Restaurant Review: Rodrigo's Roast + Resto + Bar (Santiago, Ilocos Sur)

Rodrigo's Roast + Resto + Bar

The beachfront, two-storey Rodrigo’s Roast + Resto + Bar, with its equally relaxing Santorini vibe of blue and white, is an all-day dining restaurant affiliated with the nearby Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant.  

Check out “Hotel and InnReview: Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant”

 

The beachfront side

We arrived at Rodrigo's late in the afternoon in time for a sumptuous merienda of noodles/pasta (Php230-270, pansit canton, pansit bihon, pansit palabok, lomi, Rodrigo’s lechon pasta  and Adela’s spaghetti), dumplings, sandwiches (Php110-189, roast chicken, BB lechon, ham & egg, ham & cheese and Rodrigo’s club), various kakanin and Ilocano empanada.

 

Noodles (spaghetti) and pansit (bihon, canton and palabok)

For dessert, we were served refreshing halo-halo. Other desserts in their menu include leche flan, saging/macapuno/mais con yelo, fruit salad and ice cream (per scoop).

 

Sandwiches and empanada

During our visit, Mr. Mark Christian “MC” Urbano and Ms. Lorraine “Lauren” Garingo of Kuys Acoustic were performing live acoustic music.  The staff was accommodating, friendly and the service was efficient.

 

Lorraine "Lauren" Garingo and Mark Christian "MC"
Urbano of Kuys Acoustic

Specializing in authentic Filipino and Ilocano dishes, its menu was prepared by the young and dynamic Chef Chester Delos Reyes Velas.  Being an all day restaurant, they also serve silog (sinangag and itlog) meals (daing, beef tapa, tocino, hot dog and bangus. 

Chef Chester Delos Reyes Velas

Refreshing halo-halo

 

Its menu features Whole Roasts (Pork/Bangus/Pusit Lechon, Whole Roast Chicken) and Roast Plates (chicken, pork) served with kambuaya sauce.  The cactus-like, oblong-shaped karimbuaya leaves (scientific name: Euphorbia neriifolia linn) give needed acidity and help removed the foul smell pigs normally have.

 

Breakfast silog meals 

Also in the menu are Fried Chicken Buckets (6 and 12 pieces), appetizers (Php90-250, dinakdakan, calamares, pork barbecue, garlic peanuts, French fries, potato chips, lumpia and butterfly squid), vegetable dishes (Php179-250, pinakbet, chopsuey, tortang talong, dinengdeng, laing, dinuduy, gulay na gata and kangkong con lechon), main dishes (Php300-450, buttered chicken, insarabasab, bagnet with KBL, binagoongan bagnet, Bicol express, sinigang na lechon, lechon paksiw, crispy pata/ulo, beef kaldereta, pinapaitang kambing, kalderetang kambing, kare-kare and bistek tagalog).

 

Sabangan Beach and Santiago Cove

They also serve seafood (tuna kilawin, pritong hito, adobong pusit, sinigang na bangus, hipon ala Rodrigo, sinigang na hipon, hipon sa gata and crispy buntot ng tuna), rice (lechon, seafood, malunggay, longanisa, garlic and plain) and sizzling dishes (chicken and mushroom, spicy tuna, gambas na pusit/hipon/chicken/lechon/bangus/tuna sisig, sizzling burger steak/pork chop/hot dog).

 

Roof deck

All these can be washed down by juices (pineapple, dalandan, mango and orange), iced tea (lemon and honey blend) in glass (php60) or pitchers (Php100); coffee (Php60); bottled water (Php40) and fruit shakes in season (Php85).They also serve soft drinks (Php50) and beer (Php70, SMB Light/Pilsen, SMB flavored, Red Horse).

 

View of nearby Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant from roof deck

Rodrigo’s can also host business meetings and small gatherings via their 70-pax function room.  You can also dine, alfresco along Sabangan Beach or at its roof deck. Both are ideal places to watch the setting sun.

 

A satellite branch of Rodrigo's along Sabangan Beach

Rodrigo’s Roast + Resto + Bar: Sabangan Beach, Brgy. Sabangan, Santiago 2707, Ilocos Sur.  Mobile number:  (0966) 374-5121, (0917) 654-2078 and (0955) 773-9793. Open daily, 8 AM to 10 PM.

