Head to This OG Farm + Al-Fresco Dining Spot in Silang for Soothing Nature Views

The Dining Room at Gourmet Farms
Gourmet Farms, Km. 52 Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Cavite
Contact: 0917-585-4674
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheDiningRoomAtGourmet
Open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Sunday

(SPOT.ph) For all the convenience it brings, living in Manila has more than its fair share of drawbacks. We see smoke and pollution on the daily; rather than parks, we’re populated by malls. And for most of us working folk, regular days have us stuck within the dull gray cubicles in our offices, our headspace occupied by the thought of deadlines, presentations, bills, and that constant existential anxiety humming at the back of your head pondering on your life’s worth and purpose.

In an alternate universe, we’d simply close our eyes and deny those complications exist. Alas, this is real life—but we can, even just for a day or two, take solace in the thought of life outside the Metro’s borders. No wonder many a Manila-dweller plans their long weekends around going on long drives to areas outside the city.

Consider Silang in Cavite, an area generally cooler than Manila given its elevation, and a part of the national capital that’s home to more nature-filled sights and sounds. Temporary as a trip to the province may be (at least for those of us based outside), just a couple of hours in the said company can provide you with some semblance of a raison d’etre—or at the very least, remind you that there is beauty in the world beyond the Metro's hustle and bustle.

One spot to point your Waze apps to on your next out-of-town drive is Gourmet Farms in Silang, and in particular, their resident all-day food spot dubbed The Dining Room.

Also read: 10 Dining Spots Near Manila with Spectacular Views

Hit up the farm and al fresco restaurant of Gourmet Farms in Cavite:

Mind you, Gourmet Farms is no newcomer to the scene. If the name’s familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen their name along the grocery aisles or in the produce section—they’re primarily known for their coffee beans, tea bags, and organically grown fresh fruit and veg, after all. Their compound in Silang was established in 1987, beginning as a two-hectare farm and soon expanding to the 12-hectare estate with a farm, coffee roaster (by German brand Probat, no less), deli, restaurant and garden (more on that shortly), and sanctuary that they occupy today.

Strolling through the long stretch of their farm gives you a better look at the roots of their range of fresh produce, all grown organically with primary reliance on manpower rather than tractors or other machines. Farmers (and carabaos, including one named Justin Bieber) walk by and tend to their fields of lettuce, kale, and other plantations—a testament to their love for keeping the farming tradition alive. Apart from selling their produce at the farm and at supermarkets the Metro over, Gourmet Farms also explores the many ways to utilize them in the kitchen at The Dining Room at Gourmet Farms, their in-house restaurant that serves Italian- and Mediterranean-leaning dishes all day long.

The Dining Room is part-literal dining room, one clad in an all-white look with high ceilings that's perfect for celebrations. But it's also part-al fresco dining spot, with its outdoor dining area right by their gardens—and it's pretty much an ode to the beauty and bounties of nature. Think trees, shrubs, and flowers in bloom; the sunlight peeking through the trees; birds chirping a la Disney movie; the works. And then there's the unbeatable cool breeze you can primarily only get outside the Metro. Looking at ya, titas.

With food prepared by Executive Chef Ico Molera and team, the restaurant dubs themselves the country’s first farm-to-table restaurant in that they use, and have been using, their own produce to whip up hearty eats—long before the farm-to-table movement (and label) took off locally.

Swing by in the mornings to catch their breakfast specials, which ranges from lighter starters to heftier mains and everything in between. Start the day on a vibrant note with the Breakfast Salad (P360), where a tangy-sweet balsamic vinaigrette strings together organic mixed greens, silky strips of prosciutto, crisp-sweet apple slices, gorgonzola, and candied walnuts. Meanwhile, non-salad folk—or those who think they’re non-salad folks, anyway—might just become converts with the Eggy Caesar (P360). Think classic caesar salad with your choice between romaine lettuce or kale (we suggest the latter), pancetta for smokiness, grilled chicken, juicy cherry tomatoes, and croutons—but made especially breakfast-appropriate with the addition of a poached egg on top, the runny yolk of which oozes and enriches the other elements when cut open.

