Breakfast at Antonio's

Near the western edge of Tagaytay City is a small restaurant and cafe named "Breakfast at Antonio's." Antonio Escalante, the proprietor, is probably the best known chef in Tagaytay City. He owns two other establishments, the Antonio's and "The Grill, By Antonio's."

Breakfast at Antonio's is situated on the steep ridge of Tagaytay City overlooking the town of Laurel, Batangas. It is a quiet spot located far from the commercial areas of Tagaytay City and gives an excellent view of the Taal Lake and the volcano that it holds. A mix Filipino and Western cuisine is serve here, and the food is excellent.

For Php265-295 (around US$6) you can have your choice of Pork Sausage, Bacon Strips, Farmers Ham or Spanish sausage served with a two eggs and a French panini. For a bit more (Php325, about US$7) you can have one of their Sausage & Scrambles combinations, where you can have your choice of a Schublig, Hungarian or Italian Garlic Sausage served with scrambled eggs served with cheddar cheese, a house potato and a French panini.

The viewing deck at Breakfast at Antonio's gives a nice view of the lake.

Taal Volcano was obscured by the mist durig this visit

They also serve lunch meals starting from Bacolod Grilled Beef Spareribs at Php320 (US$7), to their house specialty, Boiled Black Angus Sirloin Steak, with eggs, a potato and a panini at P950 (US$21).

The prices are on the high end. Not the kind of place I can afford to eat in on a daily basis. An 8-ounce cup of coffee here cost as much as as 16-ounce cup at Starbucks. But this is, fine dining at its best, well worth a 60km drive from Manila, just to have a meal.