Hotel and Inn Review: Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant (Santiago, Ilocos Sur)

 Date of Stay: October 16-18, 2022

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: *******

Rooms: *******

Condition and Cleanliness: *******

Staff Performance: ********

Room Comfort: ********

Food and Beverage: ********

Other Amenities: ********

Value for Money: ********

 

Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant

The 3-star Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant, one of three Santorini-themed resorts (the others are Vitalis White Sands and Vitalis Villas) along Santiago Cove (dubbed, by many, as the “Boracay of Ilocos Sur”), is a smart choice for a hassle-free and relaxing stay for travelers to Northern Ilocos Sur. 

Check out “Resort Review: Vitalis White Sand”

 

A place to relax, drink a cup of coffee or sip a glass of wine

Sabangan Beach at Santiago Cove

Opened in 2019, their 50 Minimalist-style, aesthetically blue-and-white accented room options, all non-smoking, are the 25 sq. m. (269 sq. ft.) De Luxe Room (Php4,300), the 28 sq. m. (301 sq. ft.) (Premium De Luxe Room (Php6,400), the 30 sq. m. (323 sq. ft.) Junior Suite (Php8,100) and the 36 sq. m. (388 sq. ft.) Family Suite (Php9,100). The last two are good for 4 persons.  

De Luxe Room

All rooms have airconditioning with climate control, a flat-screen cable TV, coffee and tea-making facility, a mini fridge, work desk/dresser and ensuite private bathroom with bidet and free toiletries.  The Family Suite has a dining area and sofa. Free high-speed wi-fi is offered in all areas.

The 24-hour Front Desk

 Aside from the beach, the hotel also has a free form, 5-ft. deep outdoor swimming pool (the centerpiece of the property), a kiddie pool, beachfront bar, a 24-hour Front Desk, business center, a banquet room, conference facilities, an onsite ATM/cash machine, gift/souvenir shop and free onsite parking.  

The free form swimming pool - the centerpiece of the property

The beachfront bar

From its view deck, you can take in the panoramic scenery of the cove and the mountains of the Ilocos in the distance which serves as the beach’s backdrop.

 

Tiny Wave Restaurant

Its indoor Tiny Wave Restaurant offers a breakfast of corned beef, Vigan longanisa, Hungarian sausage, beef tapa, spam, daing na bangus/espada/danggit, chicken adobo flakes, and bacon, all served with egg (any style) and garlic rice or bread; coffee (latte, expresso, macchiato, American) as well as oatmeal champorado, French Toast, pancakes, golden waffles and sandwiches plus an egg station. 

 

Tiny Wave Outdoor Pool Restaurant

At the Tiny Wave Outdoor Pool Restaurant, we tried out the Asian Pork Spring Roll (Php160), Gojuchang Chicken Wings (Php260), Salt and Pepper Pork Riblets (Php240), Crispy Calamari (Php260), Nori Cheese Sticks (Php260) and Pork Sisig (Php300) for appetizers; and Korean Fried Chicken (Php250), Chili Shrimp (Php320), Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chop (Php250) and Braised Beef Shank (Php290) for our main course; complemented by Dragon Fruit Shake and a dessert of Ube Cheesecake.

 

An array of delectable dishes

Both F&B outlets also serve soup, salads (Cove House Salad, Caesar Salad), seasonal sashimi (tuna and salmon), sandwiches (Cove Burger, Cheesesteak Sandwich, Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich, Crispy Seafood Roll), noodles (Pad Thai, Japchae, Asian Stir Fried Noodles), Baked Seafood Nachos (Php330), Asian Salmon Fillet (Php330), US Ribeye Steak (Php780), Seared Tuna Steak (Php290), soft drinks and juices.

 

The just inaugurated hotel annex

The just inaugurated four-storey Hotel Annex, beside the hotel, also sports the Santorini vibe and houses Premier Suites, a 300-pax grand ballroom and a coffee shop.

 

Rubra Sky Lounge (photo: Mr. Fernan Nebres)

Chef Chester Delos Reyes Velas

At Rubra Sky Lounge, located at the roof deck of hotel annex, we tried out a special fish-themed dinner set prepared for us by the young and dynamic Chef Chester Delos Reyes Velas -  Boat Snacks (smoked poblacion escargot, Ambucao sea urchin cream, Bantay ipon tartare), Float (Nabang River balingasang, scallops, bamboo shoot, bacon), Bai (San Jose river shrimps, Sinker (Ambucao tanigue, cassava okra seeds, dragon fruit), Catch & Release (Gabao dorado, kardis, broad beans, katuday), Hook (Ambucao tuna bladder, 8-hr. roast beef, truffle polenta) and Sweet Cruise (cornick panna cotta, seaweed brownies, smoked buko) for dessert.   A short distance from the hotel is the  beachfront, two-storey Rodrigo’s Roast + Resto + Bar (open 8 AM to 10 PM).

