12 Well-Loved Dishes at Calle Real in Tanza, Cavite

Calle Real is one iconic restaurant in the old poblacion area of Tanza, Cavite province. It is at least 1 hour drive from Cavite City and one bus ride from PITX in Parañaque City in Metro Manila.

Calle Real is an art deco style architecture ancestral house built in the 1920’s. The house was then converted into a restaurant and venue place. Currently the restaurant had 4 branches within Tanza and Cavite province.The town is also known for notable historical events and Kaibigan Bakery.

ancestral house converted into a restaurant

Calle Real specializes on Spanish, Filipino, heirloom and contemporary dishes.

newspaper feature

It used to have a pastry restaurant on the second floor but the proprietors decided to focus their attention to the main restaurant.

signage and parking area

interior

The restaurant had a sitting capacity of between 70 to 80 with a special function room which can handle at least 100 person.

12 Well-Loved Dishes at Calle Real

The group was fortunate to met the proprietor of the restaurant. Although i met her several times before.

12.) Crunchy Pork Binagoongan – Deep fried pork cooked in bagoong paste ( Php 245 per order).

11.) Crispy Pata – The deep fried crispy pata comes with a dipping sauce with a combination of soy and vinegar with chopped chilies and onion.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uRgqiS659DkiJMJx9

10.) Tokwa Sisig– The tofu sisig had a combination of fried tofu, chopped cucumber and chopped onions. ( Php 160 per serving)

9.) Cheesy Beef Kaldereta– Another nice dish to try at the place is their version of beef kaldereta with bell pepper, carrots and well seasoned. The meat of the beef is tender and topped with cheese. Ideal for sharing between 2 to 3 persons. (Php 245 per order)

8.) Pork Sisig– This is another favorite dish at the restaurant. This is best paired with rice.

7.) Callos – Another nice dish, with with sliced olives, chorizo, garbanzos and chopped tomatoes. (Php 245 per order)

6.) Breaded Fried Chicken– Another well -loved dish which can be shared between 2 persons. This had a nice dipping sauce.

5.) Chicken Teriyaki with vegetables and rice- ala carte meal which can be ordered anytime of the day. (Php 140 per order)

4.) Calandracas/ Kalandracas – This is an heirloom dish which had sotanghon noodles, banana blossom, string beans,chopped eggplant or any vegetables seasoned with the famous patis de Tanza. Commonly served during funeral wakes in the province of Cavite.

Vegetables used in the noodle dish were normally given by visitors attending the wake. ( Php 170 per order) Can be shared between 3 to 5 persons.

3.) Sotanghon Negra- The sotanghon noodles dish is cooked with squid ink, squid, pork meat, carrots, cabbage, sugar peas/ chitsaro and topped with fried garlic.  (Php 260 per order) can be shared between 3 to 5 persons) Php 1,500 bilao ( 10 to 15 persons)

The town is in the coastal area of Cavite and squid is one of the popular seafood produce.

2.) Paella Jambalaya– The paella jambalaya consist of generous topping of mussels/ tahong,  green peas, chorizo, sugar pea/ chitsaro, bell pepper and hard boiled eggs.  ( Php 290 serves 2-4people, Php 950 serves 5 to 10 people, Php 1,150 serves 10 to 15 people) .

1.) Paella Negra – The paella had squid ink with toppings of bell pepper, squid,  pork meat, chorizo, sugar peas/ chitsaro. ( Php 320 serves 2 to 4 people, Php 1,050 serves 5 to 10 people, Php 1,600 serves 10 to 15 people). This is another well-loved dish of the restaurant.

The restaurant also have dishes good for small group and ala carte meals.  Other highly recommended dishes that are worth ordering are Pollo Frito, Lengua Con Cetas, Chicken ala Pastel.

Desserts

Churros with Chocolate

Another popular desserts of the restaurant was S’Mores with Skillet cost Php 120 per order and Churros at Php 60 and comes with thick chocolate.

group

Note: prices quoted are by the restaurant during the time of the visit.

