassle and order meals instead.
Homespun menu
Ramos has a bombastic way of naming his dishes after popular Pinoy lexicon.
For lunch, we started with Tinapay na May Itlog at Iba’t Ibang Palaman or pan de sal with egg mayo and feta dip, and a side of kale and pickled shallot. The bread was drizzled with “honey infused with rosemary, thyme and garlic for 60 days.”
Soup was Bangus na Lulunurin sa Miso at Gulay—milkfish belly on a bed of mustard leaves meant to be dunked in a bowl of slow-cooked miso-sampaloc broth.
Ramos put a twist on the Spanish tripe dish Callos Madrilleno Isang Linggo na Binuro by serving it with fresh basil and a sliver of organic cheese for creaminess.
Main dish was Porky-Porky Paano Ka Ginawa May Kasamang Laing Beside You. It was a plate of roast pork belly marinated for a week, slices of truffle potatoes with dried cranberries, chicharon bits for crunch and a demitasse of Ramos’ signature laing.
Over lunch, the accidental cook recalled being judged while buying ingredients at the grocery at the start of the pandemic.
“A woman looked at my cart that was full of premium ingredients for pasta and other orders, and sniped at me: ‘Parang ’di napapanahon’ (It’s not timely), so I had to explain that I am selling food because my salons are closed,” he said.
Locally sourced ingredients
At Casa, the proteins and produce are sourced in Laguna to ensure freshness and to support the community. “The meat is tender and easier to cook. Chickens are bigger than usual. Veggies are fresh from the mountains and the eggs are big.” Soon, the herbs will come from the mini garden.
There’s an extra charge for customized dishes for specific diets, and if guests request for Ramos to personally cook for them. “An additional P2,500 just for my gas and toll fees because I love serving,” Ramos explained over dessert of layered leche flan and ube topped with strawberry jam and muesli crumble, paired with Tyaga-Da Kape espresso.
Other Casa Lucretia menu items are Monggo Man May Langit Din, Pak na Pakbet, Daks na Embotido, Pampano ’Pag Wala Ka Na, Makireng Kare-Kare, Baked Macaroni ni Auntie Lulu (Ramos’ drag persona), Kakabawang Lugaw.
For merienda cena before heading back to Manila, Ramos served 4Cheesemosa Pasta and ’Wag Mo Ako Ma-Peri Peri roasted chicken, plus his popular guinataan called Bilo-Bilo sa Puso Mo.
Like the hairstylists’ humble comfort food, Casa Lucretia promises simple living at the foot of the mountain where one can chill with a cocktail or coffee. It’s for city dwellers who want to get some air and experience nature beyond the big resort hotels without flying. INQ
