Just this month, we went to Quezon City for some errands. Since we rarely go to QC, I did some research beforehand and looked for popular restaurants near the area. One of the restaurants that came up was Talisay The Garden Cafe, a restaurant by Chef Tatung Sarthou.
We had already eaten at Lore by Chef Tatung, and since we enjoyed the experience, I thought Talisay would be worth trying as well. So I told my husband that we should have lunch there.
Talisay The Garden Cafe in Quezon City
Talisay The Garden Cafe is located along Maginhawa Street in the UP Village area of Quezon City. The restaurant is known for its garden setting and Filipino-Cebuano-inspired dishes, with a menu that puts a modern spin on familiar regional flavors. The restaurant is housed in a renovated 1960s-style home, giving it a more relaxed and homey atmosphere rather than the usual restaurant feel.
The garden is also one of the things that makes Talisay appealing. It feels like a little green space tucked into the busy Maginhawa area, making it a nice place for a leisurely lunch, a date, or a meal with family and friends.
The restaurant is currently listed as open daily from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Parking, however, is limited, so if you're driving, it's something to keep in mind.
Our Lunch at Talisay
After finishing our errands in Quezon City, we headed to Talisay The Garden Cafe. Good thing we were able to find a parking spot because parking in the area can be a challenge.
Once we were seated, the staff gave us the menu. I already had an idea of what I wanted because I had researched the restaurant before our visit.
The staff mentioned that their dishes are generally good for two to three people. We are a family of three, but since we wanted to try several dishes, we decided to order three items anyway.
For lunch, we ordered:
· Molo Soup – ₱360
· Lengua Con Setas – ₱880
· Jamon de Talisay – ₱880
· Rice – ₱70 per cup
· Plus service charge
The prices above were what we paid during our visit, so keep in mind that restaurant prices may change.
Complimentary Banana Chips
After we ordered, the staff served us complimentary banana chips and water while we waited for our food.
The Food Presentation
Our food came out surprisingly fast. All three dishes were served in around 10 minutes, which was impressive considering we ordered three dishes.
One thing I noticed during our visit was that the presentation of the food looked different from the photos I had seen online.
I had looked at several older blog posts before going to Talisay, and some of the photos were already several years old. So I'm not sure if the plating has changed over the years or if the restaurant simply presents some dishes differently now.
Molo Soup
The Molo Soup came with pork dumplings wrapped in wonton wrappers, served in a chicken broth with chicken and chopped shrimps.
This was one of the dishes we enjoyed. The soup was comforting and flavorful, and it was a nice way to start our meal.
Jamon de Talisay
The Jamon de Talisay is described as cured pork slabs roasted for five hours in a brick oven and finished with a pineapple glaze.
This was another dish that we enjoyed. Compared with the lengua, this was a dish that we were much happier with.
If you're dining with a few people, this is also the kind of dish that works well for sharing.
Lengua Con Setas
The Lengua Con Setas is ox tongue served in a white wine cream sauce with fresh mushrooms and green olives.
This was actually the dish I was most curious about because lengua is one of our favorite dishes. Unfortunately, this was also the dish that disappointed us the most.
The sauce was creamy and flavorful enough, but the lengua itself was sliced very thinly. As in, parang bacon sa nipis. In fact, the sliced mushrooms were thicker than the pieces of lengua.
Because of this, we couldn't really appreciate the texture and flavor of the ox tongue. When we think of lengua, we usually prefer the thicker, more substantial slices like the ones we've had at Conti's and Alba Restaurante.
For a ₱880 dish, I was expecting more from it. We didn't want to waste the leftovers, though, so we took the remaining lengua home.
Is Talisay The Garden Cafe Worth Visiting?
Overall, we had a pleasant lunch at Talisay The Garden Cafe.
I particularly enjoyed the Molo Soup and Jamon de Talisay, while the Lengua Con Setas didn't quite meet our expectations. The service was good, and the food was served quickly, which I appreciated.
However, price is something to consider. Since we had also recently eaten at Lore by Chef Tatung, I personally found Talisay Garden Cafe more expensive based on what we ordered and what we got from the meal.
Would I recommend trying Talisay? Yes, especially if you're curious about Chef Tatung's Filipino-Cebuano dishes and want to experience the garden setting. Just manage your expectations when it comes to the price, and if you're a big fan of lengua like we are, you may want to consider trying some of their other dishes instead.
As for us, I'm glad we tried it. We enjoyed some of the dishes, the service was good, and at least now we know what to expect on our next visit to Maginhawa.
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