(or, when “Bahay” is a great place for dining out of home)
In that lovely limbo between a late merienda and an early dinner sits the meal which your Lola may have called “Merienda Cena”: an old-school dining concept that’s a unique fusion of Spanish influences and quirky Filipino takes. Bahay ni Maria at Marta Restaurant (BNMM) in Tagaytay is giving a fresh spotlight on such I-grew-up-with-these culinary offerings, many of them designed to evoke cheerful—and flavorful!—memories of family celebrations.
Mark special occasions this Leap Year with “throwback feasts”
Nostalgic, evocative, yet palate-pleasing moments are intrinsic to Bahay ni Maria at Marta, which presents you with two distinct menus: the Greatest Hits Menu of Filipino favorite dishes, and the intriguing Antigo Menu that focuses on Filipino traditional ways of cooking.
Let’s start with the vintage: warming up to a full-on meal? The Bahay ni Maria at Marta Antigo Menu has Pampagana and Pulutan featuring the familiar-with-a-fresh twist. These include a subtly rich Adobong Atay ng Manok Pâté: adobo braised chicken liver, butter, white cheese, aromatics, and toasted Pinoy bread; and, if you’re leaning towards a greener option, Lumpiang Gulay Sinamak, with seasonal vegetables and the Restaurant’s signature Saba Sinamak, vinegar crafted from plantains.
Craving for sizzling? There are three choices on the Antigo Menu, including the Sizzling Bariles Salpicao, and the Sizzling Spicy Kalderetang Kambing, with the goats raised in BNMM’s sister company, the Bahay Farms, with sites across the Southern Tagalog area.
From Bahay Kubo to Bahay ni Maria at Marta?
Incidentally, it’s the presence of these partner-farms—and the high-quality ingredients that they provide—that’s part of the secret sauce for the sweet and savory delectations of Bahay ni Maria at Marta. Almost all ingredients are sourced directly from these farms, and the produce are organically grown. Sustainably sourced livestock includes cage-free / free-range chickens, ducks, black pig, baboy ramo, goat, and sheep.
Bahay Farms’ fresh produce are harvested regularly for Bahay ni Maria at Marta and for all the other dining brands in the Bahay Group of Restaurants, serving Farm-to-Table Food: at Bahay Kafe (at Containers by Eco Hotel along SVD Road in Tagaytay), Baluk Baluk Restaurant (at Villas by Eco Hotel in Mataasnakahoy, Batangas), and here at Bahay ni Maria at Marta which opened in December 2023, specifically for old school foodies.
Just like your videoke favorites: the “Greatest Hits”
Of course, younger foodies are welcome to try the Greatest Hits Menu of tried and tested Pinoy favorites, whose Merienda Cena offerings include Ispag Bol (creamy Pinoy Bolognese, keso, and garlic bread), Canton Sotanghon Guisado, and Truffle Mushroom Pizza. Main course categories range from Pampagana at Pulutan (think Pinoy Gambas, Ensalada Filipina, and Sizzling Sisig); Laman Dagat (the likes of Sinigang na Lapu Lapu and Escabecheng Talakitok); Karne (including the signature Bulalo Tagaytay and CPA—Chicken Pork Adobo); Panghimagas for the Pinoy sweet tooth (including the triple-whammy Tablea Chocolate Cake); and more.
Also on the menu: a place to sleep, just steps away!
Echoing the multifaceted hospitality exemplified in the Biblical account of sisters Mary and Martha—where the former sat with the guests to listen to what Jesus had to share, while the latter prepared the meal—Bahay ni Maria at Marta offers an expansive covered dining area. This area actually represents a second life of sorts for the 1980s structure that used to house a different establishment (pre-pandemic and pre-Taal explosion).
Fast forward to 2023, and Alessandra Atienza and Don Ramon Bagatsing, cofounders of the Eco Hotel Group of Companies, revived and reinvented the restaurant. Not only that, but for those wanting an extended experience or a much-needed respite, there’s actually a place to sleep practically a few steps away, at Cabins by Eco Hotel, right beside Bahay ni Maria at Marta—and with a rooftop view of Taal Volcano.
So this literally new-old resto with its exclusive Antigo Menu, and its all-time faves Greatest Hits Menu, offers a singular “Bahay”: one that’s actually a great, fresh place for dining out of home.
Handa nang tumambay sa Bahay? Bahay ni Maria at Marta Restaurant is open daily from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, located along Aguinaldo Highway, Silang Junction, Tagaytay City; right beside Cabins by Eco Hotel and across Ayala Serin Mall. For more information and to book your events, contact Jay Cortez at 0977 816 5297 or Lorielyn Ninal at 0998 918 7257. Discover more food experiences and memories by connecting with us on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/bahaynimariaatmarta?mibextid=LQQJ4d