For the Instagram- and Tiktok-obsessed set, the Superfood Bruschetta (P360) is all about the flavors of modern California. With silky slices of smoked salmon, a buttery avocado mash, more avocado slices, and a poached egg on crusty sourdough, this plate ticks all the millennial-pleasing boxes and delivers a balanced push-and-pull between rich, sour, salty, and a touch smoky. (Don't forget to squeeze the lemon over before taking a forkful.) And for a semi-sweet treat that pairs wonderfully with any of their cups of joe—like the Cappuccino, P130, or Baraco con Leche, P160—don’t miss the Maritozzo (P160). This Italian pastry might feel a tad indulgent to have at breakfast hour, but who makes these rules, anyway? This is excellent stuff. A pillowy Roman-style bun (baked in-house!) functions as the base, and inside lies a barely sweet filing of whipped cream that's so light and billowy, it dissolves on the tongue like a cloud.

Come lunch and dinner time, The Dining Room shifts their focus to heavier savory mains. Much of their food is of the no-fuss, no-frills, nevertheless well-executed sort that leans toward the Italian and Mediterranean end of the global-cuisine spectrum.

Gourmet Farms is known for their veg—for which reason hitting up their salad bar is a must. Go ahead and build your own party-on-a-plate; the small bar is stocked with a selection of salad greens, other raw and cooked veggies, taste- and texture-boosters (think cheese, croutons, and more), and house salad dressings.

As you sip on drinks like the Signature Cooler (P160)—Gourmet Farms’ popular herb-spiked lemonade—you’ll want to nosh on simple but impactful antipasti (starters) like the Gambaretti (P400), or shrimps in a paprika-spiked salted-egg sauce; the Sauté di Cozze (P450), or mussels sauteed with garlic and herbs; and the Artichoke Fritti (P260), or artichoke hearts lightly coated and fried for a thin, crisp exterior and melt-in-the-mouth interior. Their pizzas are similarly on the classic but no less satisfying end, with topping combinations that include the no-fail Diavola (P560) with salame picante crudo, peppers, olives, and anchovies; and the richer Gourmet Pizza (P600) with prosciutto, shrimps, zucchini slices, and punchy bits of blue cheese.

Pasta is also well-represented on the menu, whether you’re after a simple Pesto (P360) on fettucine, a hearty plate of Ragu (P370), or a decidedly decadent forkful of their Gnocchi al Forno (P360) or baked blue-cheese gnocchi. And in true Italian fashion you’ll want to follow through with one of their secondi a.k.a. mains, a standout being the Branzino alla Griglia (P1,800). Here, seabass from Batangas is grilled whole to succulent perfection, and paired with salsa verde and wedges of lemon that add zip to every forkful.

And hey, you’ve reached this point—you don’t want to back out now, so we say go get dessert while you’re in here. Not to be missed is the surprisingly punchy Affogato (P180), where espresso brewed using Gourmet Farms’ own beans contribute a robust backbone to rich vanilla gelato. Alternatively, you can go the warm and homey route with the Apple Pie e Gelato (P280), with a slice of their cake-esque but no less buttery version of the American dessert.

What Went Down During the Art of Gathering Dinner

Moreno—who spent many years in the Italian and Mediterranean regions—further demonstrated his experieced hand at Italian cooking in The Art of Gathering, a five-course affair at main indoor hall of The Dining Room. After serving cocktails, the chef took us out to town with courses like the Insalata di Fattoria, a composition of roasted pineapples, beets, and tarragon with local stracciatella; and Pasta alla Gricia, with scratch-made pasta plus smoky guanciale, pecorino romano, and black pepper.

The bright yet hearty course of Pesce All’Acqua Pazza followed; this standout dish starred halibut, its clean yet buttery profile illuminated by the flavors of fennel, dill, tomato water, and citrus. This was followed by the heavier, decidedly stick-to-your-ribs Zampone e Lenticchie that paired sausage-stuffed pig trotter with a warm, subtly smoky lentil stew, before ending on a sweet note with the Tiramisu al Mango.

Heading back to your home base after a weekend of out-of-town R&R is almost never fun, especially when you know real life will be smacking you right in the face as you resume your normal routine the next day or so. But you can’t underestimate the impact of such a trip to bring back that sensation of being human—a sensation we could all stand to feel and take pleasure in, time and time again.

Also read:
5 Incredibly Charming Cafes to Visit in Silang, Cavite
Easy Pesto Pasta Recipe

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