Cheap, Good Eats in Baguio I
Here’s a short list:
1. Kamimura - Food Court Stall - SM City Baguio
Carlos Anton’s old stand alone restaurant on Kisad Road is no more but I do have to say that one of the best stalls in the SM City Baguio food court is his recently opened one, with modified Bento boxes at P61, P75 and P90 with hefty servings. Each comes with a cup of flavorful broth, a large serving of rice, your choice of sides (pansit bihon, sauteed bean sprouts with carrots (this is good!) or mini spring rolls. The P61 comes with a viand like my favorite teriyaki beef, or yakitori chicken or a good-sized pork chop. The P75 versions include Zumo beef stew and three other viand choices with larger portions, while the P90 is a combo serving of two of the viands mentioned above.
2. Jack’s Restaurant - La Trinidad
The combo of chopsuey, 1pc. chicken, and small slices of lechon kawali and a large cup of rice topped with fried egg at P55 is hard to beat! Food tastes fresh and, although there’s a branch in Abanao, I just love going to the La Trinidad main restaurant, that looks like an old, large, provincial highway restaurant but is full of memories. I brought my mom there on a Sunday noon and we just couldn’t find seats in this large restaurant! I must mention the P15 slice of moist pineapple cake (that has the consistency of heavy banana bread) that is simply wonderful.
3. 50’s Diner - Leonard Wood Road
Great location, their prices are about P5-10 higher than when they closed their Abanao branch a few years back. They’re in a much better location now and still have the same old favorites, like the P90 chili burger (with fries), the impressive chicken sandwich with lots of filling between uber-thick extra large bread slices (with fries) at about P75, plus combo plates that have chicken, pork chops, pizza bread slices, etc. for about p100.
What these three have in common is value for money, freshness, cleanliness and flavor without a hint of MSG. Baguio is known for cheap eats, but I have standards other than price. After all, especially if you’re a tourist, you do have to see only what’s good and beautiful about Baguio. Plus you can’t risk indigestion by being too adventurous, can you?
Of course, my absolute favorites are listed at the Go Baguio! Restaurants page.
Let me scour around some more for cheap, good eats to write about.
You’re not suggesting Star Cafe and Luisa’s Cafes?
Hehe
Star Cafe is already in my restaurants page. Luisa’s am thinking about it because my experience there is limited to take-out Asado. The eatery by Center Mall (which should be renamed Large Servings Laden with Sauce That All Taste Alike in an Awful Location) will never make it. Hahaha. By the way, my palate is very sensitive to MSG.
haha, i was just thinking about that certain restaurant behind center mall
there was this korean restaurant my friends and i loved going to. it was in mabini, and is now where emperor’s court used to be. they have big servings, and the prices aren’t bad either. it works when you’re in a big group because you can split the bill and share the monster servings.
Its good to know you also dine at Jack’s Restaurant in La Trinidad. Interesting variety of taste you’ve got there then. One of the pioneer Igorot owned restaurant. There’s so much history with it’s humble beginnings and the person who started it.
Hi Kubi. One of the perks of having so many Koreans in Baguio is that we so many good Korean restaurants here! With the price of chinese cabbage rising with the demand for — kimchi! Lemme check it out! I eat at Wood Nymph so often they even honor me with those metal chopsticks the Koreans use.
Hi Lovelyn. Oh yes, there was a time I had flaming red hair (hahaha) and ate there like clockwork every monday and thursday until the little old lady behind the counter couldn’t help but ask (in perfect English, of course), “Who are you, and why are you here all the time?” Hahaha!
Thanks for the list Lisa, I know 50’s dinner is good. I have to try the others when we come to Baguio again.
Good Taste..how could I forget. Dear, trust me..masmasarap ang food nila kesa sa Barrio Fiesta. I usually don’t eat Filipino food outside home kasi di lutong bahay yung dating. Pero masarap sa GT. When we ate there, I cited some Koreans.
please give me the contack number of Jacks REstaurant, we are planning to go to Strawberry FArm on our last day of trip, maybe we can have our lunch at Jacks, is it the same classy restaurant as JAcks in Davao City? We are 40pax so we have to make reservations…thanks