Restaurant Review: Dahon at Mesa (Tagaytay City, Cavite)

 

Dahon at Mesa

It was my son-in-law Bryan's birthday and we decided to go on a joyride to Tagaytay City for a very early dinner.  A recommendation brought us to Dahon at Mesa.  

Located across SMDC Wind Tower 5, this cozy 2-storey restaurant, serving Filipino cuisine, offers both indoor and outdoor dining.  Parking space is located at the front (good for eight to ten cars, double parking) and at the back (good for six to seven cars).  The latter was reached via a steep ramp.  

TaalVolcano and Taal Lake are best viewed from the outdoor dining area, beside the parking area, and at the second floor balcony. We opted for the former.  The volcano just erupted one and a half years ago (January 20, 2020) and Volcano Island was almost devoid of any vegetation.  Still, after a long lockdown due to COVID 19, it was good to be out for some fresh air and good food.

Check out “Taal Volcano:After the 2020 Eruption”

 

Being a group of eight, we ordered the boodle fight feast good for 5 persons (PhP2,650) a restaurant bestseller which came with cups of steamed rice, fried tawilis (freshwater sardine), crispy fried tilapia, lechon, roasted chicken, garlic buttered shrimp, grilled pusit (squid), lumpiang shanghai, fried talong (eggplant), ensaladang itlog na pula (salted egg salad) and dessert for the day which, during our visit, was watermelon. 

 

Boodle fight feast for 5

Special Bulalo

Pancit Canton

We also ordered Pansit Canton and Special Bulalo (PhP580), another bestseller, and washed it all town with a pitcher of iced tea.  

The beef in the bulalo was really soft and tender.  We were too full to order dessert and there was food left over for takeout.  The food was good and the portions were big for the price paid. The staff were also friendly and accommodating. Highly recommendable. 

The second floor balcony

View of Taal Volcano and Lake from the balcony

Boodle fight feasts can also be ordered good for 10 persons (PhP5,250, Grilled Tuna Panga added) and 2 persons (PhP1,200, Garlic Buttered Shrimps and Ensaladang Itlog na Pula not included).  For merienda, there’s Lumpiang Shanghai and Mixed Pancit Guisado, both at PhP285; Fresh Lumpia (PhP240) and Suman at Tsokolate (PhP210)

 

Outdoor dining area

Parking lot dining area

For breakfast, you can have the Longganisa Meal, Tocino Meal and Corned Beef Meal, all priced at PhP245; Lechon Meal and Boneless Bangus Meal, both at PhP275; Arroz Caldo (PhP180) and Suman at Tsokolate (PhP210). For soup (aside from the Special Bulalo we ordered), they also serve Kansi Bulalo and Sinigang na Hipon, all priced at PhP580; and the Chicken Tinola and Sinigang na Boneless Bangus, both at PhP480. For dessert, there’s Halo-Halo, Butter Cake and Special Suman.

 

Main courses in the menu are Pinakbet (PhP320); Roasted Chicken and Crispy Fried Chicken, both at PhP580;Adobong Kangkong (PhP180);  Seafood Paella (PhP680), Crispy Pata (PhP650), Kansi, Tawilis, Inasal, Boneless Bangus, Misua at Patola, Garlic Buttered Shrimp (PhP550), Lechon Kawali (PhP340), Stir Fried Veggies (PhP280); Steamed Veggies, Ensaladang Talong, Special Barbecue Ribs, Lechon Belly (PhP520/500 grams), Chopsuey, Special Lomi; Inihaw na Pusit, Inihaw na Tuna Belly and Inihaw na Tuna Panga, all at PhP420; Kare-Kare, Mixed Seafood, Pork Barbecue, Calamares and Lechon Sisig (PhP320).

 

Dahon at Mesa: 105 Tagaytay - Nasugbu Highwway 4120 Tagaytay City, Cavite.  Mobile numbers: (0916) 586-0551 and (0917) 629-2053. Open daily, 7 AM – 9 PM.