Choco-Late de Batirol and the Cold Days …and Hot Days in Baguio

Going on a mission to inspect what the Manor has in store for the holiday season 2012 (I’m referring to their garden décor), Race and I also returned to Choco-Late de Batirol to see what’s changed since we’ve been there two years back.

To provide you with a contrast of that visit and this visit, let me first recount our experience then.  For one thing, it was a cooler Baguio in 2010 and one (excluding me, you’ll see why later ^^,) really needs something warm to drink to get through the day.  Looking for a traditional experience, we chose to forgo the cups of Swissmiss and whatever was the mainstream in terms of hot chocolate today.

Traditional hot choco (“,)

To the hut-looking establishment of Choco-Late de Batirol, we headed!

The most colorful matchsticks I’ve ever seen, seen around the restaurant…and a busy bee. *hihi

We were greeted with an offering that was beyond our expectations.

Atchaka meron pa. (And there’s more.) No kidding. Nice one, Choco-Late de Batirol =)

Mainly, they also served food.  It being lunch, we decided to try their beef steak and their dinuguan.  These were served with rice and also with a side dish of ensalada (tomatoes, onions and little bits of mango. Weee!)  These were tasty enough meals.  (Still, nothing compares to Tita Bec’s beef steak. Shout out to Tita Bec again! (“,)  And Race was partial to someone’s version of dinuguan, too. *heeharhar  But again; good enough, good enough. \m/)  The only qualm I have about our Choco-Late de Batirol meal was that the serving proportions were too small. =b  We also got dessert, their turon de langka…good enough turon, too.

Beef steak, dinuguan, turon, the Choco-Late de Batirol scene and us. =D

The highlight of our visit was really the hot chocolate.  When it arrived (we got the traditional blend – no flavors), we had such a treat.  I don’t really like hot drinks (for breakfast or any part of the day because I kept burning my tongue with it.  Too impatient, I guess. =D) but this hot beverage is fine with me… *shhhh, I might even love it. (“,)  (Brace yourself though for the cocoa bits.  Remember, it’s traditional hot choco.  If you’re looking for a smooth choco drink, a better cup would be something processed/mainstream.)

As addicting as this was, I asked Race to go back and buy a jar of it so we could reproduce the warming comfort that is traditional chocolate (even if our version wasn’t really made in a batirol.  Oh and yes, they didn’t give us the stick thingy one used to mix the chocolate up – that’s supposed to be a freebie – so I’m a little hurt there *pouty face with sniffy sniffs =b).

The batirol and the stick mixing thingy =b

Flash forward to 2012, we’re back at Choco-Late de Batirol.  Now a bigger/wider hut, they also expanded their menu.  Meals for breakfast and more options of snacks are just some of the additions.  They had more to sell as treats like gummy strips, tamarind, squid rolls and daing bulaklak (*tsk I didn’t get a photo of that.  Just flower shaped daing but I was entertained nonetheless. ^^,) What caught our attention was that they had cold drinks to offer now.  That’s right, cold chocolate de batirol.

The bigger/wider hut, new products and us playing with the choco mixing sticks. Race said they looked like meat tenderizers.  I thought they looked like the sticks you use for honey. =D

On this cloudless and also unnaturally warm day in the city, we decided to go with the cold flavored versions of the chocolate drink.  *wipe sweat from brow =D  Almond essence is considered one of the best sellers and orange tang was their new product.

Almond essence and orange tang …*snicker snicker

When the glasses were laid on our table, I was amused with the beautiful fragrance that came from them.  Taking sips from our drinks, we beat the heat.  My drink, almond essence had bits and pieces of almonds that gave an interesting feel as well as a delicious flavor in my mouth.  (There were also clumps, must be solid cocoa butter?  *hihi)  Race’s drink was as choco orange as you’d imagine it.  (I just had an image pop into my mind. *still snickering =)))

Meet the feline residents of the Choco-Late de Batirol ceiling ^^, They had their own obstacle course going to and from their home.  *hihi

X marks Choco-Late de Batirol for good food (and comfort choco drinks in the cold days …and the hot days) in Baguio. 

Parting prayer/words of wisdom. (“,)

Food: 

Drinks:  for the hot chocolate de batirol,  for the cold version.  You see, the cocoa butter(?)/cocoa oil forms up in clumps with the cold version resulting in a murky icky consistency. =b

Service: 

Ambiance:  Makes me wonder how they do in the stormy season, hope they’re okay.  (“,)

Price: 

(Oh, for anyone wondering about the Manor garden holiday decor, it’s bleh.  =b I still think they did their best work in the holiday season of 2010.  Sure, less of the recycled decor – from 2010 for the 2011 holidays but still bleh. Poor, cotton covered trees.  Anyway, it might look better in the dark with the lights doing all the razzling and dazzling. *heehaha.)

Choco-Late de Batirol

Igorot Garden, Camp John Hay

Baguio City, Philippines

chocolatedebatirol.tripod.com/index.html