Calle Real Restaurant

Address: 8 Sta. Cruz Street Brgy. Poblacion 2, Tanza, Cavite 4108

Branches: Puregold, Tanza / The Square, Lancaster/ Robinson- General Trias

Landline: (046) 505 2836

Operations: Daily from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Heirloom Culinary Delights at Bernie’s Kitchenette in Cavite City

Exploring Cavite City is fun and exciting when one visits Bernie’s Kitchenette. The home- cooked style dishes were the specialties of Ms. Bernadita Rojas-Fontanilla, She is called Bernie. She believes that one does not have to be a trained chef or a good cook just to present good food.

Bernie’s Kitchenette dishes

We met Tita Bernadita Rojas- Fontanilla few years ago during an organized tour of the city by Mr. Jhon Gorme in October 2016.  Whenever have a chance to visit the city. We always make a stopover at this place.

She was the granddaughter of Leopoldo Salcedo, who is famous Filipino celebrity and had been cooking traditional dishes for over 30 years.

l-r Mr. Philip Reyes, Ms.Vonnette Fernandez, Mr. Paulo Ortega and Ms. Lin Deres

Most of which are heirloom family recipes and popular dishes. They opened the place in 2015.

Manila Standard article, newspaper clippings and photo gallery

Dishes at Bernie’s Kitchenette

popular tourist spots in Cavite

The restaurant had a sitting capacity of between 100 to 120 people at any given time.

popular meal combination were the TAPSILOG meals, which never fails to satisfy one’s palate.

different kind of dishes

Another plus point were historical photos , batibot chairs and large wooden tables.

The atmosphere is like a fiesta with festive buntings which decorates the dining area.

restaurant interiors

menu board

The restaurant also sells Sukang Cavite ( Cavite vinegar), coffee and other specialties

heritage advocates, culinary walkers, bloggers and friends

Pancit Pusit or sometimes called Pancit Choco en su Tinta, Pancit Negra, Pancit Itim

Among the popular dishes served at the restaurant includes, Pansit (noodle dishes): Pansit Pusit, which includes rice vermicelli / cellophane noodles which incorporates squid ink in its savory sauce. There are bits of squid and it is topped with crushed chicharon (pork rind), kinchay (coriander), diced mangoes and deep fried garlic. (completing the terno-terno [matching] concept of mixing food of the same color). ( Php 250 good for sharing between 3 to 4 people).

deep fried lao-lao

These were complemented with crispy lao-lao (fried fish) best dipped in Cavite vinegar or Sukang Cavite. (Php 80 per order) Morcon (a savory meat roll), Bacalao (sautéed salt cod), a dish that is usually served on Good Friday or during fridays.

Beef Kaldereta with a lot of sauce is only Php 80 per serving . The meat is tender and mildly spiced.

Pork Asado is well seasoned and the meat is tender. It is also best paired with white rice . The serving only cost Php 80.

Bernie’s Kitchenette facade

For large group, it is wise to pre-order some of their well-loved dishes, since the dishes are limited. The place is also an ideal spot of events and venue place.

Bernie’s Kitchenette

Address: 843 Midtown Bldg., Molina Street, Caridad, Cavite City

Operations : 9:00am to 7:00pm Tuesday to Sunday. There were times that the restaurant will close a little bit early on Sunday.

Contact: (046) 431 2088

10 Pastries and Breads from Dizon Bakery in Cavite City

Cavite City is not only known for its rich heritage churches, religious icons, sprawling plazas, ancestral houses but also its rich culinary heritage.

A visit to the city is incomplete without tasting and bringing home of their well-loved pastries, cookies, cakes and breads.

Dizon Bakery

Dizon Bakery

Dizon Bakery is one such iconic landmark, Its signage is simple and their recipe was handed down to at least three generations.

It was the grandparents of the current proprietor who started the business.

Mr. Jose Aguinaldo-Dizon ( third generation proprietor)

The bakery was one of the few approved supplier of breads and pastry when the United States Naval station from the 1950’s to the early 1970’s.

