Caloy's Lovers in Pares is definitely the first of its kind and is one of a kind in Baguio City, in terms of the variety, the uniqueness, and the creativity of the menu. We didn't even bother taking photos of the food because the dishes were almost wiped clean in just a few minutes.
We were a group of 13 when we went there and no one complained about any of the food. The bill was very reasonable, yet this was big group with multiple orders per head.
While all the dishes were delicious, our favourites were the pigar pigar, beef pares, tofu sisig, and all flavours of the turons! Oh my. You gotta taste the special bibingka too and the fried suman too! My niece and nephew (kids) were crazy about the baconsilog. I'm looking forward to taste the utak nuggets which was out of stock at that time, and the corned beef sinigang that my tummy could no longer handle.
There's room for improvement for both the service and the location, however, the taste of the food will make you forget the details of what's lacking, or the "shoulda woulda coulda" in restaurant service.
Service. I understand that it is supposed to be a self service type of setup but if this place were to be popular with tourists and big groups, then there should be provision for exclusive service (from providing individual menus, to order taking, to paying the bill.) We made our lives easier by taking a photo of the menu listed on the board, by listing down our orders and handing it over to Chef Caloy's, and by paying the bill after eating. On the other hand, if the current approach is by design, who am I to critique it? At the end of the day, there's no doubt we enjoyed our moment here.
Location. Since it is situated at T. Alonzo (and the prices are inexpensive), you can almost surmise that the target market are the students in the vicinity. Don't expect a chic or fancy venue. Again, we were a large group so I had to give Chef Caloy a heads-up.
Ambience. It is a chill place. Look at our pics! We weren't seated altogether in one long table but we were talking to each other as if it was our dining room. Chef Caloy was very friendly and accommodating. He entertained the family (especially my mom) with his success stories and humble beginnings and that made our dining experience one for the books.
I hope I didn't bore you with my review. I got a food hangover on this place, and so I'm definitely coming back (with family and or friends) to try out all the other dishes they offer.
Happy eating!
Ps. If you want to know how to go to Caloy's:
And here's a photo of myself with Chef Caloy!
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