Balay Dako: Breakfast overlooking Taal Volcano

New places keep cropping up in Tagaytay, and one of those that opened in 2015 is Balay Dako.

Those familiar with Antonio's, which has made it to the Miele Guide, and its sister restaurant Breakfast at Antonio's will be glad to find out that Balay Dako belongs to the same group.

So there's that premium on service and attention to detail. And the quality of the food of course is high.

We have gone there thrice for their breakfast buffet on weekends and on all three occasions, the place was full; they could not take reservations anymore. But don't worry, it's worth the wait to get a table.

There's something about having your barako coffee or hot tea and freshly baked bread with ham and queso de bola while overlooking scenic Taal Volcano. Or tapa or homemade corned beef and daing with your own version of fried rice. There's a Make-Your-Own-Fried-Rice counter where you can pick your ingredients and give them to the chef to make his magic. And for the clueless who don't know what goes into fried rice, just say what you want – e.g., bagoong fried rice, tinapa fried rice – and the chef will get the ingredients for you.

The breakfast buffet also has champorado and tuyo, bibingka and kakanin, taho, arroz caldo, salad, and fresh fruit juices. They're all a hit with balikbayans and residents.

Patricia Benedicto, operations manager of Antonio's Group of Restaurants, said, “In Ilonggo, Balay Dako means 'big house.' Back then, family compounds were built around a large central home. This 'balay dako' became the gathering place for family members and friends to celebrate any and all occasions. Our restaurant is a home where families can dine, that serves traditional food.”

Balay Dako has a main dining hall which serves a la carte lunch and dinner. Patricia said they promote local ingredients such as seafood and produce, thus you can find dishes such as pinakbet fried rice with lechon kawali or crispy pata—Chef Tonyboy Escalante's tribute to Ilocos. “Both [the lechon kawali and crispy pata] are brined for three days and boiled for several hours. The result is very tender and flavorful meat with a very crispy skin. The lechon kawali is served with a homemade lechon sauce. Our recipe uses tamarind as a souring agent instead of vinegar, mixed with peppercorns, bay leaf, chili and oranges,” she said.

Balay Dako is also proud of its bulalo, which can be served in a traditional way or with homemade blackened onions invented by their own head chef. “Blackened onions lend a deeper flavor and a sweetness to all our dishes,” Patricia said. She added they also have sizzling bulalo. “It is served on a large cast iron plate and topped with our mushroom demi glace sauce, similar to what is served in Cebu, but of course with a touch of Antonio's,” Patricia said.

Price-wise, dining at Balay Dako is surprisingly not that expensive. “Our price points are also the same, if not cheaper than the other restaurants in the area,” Patricia said.

Indeed, the breakfast buffet is just around P500 per head. No wonder families come in droves to Balay Dako. Come early for a seat with a view. — BM, GMA News

Balay Dako is along Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay City.