For whatever reason, whenever I am hungry, I find myself surfing back and forth at the Lifestyle Network, the Food Network and Travel and Living, among other channels. This leads to, of course, me getting even hungrier. It might be because of the way every show never fails to display appetizing dishes each and every episode. Or perhaps because every single dish, for that matter, never falls short in making my mouth water, my taste buds salivate to the extent that I crave for the current dish that was presently onscreen. Every. Single. Time.
And to make things more interesting, I know for a fact that I am NOT alone here. Given that one of the basic instincts of man is to eat, most people would actually agree with me when I say that man does not only need to eat, but in fact to eat good, if not great, food. I know that it is not only me that craves for lip smacking treats. I know that most people share my hunger (literally and figuratively) for these delectable things. I know that for a fact. Now, now, to those who are sharing my hunger as you read this, we all need not despair, mga kabalikat, for there is a new place that satisfies all the requirements that a food show calls for. And that new place is just here, hiding at the outskirts of Laguna, away from the hustles and bustles of the busy city.
Situated at Brgy. Maahas in Los Baños, Laguna, Herb Republic is quite a starting restaurant – they opened to the public just last April 2009. But do not be fooled when I said “starting”. The second we walked inside, I instantly liked the décor. The natural feel was all over the place, greeting you as you entered. You can choose where you want to eat, depending on your mood, from the native-inspired wooden tables in the middle of the garden, or in one of their bamboo and rattan kubos (more known as nipa huts, the Philippines’ national native house style), to a lush lounge area that exudes an opulent feel. The restaurant’s eye-friendly lighting matches the brick-line walls and tall fences constructed from bamboo stems.
My buddies and I opted to eat at the lounge. The cushioned sofa just fully embraces your back and bottom with its softness the moment your body touches it. A piano is installed and an acoustic guitar is also available for the guests to play with and kill time while waiting for their orders. Another thing that you could do is take pictures of the home-grown plants that are all around the restaurant grounds. A well-maintained indoor pond with playful fish and lilies also add to the serenity of the place.
If you have decided, however, to go for the wood tables in the center or in one of their bamboo kubos, an even more tranquil atmosphere can be felt as the combination of sun, air and plants transports you to a quiet place along the countryside.
While waiting for our orders, they served us tea in these cute small teacups. Not only does the tea tasted great, but it was a house warming gift for free. Way to go for us!
From the appetizers to the main courses, the menu was reasonably priced and was packing with flavor. We ordered Stuffed Tofu (a bighearted helping of deep fried tofu stuffed with rolls of bacon), Mushroom Tempura (mushroom caps deep fried in tempura breading with a slightly spicy dip), Garlic Chicken (a quarter of a chicken generously flavored with garlic and served with herbs and spices of choice), Grilled Tuna Belly (perfect for fish fans, a humongous slab of tuna that was grilled perfectly – very crisp on the outside, and yet tender and juicy on the inside – and that would feed four to five people), Chicken Inasal (again, a quarter of a chicken that was permeated with a slightly orange or reddish hue from azuete seeds), Grilled Pork Liempo (their version of the pinoy pork staple served in bite sized pieces), Marinara Pasta (for seafood lovers, al dente pasta with a delicious creamy marinara sauce), and loads of rice! The infusion of their homegrown herbs and spices to every meal made it taste both bold and fresh at the same time, and that was, to put things this way, an exquisite mishmash. For our drink orders, we had their Calamansi and Pineapple Slush. Both are fairly fruity concoctions that are perfect to complement a healthy meal rather than with your regular softdrinks. For desserts, you can choose from their two (just two at the time of writing) specialties, their Molten Chocolate Cake or their version of the famous Pannacotta.
I know I used the word “outskirts” to describe the place’s location (this is to accentuate the serenity that the restaurant offers with its ambiance), but yet again, don’t get the wrong end of the stick of what I was saying. Going there is rather easy. Buses from Manila going to Santa Cruz (via Calamba and Los Baños) are stationed at the Buendia and Cubao bus terminals. For first timers, you can request for the bus personnel to stop for you at South Supermarket in Bay, Laguna (opposite the University of the Philippines Open University), so you could get off at the right stop. From there, a short tricycle ride can take you to the restaurant’s front door. And just so you could make sure that all your travel would not come to waste, you can call in your reservation to the restaurant’s staff in order for you and your buddies, family or loved one to have a secure dining spot at the resto at (049) 827-4407 or at 09228437206.
At the end of the day, we were all very delighted that we decided to experience new-fangled things and sate our stomachs at the said eating place. Herb Republic is definitely not your typical run-of-the-mill restaurant. The food was of premium quality for just a moderate, not-so-expensive price. Celebrate the grandeur of man’s healthy creation amidst God’s majestic conceptions here at Herb Republic.
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