Check out "Restaurant Review: Rodrigo's Roast + Resto + Bar"

 

Rodrigo's Roast + Resto + Bar

The hotel also offers educational tours around the town (abel factory, blacksmith shops, Mapisi Rock, Church of St. James the Greater, etc.) and to the nearby towns of San Esteban (Bateria, Church of St. Stephen Protomartyr, etc.), Santa Maria (Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Vigan City, a UNESCO World Heritage City.

Check out "Bateria," Mapisi Rock," Church of St. James the Greater" and "Church of Our Lady of the Assumption" 

 

Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (Santa Maria)

Abel weaving

At the nearby, almost kilometer long Sabangan Beach, you can try out a bevy of marine sports offered by the hotel – single and tandem kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, banana boating and jetskiing.  We also tried out their sunset cruises.  The hotel also offers daily housekeeping, room service and massage.

 

Ms. Nicole Paler, Ms. Ruth dela Cruz, Ms. Jacquelou Colitoy, Ms. Tina Punzal
and the author on a banana boating

The author on a Yamaha Wave Runner

Kudos to Santiago Vice-Mayor Josefino “Boy” Miranda, Chef Chester Delos Reyes Velas, Ms. Dianne Tongol-Miranda (Sales and Marketing Director), Ms. Lualhati Fausto, Ms. Jen Gacusan Real and our tour guide Mr. Adrian Sigua for making our stay truly an enjoyable and memorable one.

The best the author can do on a stand up paddle board

Mr. Anton Delos Reyes and the author enjoying the sunset cruise

Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant: Sabangan Beach, Brgy. Sabangan, Santiago 2707, Ilocos Sur.  Mobile number: (0917) 115-4495 (Globe), (0917) 654-2078 (Globe), (0968) 851-5446 (Smart) and (0955) 773-9793 (Rodrigo’s).  E-mail: hsantiagocovehotel@gmail.com.

How to Get There: Ride any bus bound for Vigan City and get off at Santiago where you can get a tricycle bound for Santiago Cove. By car, Santiago is a 370-km. (6-hour) drive via North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlax Expressway (SCTEX) and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX).

Resort Review: Vitalis White Sand (Santiago, Ilocos Sur)

Date of Stay: February 17-18, 2017

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: ******

Rooms: ******

Condition and Cleanliness: *******

Staff Performance: ******

Room Comfort: *******

Food and Beverage: *******

Other Amenities: *******

Value for Money: *******

Vitalis White Sand

This 3-star, 3-storey hotel, along beautiful Santiago Cove, has 27 stylish and comfortable airconitioned rooms with private ensuite bath with hot and cold shower, hair dryer (on request), bathrobes, rainshower head and toiletries.  

It also has cable TV; NDD telephone; IR electronic lockset system; blackout drapes, coffee and tea making facility; mini refrigerator; complimentary bottled water; writing desk; balcony and free wi-fi. 

The 30 sq. m. Standard Rooms have a queen size bed and mountain (PhP5,000) or ocean (PhP4,500-5,300) views; the spacious 48 sq. m. De Luxe Room has 2 queen size beds and mountain (PhP5,500) and ocean (PhP4,900) views; the Ocean Family Suite (PhP9,500) has two adjoining rooms; while the Penthouse Suite (PhP11,500) has 1 king-size bed and 2 queen-size beds. 

Rates include breakfast and use of the pool and billiards. Children 12 yrs old and below sharing bed with parents are free of room charge. Check out/check in time is 12 noon and 2 PM respectively  

For over and above minimum capacity, an additional charge of PhP1,000 net/pax will be charged, inclusive of breakfast. PhP495 will be charged for additional breakfast for 13 years above and PhP350 for  7-12 years old only.

The resort's swimming pool

he resort also has a 24-hour front desk, restaurant (Fishermans Boat Grill), coffee shop, outdoor swimming pool, children's pool, poolside bar (Macario),  cabanas, conference room, designated smoking areas, business center, videoke, billiards and beach volleyball. Some public areas have free wi-fi. The clean, private white sand beachfront has cabanas and beach lounge chairs.

A watersports haven, it offers jetskis, banana boat, kayak, pedalboat, paddleboard, wakeboard, snorkeling and scuba diving. Its Vida Verde Spa offers massages, body treatments, facials, manicure and pedicure. The daily breakfast (6 - 10 AM) is plated (garlic rice, eggs, Vigan longanisa, etc.) but includes a salad bar, cereals, milk, hot chocolate, brewed coffee, fruit jams, soup choices, etc.

