Experiencing Mild Ethereal Sensation In Alimyon (with some bits of downside)
A coffee must be mingled with magic. A beautiful place can be summoned to make the unfamiliar weave sophistication — to take your breath away. If there is such thing as close to perfection, we now have a potential combination to taste and experience ethereal. Something soulful and magical. If you like to seal that business deal, or do a tête-à-tête with your loved one or a friend, perhaps this is a desirable place. And now, you're going high.
Enter Alimyon Kapehan!
Reinforced on cemented stone and perched on top of a hill, with thatched of nipa roof and bamboo structures, this stilt house is undoubtedly a veranda of scenic views. Look around at 360-degree lush greeneries and blue mountain ranges of Negros Oriental to your left; and to your right, a glimpse of the expansive Tañon Strait (famed for whale-and-dolphin-watching tourists), opposite Cebu.
Notwithstanding its proximity from city proper, Alimyon is the off-the-beaten path to coffee and experience something distinctive. Located 22.5km northwest from Dumaguete City, the 45-minute road trip will take you to rolling sceneries along coastal roads and through hillside cliffs. From the National Highway, there is a Balinsasayaw Twin Lakes sign fronting the seaside of San Jose, Negros Oriental. Follow that uphill path. Ironically, while traversing this direction, we asked some random locals and they don't even know where Alimyon is. Relatively, it is a new place (Alimyon opened to the public last December 3, 2017) to chill with family, friends and loved ones over coffee and a plate full of linuyang (a.k.a. nilupak na saging: mashed cooked bananas, of the saba variety).
The food is relatively fine. Prices are like your typical city restobars. We don't mind paying first class prices if it's above average food to a plethora of mindblowing tastes. I was expecting something; a unique offering for the palatable senses, a specialty dish or an inspiring menu to satisfy the hungry purveyors and the tired commuters same time. But there is none. It's just ordinary food. Almost all of their food are elsewhere found in other restaurant menus. They added rice dishes lately, not just light snacks, catering to 7AM post-sunrise visitors and customers. They also have catering services. This place can be improved, however. For instance, there are no PWD-friendly spaces, no high chairs for toddlers or young children or ramps to cater to our senior citizens. The stone steps are not advisable to thread on if you are wearing platform shoes or high heels. If you don't like your grandparents or friends having a bad hair day, grumbling about going up through those mildly tortuous steps, please don't bring them here. You need to cool down after a sweaty climb. Don't worry, there's beer waiting for you up there.
It is best to visit the place on weekdays, when visitors' influx are relatively low. It's a full house! If you get overwhelmed at a massive turnout of customers, chances are, this place is not for you if you are hoping for a prompt order. Average time per order: 30 minutes to 1 hour (trust me, if you're not in a hurry though). You'll cue up for long lines if you are going there on Saturdays or Sundays. They should also take care on the waitlisted customers, as well. A soothing music to set the ambience and tone should be introduced. Perhaps, a more friendly and SMILING staff should replace this batch, if the management can't train the existing ones.
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