It’s been a hot minute since Jericho and I have found ourselves in Silang, Cavite once again. This time it was to visit a staple in the area – Gourmet Farms. The name brings back memories for any student in the south – as I’m guessing this place on most of our school trip itineraries. We’d walk around the farm to smell the basil and mint and go home with a goodie bag of chips, maybe a bottle of their green goddess dressing if we had a few extra pesos on us. That was over 20 years ago now – and a whole lot has changed. For one, they have outdoor dining now.
The Dining Room is where Gourmet Farms flex their fresh produce with their Italian and Mediterranean dishes, with a new breezy alfresco area that can accommodate big families without having to worry about catching the virus from a nearby table. I haven’t met up with my foodie friends for almost two years now, and it was nice to be able to sit down with them, and a few new faces, to share a good meal.
I was served the Torta Fritta (₱180) when I sat down and couldn’t stop snacking on them. The lightly fried dough was light and puffy, sprinkled with some parmesan and served with a olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip. If you’re like me and enjoy sitting down to a full course, the Zuppa Verdure (₱190) is brilliant. Fresh herbs bring this vibrant green soup to life, and a drizzle of cream and sprinkling of shaved parmesan add the body, salt, and added texture.
Gourmet Farms does an interesting take on their Caprese e Burrata (₱380). Served in a bowl with just enough tomato soup, the generous ball of burrata cheese lies on a bed of croutons, plump tomatoes, red onions, and basil leaves, ready to be cut open for the uber soft cheese to ooze out, much like a perfect scramble on omurice. I loved how everything tasted so… alive? You can definitely tell how nothing on the plate came out of a can.
It wouldn’t be Italian fare if they didn’t have pizzas, and they delivered with interesting flavors of their own. I’ll be honest, looking at the Bianco (₱550) I thought the thin potato slices on the white pizza would be carb overload and too heavy overall, but the thin, crisp crust balanced everything out nicely, and the potatoes added that extra texture to the salty pancetta, soft ricotta, and fragrant rosemary.
If you’re looking for something a little more daring in terms of taste, there’s the Diavola (₱550), which is an Italian deli’s dream with salami picante, crudo, peppers, olives and anchovies. The saltiness of the deli meats, brininess from the olives and anchovies, and crunch from the bell peppers made for a happy marriage of flavors, and I enjoyed this with a smattering of hot sauce.
For people who enjoy the simple things in life, the Spinachi e Ricotta (₱550) is for you. Their take on the simple spinach and cheese pizza, you don’t need to faff about with extra ingredients when you have fresh, available cheese and vegetables available. I probably had a lot more slices of this pizza than I care to share – it would go so well with a drizzle of honey, too (you can ask the wait staff for some).
Even before the renovation, Gourmet Farms has always been known for their fresh salads and scrumptious dressings – I have bought plenty of their Fresh Herb Vinaigrette at my local supermarket. So when asked whether or not I’d like to try the salad bar it was a no brainer. Fill ‘er up! You can fill up your plate with whatever it is that tickles your fancy and they weigh the plate and you get billed for every 100 grams. I loaded mine up with julienned sugar beets and singkamas, corn, bell peppers, fresh ruffage, and finished it off with my favorite Fresh Herb Vinaigrette and a sweet and tangy Mango Vinaigrette. 100%, no regrets – my gut thanked me afterwards.
Going back to what was new on the menu, there’s the Mediterranean version of fish in chips, in this case it was Filetti di Baccala (₱600), a battered, deep-fried salted cod that was thick and meaty, with a grilled onion and balsamic vinegar to cut through the cloying oil. No chips served with this, I’m afraid, but the portion size on this can definitely serve two people.
And then, of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Italian place without pasta, and they make their noodles fresh, too! I loved the simple, yet flavorful, Amatriciana (₱350). The bucatini pasta was perfectly al dente – I still can’t get over how good taking a bite of it was, and the perfect chew – simply dressed with pomodoro sauce, with a little panchetta, with shaving of parmesan reggiano, and a few cracks of fresh pepper to finish it off.
For dessert, we headed upstairs to the café for some Affogato (₱180) – gelato with espresso – while we listened to a presentation by Iba Botanicals about Agarwood Seedlings that you can buy to plant in your backyard, farm, or forest reserve, which can be harvested 10 years later at a profit for oud. It’s incredibly interesting, and I would definitely buy a few if only I had some place to plant them.
Conclusion
12/10 I would definitely go back to Gourmet Farms for a chill brunch with friends and family. I’m surprised at how affordable everything is – they manage to keep most of the dishes below ₱200 and the pricier items on the menu are for sharing. And then, of course, you can’t leave without visiting the little cafe store to stock up on essentials like leafy greens, your favorite dressings, and coffee!