Fishermans Boat Grill

It also offers laundry, luggage storage, concierge, currency exchange, airport transfer, tours, ticket information, express check-in/check-out, free self parking and room service. It is the sister resort of the  luxurious Santorini-inspired Vitalis Villas, located just across the cove. A shuttle (5-min. drive) and zipline (P350) connects both resorts.

Vitalis White Sands is located 13.9 kms. from the town center, a 10-min. drive from Manila North Drive (National Highway), a 40-min. drive from Candon City and a 45-min. drive from Vigan City.

Sister resort Vitalis Villas located just across the cove

Watersports facilities along Santiago Cove

Vitalis White Sands: Santiago Cove, Brgy. Sabangan, Santiago, Ilocos Sur.  Website: www.vitalisresort.com. Reservation and Information Centers: Manila: (02) 404-4784, Subic (Zambales): (047) 252-9978.

How to Get There

From San Fernando Airport in San Fernando City, head north, along Airport Rd. for 950 m., turn right toward Pennsylvania Ave. for 400 m., take the first right onto Pennsylvania Ave. for 290 m., take the first left onto Mabini St. for 1.5 kms., turn right onto Ancheta St. for 300 m., turn left onto MacArthur Highway for 49.9 kms., continue onto National Highway for 19.6 kms., continue onto Manila North Rd. for 20.3 kms., turn left toward Sabangan Bridge for 1.3 kms. then finally turn left onto Sabangan Bridge for 81 m. Santiago Cove will be on the right.

Re-Launch of Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (Ilocos Sur)

Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH)

The Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH),  a very unique adventure camp and outdoor sports complex in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, was opened last October 2012 by the local government headed by Mayor Zuriel S. Zaragoza.  

View of Bantay Abot Hill from our Hobie Cat

All the various extreme activities offered will surely showcase one’s adventurous side and are very close to the elements: water, wind, earth and fire. NOAH hosts the Philippines' first full-scale Via Ferrata (literally meaning “Iron Road”), a vertical 280-meter climb into a steep rock wall of the majestic 1,050-foot high Bantay Abot Hill designed with the regular tourist in mind - no climbing experience required.

ARKO

NOAH, another reason to visit Ilocos Sur (aside from the Earthquake Baroque churches and the Old World charm of Vigan), is now a major tourist destination and a significant leap in the transformation of the once sleepy agricultural municipality of Narvacan into an adrenaline junkie's paradise.  

It aims to promote tourism and the beauty of the town with its grand, rocky mountains and magnificent view of the sea.

NOAH Business Manager Joey Cuerdo (center) briefing members of media

Top V Hotel

Last February 17, members of media as well as foreign and local bloggers, me included, were invited by Mr. Joey Cuerdo (Business Manager of NOAH and President of Outward Bound Gear, Inc.) to sample NOAH’s newest attractions that would complement its Via Ferrata – paragliding, Hobie Cat sailing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, 4x4 ATVs, dune buggies, etc..  

We were all billeted at Top V Hotel along the National Highway and had breakfast at NOAH’s Arko Restaurant where we feasted on the very popular bagnet (deep-fried, crispy pork belly). Narvacan, also known for selling the best bagnet  in the region, celebrates the Bagnet Festival (also started in 2010 by Mayor Zaragoza) on during the town’s founding anniversary every December. 

Learning to kitesurf from the shore

A quick lecture on windsurfing
along the shore

Uniquely located Bantay Abot Hill, directly in front of a 3 km. stretch of beach (from the abandoned Sulvec Port all the way to the Narvacan River), causes a special wrap-around, mid-day, side shore wind in the land breeze, making learning to sail, wind surf and kite surf safe as it does not pose the danger of getting blown out into the open sea.  

Joined by 62 year old British travel blogger Dave Gatenby, we individually tried out windsurfing and, with a pilot, enjoyed the sea breeze and the offshore scenery via Hobie Cat sailing. 

Windsurfing looked easy when tutored along the shore but was it was a different matter once I tried it on water, trying to catch the wind and balance.

The author tries his hand at windsurfing

The author and Dave

While we were thus engaged, others brought out the Mad Max in them by exploring the mini sand dunes, an exhilarating, off-road experience tailor fit for first time riders, and following the hilly track via dune buggies, 4 x 4 jeeps and ATVs. A number of ramps provided lots of thrills.