The baking equipment are heavy duty and they have a large space. We were fortunate that they allowed the group to see the process of making breads and how they still use the traditional furnace for baking.

industrial baking equiptment

a baker making pastries

traditional pugon

They still use pugon fired oven to cooked their breads and because they still use firewood in cooking their breads and pastries, Their breads and pastries had a distinct flavor and taste.

salakot

Ms. Zenith Dizon

10.) Vegan Chocolate Cookies – This are sold for Php 100 per pack, ideal for pasalubongs.

9.) Panderacion -Sold per pack and the soft bun goes well with local spread like mayonnaise , margarine, butter. This is more popularly called “Monay” in many parts of the country, But the owner changed the name to panderacion.

8.) Matsakaw– These toasted bread are ideal for snacks and goes well with hot chocolate, tea or coffee. ( Php 15 per pack)

7.) Kenkoy – The rectangular biscuit was named after a popular comic character Francisco “Kenkoy” Harabas . “Kenkoy” was popular until the late 1960’s. The biscuit goes well with hot chocolate, coffee, tea. (Php 35 per pack).

6.) Polvoron Cookies – These is a perfect combination of polvoron and cookie.

ensaimada special ( queso de bola with salted egg) and Ube flavored ensaimada

Ensaimadas ( ordinary )

5.) Ensaimadas– Comes in salted egg or Ube flavored ones. This taste different from other ensaimadas / ensaymadas.  Ordinary ones cost Php 12.00

Empanadas with cheese and Empanada chicken ( Php 27.00)

4.) Empanadas – The empanadas is not cooked in cooking oil but baked on their pugon.

3.) Malunggay Pandesal – The pandesal is had an extra ingredient which adds more flavor and nutrient to the common bread. It is cooked in pugon which adds flavor and had a distinct taste.

Coconut bun or Pan de Coco ala Dizon

2.) Coconut Bread or Pan de Coco – The coconut bread or Pan de Coco is a soft doughy bread with sweeten grated coconut meat. What makes this bread quite special is the  pandan leaves wrapped around the bun. Php 12.00 per piece.

1.) Salakot – This is a soft dough bread is called “salakot’ due to the shape of the bread. this goes well with Quesillo or Kesong Puti. This bread also goes well with almost any kind of sandwich spread, liver spread, scrambled egg or spam.  ( Php 65 per pack)

chocolate fudee

sansrival

pudding

Aside from these specialties, The bakery had ube and monggo loaf, apas, sampalok, pacencia cookies, coconut cookies,peanut cookies, oatmeal cookies, French bread, wheat bread, butter toast, banana walnut bread, ube halaya, chocolate crinkles, leche flan, bread pudding, hopia, classic pullman bread, chocolate fudee, sansrival, yema cake buko, pineapple, apple and egg pies and others.

The breads,cakes and pastries can be pre-order and can be delivered via lalamove.

Dizon Bakery

Email : dizonbakery@gmail.com

FB and IG: @dizonbakery

Contact : (046) 431 1912/ (0936) 324 7498

Address: 618 P. Burgos Ave, Caridad, Cavite City, 4100 Cavite

Operations : Monday to Saturday

Operational Hours; 6:00 am to 8:30 pm

Culinary Treats in Cavite City Public Market

Culinary treats greeted our small group when we arrived in Cavite City. We visited the cityhall and rode a jeep going to the public market.

chicken mami, tamales, pancit palabok and lumpiang sariwa at Aling Meling

Cavite Cityhall

Aling Meling Carinderia

It was past 7:30 am when we were able to reach the market and Aling Ika Carinderia was still close due to the extended holiday season.

ube leche flan and leche flan

Aling Meling Carinderia

We decided to eat the Aling Meling Carinderia which offer home-cooked meals and other specialties like chicken mami, palabok, lumpiang sariwa. They even serve Pancit Puso ng Saguing during fridays.

Chicken Mami cost Php 35 per order which combines two kinds of noodles, chicken, baguio pechay, chopped spring onions and topped with chicharon bits.

