Want to run to the mountains and escape from the stresses of Manila life? A trip to Tagaytay nowadays means having to suffer hours of traffic, so you'll need a vacation from that vacation. Instead, go to Estancia de Lorenzo, a simple yet sophisticated farm resort located on the hills of San Mateo, Rizal. Tranquil views of mountainsides, spacious lodges, and sumptuous farm-to-plate dining await visitors there.
Made for large yet intimate gatherings, Estancia de Lorenzo offers pavilions that can seat 100-150 people, the resort is also perfect for weddings, receptions, debuts, company outings, and out-of-town conferences.
The restaurants there are also destinations in their own right. You may need to call ahead and make reservations, because these are growing in reputation and fill up rather quickly. The one that I've tried so far is Farmyard, a two-floor restaurant that my family chose to host my brother's belated 34th birthday in. Everything was delicious - the Asian Salad, Chicken Binakol (chicken cooked similarly to Tinola, but with buko juice), Gambas, Laing, Adobo, and Baby-Back Ribs were cooked splendidly. Every dish was Instagram-worthy and sang of freshness on our palates. Our party was so noisy, we had to apologize to the other table for our boisterousness - but the other guests said that they actually enjoyed our happy family energy. Truly, there's nothing like great food to bring the best out of people! read more