Steamy, Hot Bulalo - Perfect on a Rainy Day!

Erwin and I had another impromptu trip to OUR favorite Tagaytay. The plan really was to go to Silang to do some plant shopping - that will be a totally different story later on. We reached Silang by 11am. We decided to have lunch at Tagaytay, which was just 10 minutes away. It was a cold and rainy afternoon so we decided to have Bulalo.

We've been eyeing a bulaluhan along the road going to Mendez. However, we missed the place by a few meters so we ended up eating at a place called La Trobada -the one just beside the other buhaluhan we wanted to try out.

At first glance, I found the price of the Bulalo pricy at P350.00. The waiter said it was good for 2 only so I thought it was a bit on the expensive side. Anyway, as i said before, price is relative. We ordered Bulalo and fried Tawilis (another favorite of mine! When in Tagaytay have Tawilis!). We wanted to have Sizzling Sisig but I was afraid we'd over order. Since there was just two of us so we didn't order it anymore.



I like the way the Bubalo was served. With the fire under, it kept the soup warm. More importantly, the heat kept the sebo from forming. I've had Bulalo at 3-5 different restaurants in Tagaytay and so far it's only La Trobada that serves it this way. There were 3 really big chucks of meat and a few veggies. At P350.00 it was worth it after all. It's not, however, good for 2 only, as the waiter said. I think it could feed 4-5. Just one comment though - I found the broth salty. With my Bulalo, I want to have "room" for my toyo-calamansi-sili sauce. Since the soup was salty I had to improvise by just squeezing the calamansi directly onto the soup. The meat was just right - not tough but right to the bite. The other problem with Bulalo sometimes is it gets over cooked and the meat falls apart. I like my Bulalo with visible meat, like chucks, and not just fibers of the meat found at the bottom of the bowl.


Bulalo is not Bulalo without the marrow.


I just love Tawilis. The more popular preparation is fried. Inihaw na Tawalis is also good, they just don't have it in the menu. With fried, though, it's easier to eat the whole fish because it's cruncky. When I say whole that's from head to tail.


I also love veggies in my bulalo. This had a few leaves of chinese cabbage and some baguio beans. Our homemade bulalo/nilaga has corn, potatos and saba.



The place is spacious and the view of the Taal was not bad. They have treehouses, too.


They also have a roving band. Something I just don't really generally appreciate.


On the menu, the other specialty is Paella. I'll definitely return to try that. Next time, will bring the kids with us.