Pancit Palabok– Their pancit palabok is slightly different from the ones sold in Metro Manila. They use two kinds of noodles and the palabok sauce is thick with boiled chicken egg and calamansi. (Php 35 per order).

Lumpiang Sariwa – The spring roll had vegetables and topped with crushed chicharon or pork rinds.  ( Php 35 per order).

The group paid a little over Php 390 which includes soft drinks.

Tamales

We also ate the tamales which cost Php 10.00 per order. It is nutty with savory taste and ideal companion for the soup or hot chocolate, coffee and tea.

vendor selling kesong puti

There is also kesong puti or quesillo which cost Php 20.00. This is best paired with hot pandesal, bonete or salakot from nearby bakeries.

kesong puti wrapped in banana leaves

The market is alive with fresh produce and seafood is relatively a little cheaper compared to Metro Manila.

suman

Malagkit na Sampalok also called Kamalay na Sampalok is sold Php 20.00 per cup at the Cavite Public Market.

Bibingkoy – This is another version with thick coconut creme at Php 24.00 per slice which also comes with thick ginataan.

Bibingkoy

Ginataan with bits of corn

There were a lot of fresh produce and native kakanins spotted within the Pamilihang Bayan ng Lunsod ng Cavite. Do not forget to be early when you come and visit the stalls selling these food.

Joyful FREE Ferry Ride from Lawton to Cavite City

We took a chance to take a leisurely ferry ride from Plaza Lawton/ Quezon bridge to Cavite City last January 4, 2020.

Quezon bridge and Plaza Lawton Ferry terminal ( about 5:30 am)

There was already a sea route even before they have relaunched this program, But some commuters still prefer the land route. Buses which ply the route fare only cost Php 63 for the general public and Php 50.00 for students, people with disabilities (pwd) and senior citizens.

FEATI University and LRT line 1

The Department of Transportation and Communication  (DOTR) announced that shipping companies Seaborne Shipping Company Inc. and Shogun Ships Co. Inc. agreed to have the Manila to Cavite ferry service.

Quezon Bridge/ Plaza Lawton Ferry Terminal entrance

The schedule had changed since it was first posted last December 7, 2019. There were two ferry service ride station. Plaza Lawton and another one from Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP station)

Island Water ferry

The original first trip from Plaza Lawton to Cavite City schedule of 5:15 am changed to 6:45am. We instead took the 6:45 am first trip. The shipping company which handles the service was Island Water and the sitting capacity of 54 passengers.

Mr. Al De Vera – a fellow passenger

We met Mr. Al De Vera from Skynet Moonwalk , Las Piñas City and his family is in Sorsogon

Ferry Station FREE Ride Promo

There were only 10 passengers when we finally left Plaza Lawton terminal past 7:03 am then a mandatory 5 minutes safety video was shown inside the ferry before we left the terminal.

Quezon bridge around past 6:50 am

It was fully air-conditioned, with nice seat, clean comfort rooms and life vest for every passenger.

Ms. Lin Deres, Ms. Vonnette Fernandez, Mr. Paulo Ortega and Mr. Philip Reyes -fellow companion and bloggers

custom warehouses along Pasig river

We pass several landmarks within Metro Manila and seascapes, The ferry boat finally reached Cavite City by 7:45 am. Travel time was reduced from the usual 1 hour and half to two hours during morning rush hour to just barely 40 minutes.

staff and crew

The FREE ferry service will be until January 31, 2020 from Plaza Lawton / Quezon bridge terminal to Cavite City. The CCP terminal to Cavite city and vise versa will be FREE until January 9, 2020.

Ferry Rates

Regular fare is Php 200 for the general public while a discount for students, senior citizens, and children will be P160, P143, and P125 at the CCP terminal.

safety video

Cavite City ferry terminal

Cavite Cityhall and terminal

Cavite City-Lawton route, which is operated by Shogun Ships, fares will be P160 for adults, P128 for students, P114 for senior citizens, and P80 for children (4-11 years old) starting February 1, 2020.