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Monday, March 2, 2015

Global Flavors with the Freshest Local Produce at Taza Fresh Table

A world of flavors using the very best local, single origin, and sustainable ingredients with a view of the lake and volcano...welcome to Taza Fresh Table.


Taza Fresh Table is the newest restaurant at Taal Vista Hotel, sourcing the freshest and finest ingredients from local suppliers for its inventive international cuisine. The concept of "source local and cook global" is a recurrent theme at Taza Fresh Table, with fresh, clean and bold flavors in every dish.

Located at Taal Vista Hotel, the elegant new restaurant exudes a tranquil country garden vibe. Surrounded by panoramic glass walls, one can enjoy a majestic view of the iconic Taal Lake and Volcano while dining at Taal Vista Hotel's new Taza Fresh Table.


The name "Taza" is inspired by the Arabic word for "fresh" or "newly harvested." And that's exaclty what you get with its varied selection of innovative international cuisine using the freshest, sustainable, and single origin ingredients from the best known sources and straight to your plate.


At Taza Fresh Table, nearly 95% of the ingredients are sourced from regions where they are produced, such as duck from Laguna, lobster from Batangas, mangoes from Cebu, coffee beans and black rice from Negros Island, and organic herbs and vegetables from Benguet, Cavite, Batangas, and even the Tall Vista Hotel's very own garden. Each dish is made from scratch, including the various sauces, handmade pasta and slow-cooked smoked meats. Taza Fresh Table makes their own bacon, pancetta and chorizo with locally sourced pork raised on natural feeds without any hormones or antibiotics. At Taza Fresh Table, food is prepared the way it used to be, redefining comfort food with a fresh and natural twist.


Taza Fresh Table's friendly staff greet you with a smile, and the chain of experiences begin immediately as you enter the new restaurant. The staff will also gladly inform you what's fresh in the menu for the day, as you sit back and begin your rediscovery of fresh cuisine the way it was meant to be with Taza Fresh Table's extensive range of international dishes.


Start your fresh experience with Taza Fresh Table's distinctly local Bignay Fizz (L) or the soothing House Brewed Iced Tea (R). The deep red hue of the Bignay Fizz, made from fermented local currant known for its anti-oxidant properties, delivers a unique and refreshing flavor.


Begin your culinary discovery of fresh, sustainable, and single-origin local produce with Taza Fresh Table's Mezze served with warm flat bread (P 700 for a starter set choice of four items), and our selection that day included market fresh appetizers such as Boquerones, Babaganouche, homemade Chorizo with Garlic, and Marinated Mushrooms. Depending on what's fresh at the market, other options include Hummus, Ricotta, Tabouleh, Brandade, Olive Tapenade, Sauteed Chicken Liver and Garlic Confit, and Spinach with Bacon Jam, all individually priced between P 200 to P 230.


Taza Fresh Table offers some of the most creative and inventive salads with the freshest ingredients, and it's always a good idea to sample one or two dishes to really experience the concept behind the restaurant.  The Alugbati Salad (P 290), local vine spinach with wild arugula, jicama, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and Naga pili nuts draped with a flavorful Salted Egg-Citrus Vinaigrette is one must-try salad dish. The clean and sweet flavors of the fresh ingredients come through in every bite, with the unique and rich salted egg vinaigrette adding another layer of rustic flavors to the dish. The combination of lightly battered and deep-fried alugbati leaves over fresh leaves add contrasting textures not only for flavor, but an element of fun to complete your experience.


The medley of fresh flavors continued with Taza Fresh Table's simple yet flavorful Heirloom Tomato Salad, a pair of thick and juicy slices of sweet and tart tomatoes topped with cherry tomatoes, fresh greens, garlic and a sharp drizzle of balsamic dressing. The flavors are pure and uncomplicated, and the natural sweetness of the heirloom tomatoes bursts in your mouth with every bite. The blend of natural sweet and tart notes play with the bold balsamic vinaigrette for perfectly balanced flavors.


Taza Fresh Table also offers a range of rustic and comforting pizzas with the freshest ingredients, like the Grilled Vegetable Pizza (P 380), topped with eggplant, zucchini, roasted peppers, Laguna mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, truffle oil, and balsamic glaze. The thin, crisp crust is the perfect base for the medley of fresh grilled vegetables, delivering a natural and subtle sweetness to the pizza.


Other pizza variants include the Squid, Shrimp and Anchovies (P 395), with tomatoes, Laguna mozzarella, and capers, with the familiar sweet and briny notes of fresh seafood pairing well with the tartness of the tomatoes and richness of the local mozzarella.


