A quick (and yummy) escape from Session Road at Azotea Greens

We were in Baguio for the weekend, thinking we might go biking in Burnham Park, horseback riding at Wright Park, or maybe even pick some strawberries. But the weather was lovely for sleeping, and we woke up too late for any of those activities. Still, there was plenty of time for vegetables. You might say that vegetables aren't actually an activity—but they can be, especially when they're as good as those you can get in Baguio. Aside from jam, choco crinkles, and brooms, bags of fresh veggies are my favorite Baguio pasalubong. Maybe it's all in my head, but somehow their broccoli is sweeter, their lettuce greener. I met a fellow vegetarian the night we arrived, and I was surprised when he said he was having a hard time finding anything good to eat in the city. To me, Baguio is one of the best places to be a vegetarian. Stocking on your own ingredients would be so easy, and if ever you got lazy, finding a restaurant wouldn't be too difficult. Even on Session Road, where there's a fast food joint at almost every corner, vegetarians won't go hungry. In La Azotea Building, you can find Kidlat Tahimik's Oh My Gulay on the top floor, and Azotea Greens at the lower ground floor. Getting to Oh My Gulay can be challenging for people who don't like climbing stairs, but once you get there, you'll realize it's worth it. Entering the restaurant is like stepping into a secret forest. A few years ago, we went there for coffee and the view, which was lovely. Those who've tried the food (vegetarian or not) say it's excellent. This time, we decided to try Azotea Greens, which used to be on the second floor. Its new location is next to a tattoo parlor, which adds some quirkiness to the dining experience. A couple of big, heavily tattooed guys watched us as we entered the restaurant. We discovered that from certain tables, we could also watch the ongoing tattoo session. Fair enough, we figured. Choosing where to sit was a bit challenging. We were instantly drawn to the corner spot, with its cozy looking cushions. But we realized we were too big to sit there comfortably, so we tried another table with cute benches. We were still too big, so we ended up sitting at one of the regular tables, which was just right. After what felt like a game of musical chairs, it was time to choose from the menu. This was challenging, too, but in a good way. There were so many dishes to choose from, and apart from familiar items like Chili Cheese Sticks (left), there were some intriguing things like Boladas. Thinking the servings would be modest, we ordered several dishes, which we agreed to share. This was a mistake, because the servings were quite generous. My first thought upon seeing the food was "uh oh," but as soon as we tasted the Chili Cheese Sticks (P85), all I could think was "mmm." We all ignored each other for a while, because it was past lunchtime and we were more than ready for lunch. From time to time, we would reach across and sample food from the different plates. It was necessary to share everything, because there was just too much food. Although we only chose single orders, the servings were really big. Not that we were complaining—everything was delicious. The Chili Cheese Sticks (wrapped deep fried green chilies filled with cheese and topped with even more cheese) could have been hotter, but we liked how the cheese oozed out of the wrapper. This would have been perfect with beer, but it went well, too, with the lemongrass tea (P45). We could have opted for one of the healthy salads, but because we were in the mood for sinful stuff, we had the Boladas (P75) - fried balls of watercress and other vegetables. Our first reaction to the Boladas (right) was curiosity. They looked like furry, green balls. Not the most appetizing image, but they weren't kidding when the menu said it "gives a new impression and taste on your regular veggies." They were very tasty, crunchy on the outside, and a bit soft inside. They were also filling, and we had to reserve our appetites for the other dishes on the table. The restaurant's main dishes included soy meat choplets and bean curd skin drumsticks, but we decided to try the Mushroom Sisig (P155), their take on the popular Pampanga recipe. Made with Taiwan shiitake mushrooms and special herbs and spices, their version was much healthier, but just as satisfying. Even the meat lovers at the table couldn't stop eating it. We should have stopped after the Mushroom Sisig (above), but there was still a bowl of Ramen (P95) on the way. Made with mushroom balls, nori, veggie ham, shrimp, and watercress, it was the perfect snack for the cool weather. There was also a Clubhouse Sandwich (P125), which was surprisingly not as big as we expected it to be. It was just as well, because we were all stuffed. While we waited for our bill, we looked around the restaurant. It was small, but it was filled with interesting things. On one side of the wall, there was a mini-exhibit of artwork by Devendra Delfin and photography by Leandro Magtibay and Raja Shanti Bonnevie. In one corner, there were vegetarian groceries like barbecue sauce and coffee. The service was a bit slow, but it's not the sort of thing you mind too much on a lazy Saturday afternoon. The restaurant was also very kid-friendly. The pickiest diner in our group was a nine-year-old, but she had no complaints about her Cookies and Cream milkshake (P85). When she started complaining that she was bored, they gave her a picture book. We noticed that the owner really made an effort to check on the diners, which added to the restaurant's charm. As we climbed back up to Session Road, it felt as if we were leaving a secret hideout. We disappeared into the busy crowd, happy that we knew we could always escape back into the cozy restaurant. – YA, GMA News