NOAH is a perfect venue to conquer one’s acrophobia (extreme fear of heights) and Dave and I joined others as we donned, with the assistance of the staff, protective gear such as helmet and other rappelling and climbing gears, all high-quality equipment from abroad and, with bottled water, hiked, under the scorching sun, to the base of Bantay Abot.  

Dave hiking to the base of the hill

Making our way up the hill

To climb, we had to pull ourselves up to get above some boulders, pushing me to my limits as I am not used to this kind of activity. Along the way are handy ropes and cables. All the time, while climbing, I was actually clamped into a steel cable so that, when I slip, I will still be attached to the cable, saving me from a fall.

Upon reaching the zipline platform, I decided not to proceed with the Via Ferrata as, though I am not afraid of heights, I wasn’t reasonably fit and I needed strong legs and upper body to do it.

Instead, I exited the hill via NOAH’s 520 m. long zipline. Moving at 40 kph, my ride lasted about 50 seconds as I zipped down, with a bird’s eye view of the beautiful scenery, to the Bay Boulevard.

Ziplining

The zipline facility

Others continued on with the trickier Via Ferrata, climbing the vertical, 300-foot high rock face aided by steel steps drilled into the rock, a setup like climbing a step-ladder.  

There were diagonal portions on the Via Ferrata that required spreading their legs wide to maintain balance and keep them upright. Reaching the top was the highlight of their climb. They descended the summit by rappelling via a Tyrolean traverse cable  - perfectly safe as its safety feature actually allowed one to let go of their hands even when suspended 200 feet from the ground.

The view from the zipline platform

The view from atop the hill

The highlight of our NOAH experience was to be paragliding (Hence the media launch theme “Love is in the Air”), a competitive as well as recreational sport. Wind conditions change throughout the day and only three people were able to try it in the morning. 

However, there were several windows within the day and, during the late afternoon, we rode pickup trucks along a zigzagging dirt road to the top of Bantay Abot, followed later by the paragliding gear and the visiting staff of  Sarangani Paraglide,  the first and the only paragliding company in Mindanao, who will fly tandem with us.

The author all geared up and ready to go paragliding (photo: Dave Gatenby)

I was the third to try and my pilot was Mr. Carlaa Montero. We positioned ourselves along the slope, with the chute spread out above us and, when the wind rushed in, ran off the heights and were soon airborne. 

Exhilaration soon rushed in as I savored the joy of flying, at the same time mesmerized by the beautiful and breathtaking vista of the rugged Ilocos Sur landscape, mountain ranges and the vast blue West Philippine Sea spread out before me.  After a 15-minute flight, we made a solid landing at the beach. The piece de resistance of my NOAH adventure, I can now scratch paragliding from my bucket list. Check out my paragliding video here.

The author in flight (photo: Dave Gatenby)

View from the air

Prior to our return to Manila, we had merienda and did an ocular tour of Vitalis Villas, a beautiful Santorini-inspired resort with Greek-style villas perched on a mountain cliff overlooking the beautiful, cobalt blue waters of Santiago Cove.

Check out "Resort Review: Vitalis White Sand"

Villa Vitalis

Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH): Bulanos Beach, Brgy. Bulanos, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. Tel: (02) 734-8883. Mobile number: (0919) 349-8473 (Two-6 Olangco).  Facebook: www.facebook.com/NarvacanOutdoorAdventureHub/. Instagram: @narvacanoutdooradventurehub. 

Rates:

Via Ferrata – PhP800

Via Ferrata + Rappelling - PhP450

Hobie Cat (with pilot and intro to sailing) - PhP800 for 30minutes, max of 2 pax

Zipline - PhP300

Windsurfing lessons - PhP2,500 for six hours, minimum PhP1,500

Windsurf Board rental - PhP800/hr.

Kitesurf gear rental with license - TBA

Paragliding - PhP2,500/tandem 

4x4 tour - PhP2,500 up to 5pax 

Campsite fee (for overnight campers with your own tent) - PhP150 per head (shower and toilet facilities are included) 

How to Get There: From Manila, take the NLEX up to the very end of TPLEX. Upon reaching Narvacan, take the national road. In Narvacan, turn left to what they call “Crossing” to Brgy. Bulanos.  Roughly after 10 minutes, you’ll should see NOAH on your right. 

If commuting, take Laoag City or Vigan City-bound provincial buses (Partas, Farinas, etc.) and drop off at Narvacan. From the town proper, ride a tricycle to NOAH. Travel time is around 8-9 hours.