Then, there's the Salsa Verde with Pancetta (P 380), with homemade pancetta and Laguna mozzarella cheese. The nutty hints of the fresh salsa verde contrasts with the robust and smoky notes of the homemade pancetta, and this one's a personal favorite. Taza Fresh Table prepares their own pancetta, chorizo, bacon and other slow-cooked smoked meats from scratch with local pork, and you can immediately taste the difference with its richer flavors...


...like the Homemade Bacon (P 350), a thick and tender slab of pork belly cured for ten days and smoked for six hours with mango tree wood chips, served with a sweet and tart apple-mango compote.


Pour some maple sauce and take a large slice of the thick slab of bacon, then add some of the apple-mango compote, and take a bite. The delicate sweetness of the tender and juicy pork are enhanced by the bold smoky yet sweet hints from the mango tree wood chips for something familiar yet new and exciting. The use of mango tree wood chips in the long and tedious smoking process adds a playful and inventive element to the dish for a distinctly local flavor. I wouldn't mind having my bacon this way. Every day. Seriously good.


The menu also includes their signature Wagyu Burger (P 550), a hefty and juicy ground Bukidnon Wagyu patty topped with Tagaytay romaine lettuce, Laguna mozzarella cheese, potato wedges and coleslaw.


The famed Wagyu beef from Mount Kitanglad in Bukidnon is tender, juicy and intensely marbled, delivering a richness you can only find in premium quality beef. Topped with the freshest vegetables, an everyday classic is given a serious upgrade by Taza Fresh Table using the freshest and finest ingredients.


And if you're looking for even more of the premium Bukidnon Wagyu, go for the signature Ribeye (P 2,275 for 350g), served with creamy mashed potatoes, vegetables, and various sauces.


Perfectly grilled to a medium rare with a juicy pink center, the ribeye is tender with just the right layer of buttery marbling for more flavor. The ribeye is rich and flavorful on its own, and you don't really need any sauce at all. This one's an excellent main course for sharing, or just right for one with a serious appetite. But if a ribeye isn't enough, you can always go for Taza Fresh Table's Bukidnon Wagyu Tomahawk...


And there's more. The impressive Tomahawk Pork Chop (P 790), wth caramelized onions, bananas, and pork jus, is another main dish with premium local pork. The subtle and delicate sweetness of the tender pork is punctuated by the nutty sweetness of the caramelized onions and bananas, with a layer of richness from the flavorful pork jus.


Have a taste of global flavors with Taza Fresh Table's Moroccan Chicken (P 525 Solo/P 875 Sharing), tender and juicy braised braised probiotic chicken with spices on couscous and served in a tajine. The tender chicken, spices and vegetables combine for a rich blend of flavors, with just a whisper of lime adding a sharpness to balance the dish. Other mains served at Taza Fresh Table include Pan-Seared Chicken, Sole en Papillote, Braised Oxtail, Ilo-Ilo Prawns, and Leg of Lamb.  


Cap your dining experience at Taza Fresh Table with one of their indulgent desserts, like the Cannoli with Ube Ricotta and Langka Cream (P 275), crunchy puff pastry tubes filled with purple yam and jackfruit pastry cream, giving this Italian classic a local twist.


The Vanilla Custard Cake (P 225), with candied kumquat and red peppercorn syrup, plays with contrasting flavors with the peppercorn syrup adding just a whisper of heat to the sweet and rich dessert, perfect with a cup of the local brew.


The Molten Chocolate Cake (P 225), made with premium Alfonso tablea chocolate from Cavite topped with Pato Queso de Bola ice cream delivers deep, bold, robust and rounded flavors from the local cacao. Not too sweet, balanced by just a pinch of salty hint from the cheese ice cream. The velvety smooth Pato Queso de Bola ice cream adds a creamy sharpness and familiar local flavors to the dessert.


Or go for something different, like Taza Fresh Table's unique Olive Oil Ice Cream (P 215), topped with glazed Tagaytay pineapple bits. From starters to mains and desserts, freshness remains a consistent thread in Taza Fresh Table's culinary approach to global flavors with local ingredients.


Taal Vista Hotel's Michelle Amoranto (L-R), Marketing Communications Coordinator; Rosell, one of Taza Fresh Table's friendly staff; Chef Jaime Natividad, and Celine Arenillo, Area Marketing Communications Manager, await your visit to Taza Fresh Table and discover comfort food redefined with the best local ingredients.  


A world of flavors from the freshest local, single source and sustainable ingredients straight to your plate and a magnificent view of the iconic lake and volcano...only at Taza Fresh Table.

Taza Fresh Table is located at the Taal Vista Hotel along Kilometer 60, Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City or call +632-917-8225, +632-413-100 or +63-0917-809-1254 for inquiries and reservations. 

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