Next in line for our culinary tour of Baguio was Forest House. We’ve heard lots of good things but we really didn’t have an idea on what to expect or what the place even looked liked. Yeah we’re ignorant. But hey, at least we’re spreading our horizons one small bite at a time, right?
As you’d expect from tourists like us, we went to Forest House sans reservations. I thought that since it was past 1 in the afternoon, we should be able to dodge the throng of lunch diners. When we arrived, the place was packed. The maître d’ informed us that we were looking at almost an hour of waiting since there are other people ahead of us in the line. Mental note to make reservations in the future.
Ordinarily, waiting for an hour to get seated would be an ordeal. You can riffle through all the pages of the magazines lying around and your watch will tell you that not 10 minutes have passed. But in Forest House, you really won’t mind waiting. Probably knowing how much waiting is in store for their customers, their waiting area is designed for relaxation and is nothing but elegant.
I may be overselling it a bit, but I’ve never been to a similarly priced establishment (so of course hotels don’t count) with this so much care for their next customers. Comfy sofas are provided as well as wooden chairs. With the design and ambience, from the yellow plastered walls, wooden accents, to the faux sunflowers, you can while away the waiting time by taking pictures or just chilling. Or maybe I’m just justifying my laziness not to call in a reservation.
Forest House Homemade Bagnet - P170
We started off with the yin and yang of appetizers: the healthy Tuna Salad and the heart attack-inducing Bagnet, the latter of which was one of Forest House’s specialties. Yes, this was our attempt at balancing good and evil.
It was deliciously crispy and its saltiness was just right. It came partnered with bagoong salsa and atchara (papaya chutney) to balance out the flavors. What I loved about this with every bite, you can feel the crunch as the meat crumbles in your mouth.
Garden Fresh Tuna Salad - P270
To wash away the bagnet guilt, we confessed our sins to the Garden Fresh Tuna Salad, who imparts Omega-3 blessings to the repentant. There was one problem here however. We forgot we weren’t in a Japanese/Fusion bar so we were expecting tuna sashimi somewhere. We were instead greeted with a tuna salad that quite obviously, came from a can. This was the only low point of the meal but nevertheless, we lapped it all up.
Lengua Con Setas - P275
Fi was supposed to order the Lengua together with mashed potatoes but they ran out so she settled for fries, which is a weird pairing but beggars can’t be choosers. The tongue was tender and soft. There was no struggle in slicing them up for bite-sized pieces. The gravy did its job and didn’t overpower the flavor of the meat.
One note though. Not a gripe but more of a cautionary reminder. Savor it all you want but eat it with haste. Owing to the climate, its sauce with all the fat hardens quickly.
Australian Beef Salpicado - P475
Whenever I’m at a new or unfamiliar restaurant, I turn to my “default” dishes and see if they stack up to my tried-and-trusted sources. A bit unfair I know, that’s that. One of the said staples is beef salpicao (or in this case, salpicado) so that’s what I ordered. For a difference of P25, you’re given the choice between Australian and local beef. Since I still possess the Pinoy’s much maligned colonial mentality, I went for the former.
The cubes of beef tenderloin was tender and succulent as it should be. The small army of garlic bits stood at the ready to fire away their flavors, bite after bite. The only regret I have here is that I should have gotten rice instead of fries instead. Sorry I’m not cultured enough to completely forego rice when I’m dining.
All in all, I’d say that Forest House stood the test of time for a reason. Hype can only take you so far. As if the plaques of awards and recognitions displayed on their wall wasn’t enough to convince you, they are committed to excellence. This was one of the culinary highlights of our Baguio trip and I assure you that you’d feel the same way.
Forest House
16 Loakan Road, Baguio City
(074) 447 -04 – 59
Discount Dining 
Firstly – what a unique place! Looks wonderful. Secondly, I’ve got to comment on your pictures; some of the best I’ve seen on a blog in a long time. Keep up the great work.
Loved the food except maybe for the fries. Tasted like leftovers that were put back in the deep fryer.
@leighgoodstuff – Thanks for the compliment! Try it our if ever you find yourself in the country 🙂
as always-wonderful review and astonishing pictures! truly blog-worthy! 🙂