Food + Travel: Dine amidst Baguio's famous Cafe by the Ruins

While I was sifting through the rolls of indigenous textiles at Easter Weaving Baguio, my brother suddenly whispered into my ears "gutom nako.." (I'm hungry). I actually asked him to buy something to eat from the nearby store, but he immediately declined. And since he wanted me to finish my 'textile shopping', he waited until I was done. He's such a supportive brother, right? So as a reward for being such a good companion (and since I was the only one who benefited from this specific travel), I treated him to a sumptuous lunch at Cafe by the Ruins.


I can't remember the last time I ate from this restaurant (I think it was back in high school). So I couldn't help but wipe the smile off of my face when we finally arrived at the lovely cafe. Of course, we came at an inopportune time as everybody were also out for lunch --- on a weekend! But thankfully, we were able to get a table upstairs just after 10 minutes of waiting.


I was already feeling the pangs of hunger at the time, so I ordered something heavy for lunch. My brother wanted the same cuisine, so we both ordered some pasta dishes. I got myself a hefty order of Lemon Ricotta with grilled chicken breast, while my brother requested for a Meatball Pasta dish. Of course, I had to try their Fresh Lemonade, while Choy ordered a Mango fruit shake.

My pasta had a nice Lemony flavored cream sauce of carabao ricotta cheese, which was complemented with a perfectly grilled chicken. It also had several Foccacia bread strips that really tasted oh-so delicious! It was so delish that I had to ask for Choy's share. 

My lemonade drink on the other hand was freshly squeezed. So you can imagine how sour it tasted (eyes cringing). And despite being smeared with sugar on the mouth piece like a Mojito drink, I still had to request for an extra shot of honey just to help tone down the sourness.



Choy's pasta dish on the other hand was a very familiar meal. His pasta platter had the usual tomato sauce, meatballs and Foccacia bread strips. I actually got to sample a whole meatball, and was able to get a real kick out of it. It was no ordinary piece of meat, as it had a good fusion of salt and herbs.


AN AMBIANCE THAT EVERY ARTIST WILL LOVE

If you've never been to the cafe, the first thing that you'll notice are the dilapidated walls. But the beat up foundation doesn't sum up the whole edifice, as the restaurant already displays a wide array of contemporary materials. 

Cafe by the Ruins also uses different kinds of wood, which can be seen prevalent in the restaurant's surroundings (from walls to tables). Besides that, the cafe has also decorated its interiors with a variety of artworks, which have been mostly created by Filipino artisans.



I also loved the open kitchen setup. I actually got to see my food being prepared right on the spot. I mean, it would literally make your mouth water while anticipating for your food to be served. It was definitely a sight for sore eyes, given all the freshly cooked food being laid on your plate. It was just oh-so beautiful!


HOW TO GET THERE

Since my brother and I were really hungry at the time, we opted to take a cab from Easter Weaving to the restaurant. In just a matter of minutes, we arrived at our destination. Now regardless of your current location, you can easily instruct the cab driver to take you to the restaurant (Cafe by the Ruins) that's right in front of the City Hall. 

How about you? Have you been to Cafe by the Ruins lately?

Explore & Be Free!
Mai

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25 comments

  1. I love it when we say carabao. The first time I said the word in England, the English were politely looking at me, waiting for a definition of carabao. Someone politely asked if I meant water buffalo, which I then realised was the name for carabaos outside the Philippines. Hahaha. It's always lovely to spend time with siblings, and as Pinoys the one thing we look forward to doing is eating together :) I like the ambiance of Cafe by the Ruins. I miss going to Baguio. Have a lovely weekend Mai x

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  2. ate mai ate mai,,, ill support you din in your business. treat me also a sumptuous lunch i Cafe by the Ruins, haha...


    i love it there though the food is not that cheap, the ambiance and the experience, as well the quality of the food will really pay off ...

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  3. Hahahah! That was an interesting story on the word 'carabao', Ms. Madge! I mean, we're not always going to be aware of how some words of ours will differ with other people when traveling elsewhere. Anyhow, I do agree with eating out with family (of with friends). Dining out won't actually be complete without a little bonding. :)

    So, were you able to visit Cafe by the Ruins while you were still in the Philippines? :)

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  4. Hahahah! Sira ka talaga! Yeah.. the price is a bit heavy on the wallet. But the ambiance and the food certainly makes up for it, ten-fold. :)

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  5. It's really refreshing eating at the Ruins. I love the food there and the pastries. Pwede palibre din kasi supportive din ako =>

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  6. WAIT! Ba't di ko to na try when I went to Baguio almost two years ago? Waaaa. Must try this soon!!! Missin' the cold weather of Baguio.

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  7. That pasta! yumyum! I also love the place, it is like ruins! And to see the chef in action cooking your dishes is a delight to the customers who are lucky to be seated upstairs! :D

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  8. I've never been to Baguio and I'm planning to go there this summer.. will definitely check this out!

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  9. Captured it on our food list for Baguio. Just looking at the food, I knew it taste heaven in the mouth. I am surprised how they serve their lemonade contrary to the traditional of infusing sweet.

    Mai, good companions din kami :) lol

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  10. How much was the carabao ricotta cheese ice cream? The flavor is unlike the offerings of many ice cream joints in Manila. I wonder about the price. :)

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  11. You know it's been more than 5 years since we last visited Baguio. I think this is a good reason to plan a trip to the city of Pines this summer. Thanks for the post!

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  12. The ambiance of the restaurant does look fabolous and I want to try your brother's pasta dish now.

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  13. Hi Rochkirstin! You must've read my post wrong. I didn't mention any carabao ricotta cheese ice cream on this post..

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  14. hahaha! Dapat ata ikaw manlibre sakin since Baguio's your turf! :P

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  15. You should definitely dine there, Renz! Ibang klase talaga ang food and ambiance. :)

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  16. Have you been to Baguio yet, Jonas? :)

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  17. Hahahah! Libre ko na lang kayo ng Strawberry Taho sa Minesview pag bisita nyo ng Baguio. Yun ang kaya ng budget ni biyahera..hehe! But seriously, you'll love it there. :) Pwedeng pwede pangDate. :)

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  18. You should, Kathy! This recent trip to Baguio was 5 years in the making too. :)

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  19. Ngayon ko lang ito narinig, hehehe! Nangasim ako sa lemonade at nagutom ako sa pasta. Haha! Sarap!

    Ang ganda ng ambiance ng lugar nila. Affordable ba pagkain nila? :)

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  20. The food looks delicious! I would love to try their dishes out when I get the chance to return to Baguio.
    -Wanderer Juan

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  21. Haha I didn't know why I had that information to recall. :)) Sorry!

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  22. This is one place I certainly wouldn't mind taking an effort to go to as I'm totally sold on the ambiance and the food looks delicious.

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