Earthkeepers' Garden and Restaurant — Restaurant in Tiaong

Earthkeepers Garden reminds me of my late grandma’s house. The path that leads to her abode, is full of plants and flowers. Earthkeepers Garden is a quaint shop selling souvenirs of all sorts including ornamental plants you can bring home. They serve tinolang native na manok, kinilaw na tanigue, sinaing na tulingan, ginataang kalabaw, kalderetang baka and monkey burger. The latter is not made of monkey meat but banana!

We were served “sinulbot”. This is the stage before it becomes kalamay - the sticky delicacy made of coconut milk, glutinous rice and brown sugar or latik. It takes a lot of efforts to cook “sinulbot”. It reminds me of “palitaw” but this is made of more coconut milk. “Palitaw” for me has harder texture but this one is soft and creamy that while I type this I am literally drooling. I wish I bought a bunch to bring home!

TIP: Sinulbot is best paired with either a hot cup of brewed tea or straight-from-the-ref buko juice! Also, you can go to the nearby wooden house, they have big clay jars you...

I absolutely love this place! You can taste the quality of the ingredients and the careful nuances of preparation. I found this place a few years ago when visiting my family and fell in love with a special banana flower dish called kulawo. This time back in the Philippines I knew I had to go back and get more, when I did they switched it up a little bit and replaced the banana flower with jackfruit. Yum! The other dishes I tried were just as fine, the pako salad and tinola. The tamarind juice is...

I'm really glad I used Google Maps! This place is a gem. Beyond the plants and pots from the highway is a small restaurant nestled among the greenery. They offer mostly organic menu and native delicacies. They also sell fruits and "pasalubong" inside. It had a relaxing vibe and we had an educational /informative chat with the owner during our meal. They served coffee with our dessert . They have clean toilets and some parking space. We will surely...