The pandemic has brought us a lot of anxieties, but truth be told: I didn’t have so many things to adjust in terms traveling because I am the only person I know who is not fond of going places. However, it was also frightening going to and from work because of the danger this health crisis poses.
Early December of 2021, when we think COVID-19 cases were decreasing, I finally gave in to have lunch outside the City hehe.
We left Manila at around 8:30-9am-ish and arrived at Tagaytay at 11:30am. It was Monday so the restaurant opens exactly at noon, unlike weekends that they open earlier at around 11:00 am. I was expecting lesser people since it was Monday, but still the place was full.
When we arrived, we have given a number (since we do not have a reservation because the trip was spontaneous). The guard checked our temperature as well and we fill-out an online contact tracing form. We were instructed to just wait in the car and not to roam around while waiting for the restaurant to open.
The weather was cold since it was December. When we got in and ready to order, there was an online menu you may look at and it can be accessible via the in-house internet connection exclusive only for viewing the said menu. Globe signal wasn’t good also, so you won’t be able to use your Globe mobile data; on the other hand, SMART mobile internet has a good reception.
Since there were a lot of people, roaming around wouldn’t be an option plus you also want to keep a social distance because of the current health situation.
We ordered their Sinigang na Baboy (good for 3 to 4 persons) and Calamares (good for 1 to 2 persons). The food gets easily cold because of the weather. The area was clean, and open so less anxiety because the airflow is good. The sinigang was good and its pork is tender. The calamares isn’t crunchy like the ones in Dencio’s, Gerry’s Grill, Kuya J’s haha sorry those were my comparisons since I don’g usually go out of the city or eat in areas where it merits to stay long (for the past three years) — hotels, formal dine-ins, etc.
We didn’t stay long in Tagaytay because it also good to not be caught in traffic when late afternoon came. We were in Manila at around 2:30 PM (yes, went to Tagaytay just to eat hehe) and went to Ayala Malls Manila Bay to continue Christmas shopping. It was nice, very few people as well because it was a Monday.
To cap off the day, we went to Harbor Square in Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in Pasay to get a glimpse of the sunset to make the most of the day that I had the time to go out.
These places are still open despite of the lockdowns and changes in quarantine classifications here and there. Make sure that you wear your face mask, keep your social distance, and better to dine out and choose places with good airflow.
Shainne Hostalero 