"Weddings are boring," someone told me in a text message while I was attending the 25th wedding anniversary of my best friend's parents in Baguio, where they live. While I have to agree that long and meaningful services tend to put me in a hazy daydreaming stupor, I think that wedding receptions make up for all the solemnity. The pine scented rainy afternoon was just as perfect for falling asleep in chapels as it was for indulging in warm slow-cooked food and drinks in a celebration that could put the Epicureans to shame. Of course, the food plays a very important role. By the time the mass songs have been sung and the knot tied - everyone is trying to ignore the grumbling in their tummies so they can smile properly for the photos. Usually, the guests have no idea what dishes await them, but at this particular wedding, we had a very clear idea. Roast beef, chicken with coriander, salmon, pasta with sundried tomatoes, grilled mediterranean vegetables - this was the menu that was making our mouths water even before the entourage walked down the aisle. The dashing groom had proudly informed us of the menu hours before the wedding, so our tastebuds were prepped and our expectations rather high. We arrived at the reception area trying our best to live up to our prim and proper appearances, but the aroma wafting from the buffet table was irresistible. We wasted no time in lining up, eager to pile our plates with the promised meal. Everything was delicious, and afterward, we were so full that none of us could move, except maybe to reach for what was never the last bite. The next day, we pried our hungover bodies from our warm beds and headed out to hunt for treasure in Bayanihan Lodge - home of all things dusty, secondhand and charming. My best friend wanted to bring us to this place called Hill Station. "Their ice cream is heavenly. It's a Francesca Lia Block place," she told us, referring to one of our favorite authors who writes about food as if you could taste it off of the page. Our calves were aching from the previous night's high heels and the morning's adventure in the three-floor rickety Bayanihan building, but the prospect of homemade ice cream was more than enough motivation. We headed out for Casa Vallejo - one of the oldest buildings in Baguio. On the way there, my best friend told us about how they would break into the abandoned building to drink, before Mitos Benitez Yñiguez of Mario's restaurant turned it into a spiffy colonial-style hotel and restaurant. When my best friend told us that the wedding reception was catered by this restaurant, we were certain the trip was going to be worth it.
The facade is a time machine that brings you back to old Baguio.
From the outside, you can tell you're in for an unusual dining experience. Pristine cream panels, large window panes that let the sunlight in, a charming sign that assures you you've arrived at Hill Station. Down the short staircase is a low-ceilinged smoking area. The walls are barely visible behind rows and rows of photographs taken by Boy Yñiguez, and a friendly chalkboard advertises the World Cup Promo - 6 bottles of beer with a bucket of peanuts for 260 pesos. Beside a well-stocked bar is a display chiller of sausages and other delicatessen items.
The walls are covered with photography by Boy Yniguez.
A few steps further and a large sunlit-bathed room offers you a choice of plush chairs by the wide windows that open up to a view of lush pine trees. It seems every spot is perfect, every table adorned with a different candle, and black-and-white flowered place mats.
A slow-cooked meal is best enjoyed with a wide view of pine trees.
After getting over the view, we chose a table by the fireplace and began to peruse the menu. We came for the homemade ice cream, but the other sections on the deceptively simple menu were just as seductive. We ended up ordering almost everything from the dessert selection, a plate of Tex Mex fries to contrast the inevitable sugar overload, and a Caprese Salad on a baguette for some real food.
The Cordillera house blend is a perfect target on the pretty floral place mat.
Someone ordered a cup of the Cordillera house blend, which smelled like a really good morning for 60 pesos, and someone else ordered a Frozen Mojito, which looked good enough to eat. The rhum was nicely blended, and just the right amount. The cool green concoction threatened to spill over the dainty glass it came in. Sipping from an overflowing glass is a challenge - but Hill Station's Frozen Mojito is worth the trouble, and the 120 pesos.
A Frozen Mojito to cool you down on a rare hot day in the Summer Capital.
The much-awaited desserts came in one after the other on a sweet-tooth parade and teaspoons crossed over to all sides of the table, digging into the different dishes. Our first favorite was the vanilla cupcake, dusted with cinnamon and served with perfectly smooth vanilla ice cream (110 pesos). It was hard to tell which was melting in your mouth - the silky cupcake or the snowy ice cream. Whatever it was, that cupcake disappeared very quickly.
The tiny vanilla cupcake and a scoop of vanilla ice cream are made for each other.
Our second favorite, the Croissant Bread Pudding (95 pesos), came in a deceptively small cup, had a slight tang, and proved to deliver a pretty punch to the tongue for 95 pesos.
Man can't live on bread alone, but the Croissant Bread Pudding is more than enough.
The Death by Chocolate (115 pesos) didn't kill anyone, but the lack of words to describe the dessert indicated that some of us had gone blissfully braindead. The Dark Chocolate homemade ice cream (110 pesos), optionally served with a dash of cayenne pepper, brought memories of Bicol tsokolate simmering on the stove. There was no sticky suman to accompany the dessert - but the bowl of gooey ice cream stood perfectly well on its own.
Death by Chocolate is a dark killer disguised by pure vanilla ice cream.
The real star, however, was the homemade Avocado Jalapeno ice cream (110 pesos). Its consistency is like fresh avocado scooped out of its shell, crushed with powdered milk and confectioner's sugar. Surprisingly refreshing, the Shrek-colored dessert was too good to not have second servings.
Homemade avocado jalapeno ice cream may not sound terrific, but your tastebuds will thank you for being adventurous.
The savory dishes did their part well, too. The Tex Mex fries weren't too oily, and the slow-cooked chili blended very nicely with the melted cheese and sweet onions. The Caprese Salad on a baguette was heaped with crisp lettuce leaves, then topped with a thick tomato slice and a pile of fresh white cheese drizzled with mild vinaigrette. The amount was just right for 95 pesos, a manageable snack to alternate with all that dessert.
The Tex Mex fries may not be good for your heart, but they are very good for the soul.
Hill Station is a relaxing place, the wind blows freely in and out the large windows as your food is slow-cooked in the kitchen. Customers will not run out of things to look at, whether they focus on the photography on the wall or the curious corner that is labeled "Pot Dealer." It is what it is, customers can purchase a pot to take home. Including the wedding spread, we tried more than ten Hill Station dishes. We reckon a few more return visits are in order, so we can try the rest. After what we've tried, there's no way we'll be disappointed.
- GMANews.TV Hill Station is in Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City. 
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