Healthy Dining Experience at Sonya's Garden

If you have been reading my blog, you know for a fact that I am a hardcore carnivore. Although I love how healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables are, I still cannot live without meat. Owing to the fact that healthy living is not just fad these days but is really good for our us, it wouldn’t hurt if we could savor the goodness of vegetarian meal once in a while. That’s what my foodie friend Glenn of The Strolling Spoon Foodblog did, from our recent visit at Sonya’s Garden in Alfonso, Cavite.

Sonya’s Garden Restaurant & Country Bed and Breakfast is one of Cavite’s hidden treasures. Known for its beautiful and relaxing ambiance, Sonya’s Garden offers Bed and Breakfast Accommodations, Garden Spa Services, and Free Art-Of-Doing-Nothing Lessons for their guests. Aside from their Country Store and Panaderia (Bakery), one should not miss the Eat All You Can that their Restaurant has to offer.

If you are a vegetarian or would just like to try to be one, their Eat All You Can Set Meal would be perfect for you. Everything that will be served is grown from their garden, so you can imagine the bursting of flavor and freshness of the dish once it hits your palates.

Upon entering the Sonya’s Garden dining area where it looked like you were eating inside a greenhouse, we were greeted by one of their attentive waiters and gave us a pitcher of their freshly made Dalandan Juice while we were seated. I am not a big fan of powder nor concentrated juice drink so, when I learned that it was made from freshly picked Dalandan Fruit, I didn’t mind having a second glass myself.

Their Green Salad Greens consist of freshly harvested lettuce and arugula, mango, broad beans, eggs, cucumber, melon, pineapple, and white local corn. Choices of salad toppings vary from time to time depending on whatever fruits in season. You can drizzle your salad with Sonya’s Secret Salad Dressing, or Balsamic vinegar/ extra virgin olive oil.

The cold weather was highlighted when we were served the hot and freshly baked whole wheat sesame bread. It was delightfully crunchy on the outside but soft in the inside. For a moment, I had this urged to hold the bread and placed it near my cheek to feel its warmth and to smell its delicious aroma. With selections of homemade dips and toppings such as basil pesto, white cheese, anchovies, bruschetta tomato toppings, mushroom pate, black olive tapenade, and fresh green peppercorn in olive oil, I could say, with that bread alone, I can fill my tummy and just be a happy camper. Of course, the servings of healthy food didn’t stop there.

We were also served with a bowl of fettuccini and two choices of sauces – sun dried tomato sauce and chicken cream with mango. You can grace your pasta with toppings of ratatouille, shitake mushroom, black olives, capers, and grated parmesan cheese.

As a meat lover myself, I know those are not too much for toppings, so when I saw that there is grilled salmon belly, I almost jump from my chair to rejoice. No meat, but fish will definitely do.

Glenn and I enthusiastically made our own pasta concoction, experimenting which will go best with each sauces.

Glenn and I were already full but we make it a point to leave an extra room for dessert. We were served sugar glazed sweet potato, banana rolls with sesame and jackfruit, and some homemade chocolate cake. Now here is the trick, the dessert may look like just an ordinary Filipino Dessert, but lo and behold, the magic is with the mint leaves silently seated alongside the condiments on the table. Just pop in a mint leave in your mouth then bite whichever dessert you want and it is heaven. The mint leaves made all the difference; it astounds me how the flavor burst into my mouth which gives that experience a whole new meaning.

Another thing worth mentioning is their Tarragon tea. I am a fan of Tea, I particularly love Japanese Cherry, Moroccan Mint, Chai, Chamomile, and Earl Grey. Having experienced Sonya’s Garden Tarragon Tea, I asked, “Tarragon, where have you been all my life?” Yes, it was that good. It has definitely steeled my resolved to cut on coffees and settle for teas instead.

The meal was a different experience, and for those who are not up to giving up their meal do not worry because Sonya’s offer a special order of Braised Chicken with Potatoes for 650php and Roast Chicken for 495php to go along with the set meal. But for us, we gave in to the challenge, and yes, we succeeded.

Their Eat All You Can Set Meal is 610php, it is a bit pricey if you compare it to the usual eat All You Can Fare wherein you can feast on both vegetables and meat, but then it’s the experience that counts. It’s around dinner time when we went there and although all the tables are pretty much occupied by their guests, the sense of serenity and calm still envelopes the room. Aside from the healthy food and beautiful ambiance, the waiters are friendly and accommodating, very prompt in catering to their guests’ needs.

I could say that although I still am not a convert vegan, and would still love to feast on steaks and other meat, the experience at Sonya’s Garden was a good one. The meal was healthy and the day was eventful, a break from my routine wherein I have nothing to think about but to enjoy the moment with my good friend. And I must say that sometimes, it is good to deviate from the usual to do something which is good for our body, soul, mind, and our heart.