The Art Of Dining

Tagaytay never ceases to amaze me. I have lost track of the number of articles I have written about the interesting finds, personalities, and activities in this charming city by the ridge. Before the public took notice, I found secret gardens, a gorgeous wedding setting, hidden food finds, places to be pampered, and even to meditate. Just when I thought I could brag that I’ve "been there, done that", something of interest once again sprouts out in this ever-evolving city.

Popo San Pascual, Tagaytay’s adopted son and probably the best tour guide of this city, told me of a South African woman’s restaurant, hinting that the food is good and the chef is a character. This was enough reason to drop everything and head out once again to Tagaytay. Experience has taught me Santa Rosa is the fastest route to get there. Hitting the rotunda, take the road leading down to Talisay. This is a quiet road, often ignored by tourists. But those lured by the lake venture this way for kayaking, sailing or boating near the crater.

On this evening, the sky was illuminated by an almost full moon. In its radiance and Popo’s company, we found The Art of Dining Café 137. By the gate and partly hidden by some leaves is a small painted sign. The gate leads to a driveway on an incline, then some cobblestone steps lead to the house. It is hard to miss the gazebo speckled with tiny lights and bright pink bougainvilla flowers. Several tables had been set for the expected dinner guests–my friends and I.

We walk to the kitchen to greet our host. Valerie Guerrero warmly receives us. The scene is reminiscent of walking into a friend’s house for an intimate dinner. Tonight, we are her only guests. After all, it has been barely a month since Valerie opened her Tagaytay weekend home to dining guests.

We head for the gazebo. Despite the darkness, I could see the silhouette of Taal. How wonderful this view would be on a clear day. But there was no moment or reason to lament. Even at night, the ambiance is still lovely.

Valerie fusses over each guest, asking for our desired beverage. She knows my preference for red wine, a detail she remembers from our first conversation. She then leaves us to see to our six-course meal.

Tonight, she is serving Greek cuisine. Serving lunch and dinner only on weekends, each week promises a different cuisine. Valerie points out that she cooks authentic dishes consistent with the region she chooses. Born in Zimbabwe and an extensive traveler of the world, she can easily replicate the flavors specific to the region of the many countries she has been to. Not one to compromise on the quality of her cooking, if the ingredients are not available for one dish, she may opt for another cuisine all together. Her food is always sincere, never forced. She admits she is partial to the flavors of Europe, India and her native Africa; the cuisine of America, Mexico and Asian do not inspire as much.

Beginning with Spanakopita, a savory pie made of phyllo dough with a filling of sautéed spinach, onions, feta cheese, eggs and seasoning, it was simply decadent. The cheese delightfully melted in your mouth along with the delicate layers of phyllo, draped with some tomato puree. Valerie’s young assistant chef, TJ Montalbo, serves a healthy green soup soon after.

Valerie appears from the kitchen carrying a generous serving of Greek Salad. The large quantity seems daunting, but she insists we must finish everything she serves, insisting that her food was perfectly planned. After all, she says she is a nutritionist, too.

She insists that her food is not fattening and, looking at her figure, (she has an 18-year-old daughter and is a chef to boot, her slim and sexy body is truly impressive. Like an obedient child, I start grazing on my greens. Valerie and TJ personally choose the best lettuce leaves and tomatoes from a Tagaytay farm of a French guy. The kalamata olives and feta cheese evoke the authentic flavors of Greece with radish, violet onions and cucumbers adding freshness to the already vibrant salad.

For the entrée, Valerie asks whether we prefer Lamb Souvlakia or Fish Kebab. We all choose the lamb, which is well-marinated lamb, skewered and grilled. Each piece is tasty and very tender. Valerie takes great lengths to make sure her guests experience a truly Greek meal. She insists we use our hands to pick on our bread, dip our lamb into the Tatziki sauce made from cucumber, yogurt and dill. I dunk my meat into the sauce, crunch into the perfectly grilled but still juicy capsicums in between bites of pita bread. Under the paired skewers of meat are zuccini frites. This vegetable accompaniment tastes like a delicious potato or eggplant concoction, making me an instant fan.

Already stuffed, there is still dessert. Baklava, consisting of many layers of butter-drenched phyllo pastry, spices and chopped nuts draped with honey-lemon syrup, is the perfect sweet ending to our culinary journey to Greece. Generously sprinkled with pistachio nuts, it is truly loaded with flavor and texture. The two small bite-size pieces are quickly wiped out.

Educating your palette is integral to the experience of eating in The Art of Dining. Never rushed, every thing must be savored. In the company of Valerie, consuming her specially concocted authentic cuisine requires becoming open to cultures not necessarily familiar to Filipinos. This citizen of the world has lived on four continents, making Africa, England, India and finally the Philippines her home. She speaks German, Spanish and African. Her roots are French, English, German and Dutch.

She has traveled far and wide, and is a believer in learning through traveling. This woman is nothing short of eclectic and terribly interesting, exuding a charming dose of confidence. Dining does not end with the food, but the close interaction with this unusual dinner host and chef. She was once a cosmetologist; her love for food turned her into a caterer five years ago. But she immediately clarifies– only for small intimate gatherings not exceeding fifty people. "Never masa," she repeats over and over. She does not do big food productions, always small and intimate to keep the quality good. Besides, this woman is filled with so much energy, variety is mandatory to keep her interested.

Having her own restaurant has been her life-long dream. And, when she found this house in Tagaytay owned by Grace Katigbak a few weeks back, she knew it was the right place and time. This culminates her life-long fascination for food–from a young girl perfecting baking scones to adventures hunting for venison with her father in Africa, to duplicating the food she has sampled in her many trips around the world.

Valerie is lovely, looking very much like a petite version of Susan Sarandon. Her spontaneity is endearing as she speaks Tagalog with a charming accent. Her funniest quip is "Ano ba diyan." To get the attention of her helpers, she tries to clap her hands. But her injured left finger wouldn’t let her clap properly.

Her young 24-year-old chef TJ lovingly calls him his second mom. They look at each other with much fondness and respect, just like a true mother and son. This woman filled with a life of eclectic experiences and the innocence of a boyish chef still wearing braces makes an unusual and memorable tandem. Sitting with us for stories, it becomes clear Valerie is very much a part of this dining experience. TJ reveals that she has a collection of 25 varieties of vinegar in her home kitchen.

It is clear that food is her passion, although she repeatedly says it is her pleasure, her joy. She is not out to prove anything or to compete with anyone. With much clarity and security at her age, she knows who she is. It is clear to me she is merely having fun, doing what she does well. A believer in constantly learning, she tells me "I will be a student till the day I will die."

I am somehow amazed that she has ended up with a Filipino male, who is unfazed by her strength and vitality. She exudes her sensuality and seems very much in love with Wahoo Guerrero, a noted photographer. For our dinner, he drives all the way from their Greenhills home to bring up some tablecloths she left behind. He gamely fixes the flower arrangement for his dear love.

Long after the meal had been digested, this dinner will not be forgotten. It is not just about the food or the ambiance, but the totality of the dining experience. Valerie’s food is delicious and the place is charming, but a taste of this woman from another culture’s fresh flavors on life is truly satisfying. No doubt, this is what the art of dining is all about.