Tahanan by artist Benji Reyes is the most beautiful Filipino home in Antipolo. I suggested to Benji 7 years ago that this would the perfect place for private dining in the city. Finally, after six years of studying in Melbourne, his daughter Keesha decided to go back home and open Tahanan Bistro.
Together with her partner Chef Kevin Tuason, who graduated from the culinary school of Academia International in Melbourne, the bistro offers a set menu that pays homage to Philippine produce. It’s Filipino food presented Melbourne-style, enjoyed in a casual-fine home dining ambiance.
This will be the hottest place to book for intimate celebrations and for showcasing to the world what Filipino hospitality and home dining is all about.
Here’s a first look at what to expect at Tahanan Bistro…
TAHANAN BISTRO
22 Loresville Drive Lores Farm Subdivision Barangay San Roque Antipolo 1870
Opening Hours: Friday to Sunday Dinner 6:00PM – 10:00PM, Saturday and Sunday Lunch 11.00pm – 4.00pm
Mobile: +63 925 880-1487
Facebook: Tahanan Bistro
Website: http://tahananbistro.com/
It was a leisurely drive to Antipolo for us on a Sunday afternoon with no traffic and good roads. We were filled with excitement to try Tahanan Bistro.
(Note: You can use Waze to help find your way to the place.)
This artist home is best experienced with your bare feet and childlike wonder.
Read our first feature on Tahanan for some context, but it is best experienced raw, without any preconceived notions: Do you own a Benji’s? (8/16/2009)
It’s so heartwarming to see Benji working together with daughter Keesha amidst his new works for an upcoming exhibition.
It’s always an honor to see the young generation of Filipino Chefs working in the kitchen on their first ever project.
The Lanai is the main dining area that can accommodate 32 guests with special Benji chairs. Reserve the long table in the middle.
My favorite is the Deck, which is a more intimate area in an al fresco Chef’s Table setting surrounded by an awesome view.
TAHANAN BISTRO MENU: Who We Are | Set Menu | Aranga Menu | Balayong Menu | Katmon Menu | Beverage
You choose from three set menus at P1,200/head. It changes every quarter depending on the seasonal ingredients and the chef’s inspiration.
(Trivia: The names of the set menus are inspired by the surrounding trees in Tahanan.)
Hors d’oeuvre: Homemade Italian Sausage on pastry puff with napoli sauce, emmenthal cheese, salsa verde, pangratato crumbs.
The meal starts with these small bites, made from scratch by the chef to tease the palate.
Drink: TANGLAD. Lemongrass, pandan, muscovado.
The set meal includes their house drink, soup and palate cleanser (before dessert).
Soup Starter: KALABASA. Spiced pumpkin soup, fresh basil, fresh off the oven rosemary focaccia
The soup really tasted like pumpkin and creamy but not too heavy. It’s served in a small cup but you can order a refill to satisfy your taste.
Palate Cleanser: MANSANAS. Fuji apple, house-made ricotta, calamansi, mint.
The palate cleanser was a fruit, lime, and cheese combination to refresh your taste buds before the sweet course.
Benji moved his prized art collection and furniture into this room…
…as a showcase of the best Filipino artists.
ARANGA MENU
TALONG. Sliced eggplant, house-made italian sausage, emmental cheese, napoli sauce, salsa verde, pangratatto.
This course starts with an ensalada of eggplant topped with sausage, cheese, and salsa.
✮ LENGUA. Crispy ox tongue, mushroom risotto, ox tongue ragu, cherry tomatoes, grana padano cheese.
The crispy ox tongue is softened by a creamy mushroom risotto cooked just right and is good to share between 2 persons. We ordered different set menus and shared it.
SABA. Sweetened bananas, house-made short crust sweet pastry, jackfruit puree, banana custard, blueberry and mint coulis.
A creamy twist to our saba mixed with flavors of jackfruit, blueberry, and mint, topped with a sort of short crust biscuit. It’s very creamy and we loved the flavors of langka.
It’s awesome to dine surrounded by artworks of famous Filipino artists, which are part of the personal collection of Benji (not for sale).
Recently, they started collecting and selling vintage products from Australia like this radio retrofitted with USB connection.
BALAYONG MENU
✮ BABOY RAMO. Smoked house-grown black footed pig tapa flakes, dried herring (tuyo), caesar dressing, romaine, parmesan cheese, 63 degree poached egg.
We love this simple caesar salad, which you have to mix with the poached egg and top with flavorful flakes from the Baboy Ramo raised by Benji himself in a nearby property.
MANOK. Pulled chicken adobo, house-made ricotta, fresh pasta agnolotti, almonds, adobo flakes, alfreddo sauce, grana padano cheese.
This agnolotti resembles a ravioli filled with pulled chicken adobo, with creamy sauce topped with cheese and baboy ramo flakes to break through the creaminess.
✮ CASSAVA. Lola Flory’s cassava cake, cassava chips dipped in coconut milk chocolate, cassava fritters, and coconut caramel.
This gets our vote for the best dessert among the set menus because of just the right sweetness and the chocolate covered cassava chips.
We usually order the smoothies and drinks after the main course for the kids because they get full easily when they drink at the start.
KATMON MENU
TINAPA. Smoked milk fish, bechamel, edam crisps, house-made pastry, mixed greens, balsamic glaze.
This was something unique, like a smoked milk fish biscuit with seasonal vegetables and edam crisps on the side.
✮ LIEMPO. Roasted pork belly, soft sugar beetroot polenta, house-made liver sauce, grilled asparagus.
Our favorite! Tender roast belly with crispy skin paired with a beetroot flavored polenta. I like the flavor of their own liver sauce and the grilled asparagus to make this healthy.
SUMAN. Antipolo suman, chocnut, mango coulis, dark chocolate ganache, toasted desiccated coconut, mango whipped cream.
This is like suman balls with manga, and chocolate topped with toasted coconut. I like the painting-like presentation where you can mix the sauces any way you like it.
Congratulations to Chef Kevin Tuason and Keesha Reyes for deciding to come home from Melbourne and establish Tahanan Bistro!
Overall, this is the type of place you can enjoy leisurely while celebrating significant milestones with family and friends. Sunday lunch is the best time to go but night dining also offers a different romantic glow.
Make sure to reserve as early as now because this place will surely get fully booked over the “BER” season. They do not entertain walk-ins.
If you can, order the three different set menus and share it among yourselves. But if you need to choose, I would recommend the Katmon first, then the Aranga menu. Budget about P1,500/head including the drinks. They also have a kid set priced at P900/kid.
Also, set aside some time to meet Benji and Carina Reyes to check out their furniture, artworks, and vintage collection.
Congratulations to the Tahanan Bistro team for opening one of the best private dining destinations in the metro!
TAHANAN BISTRO
22 Loresville Drive Lores Farm Subdivision Barangay San Roque Antipolo 1870
Opening Hours: Friday to Sunday Dinner 6:00PM – 10:00PM, Saturday and Sunday Lunch 11.00pm – 4.00pm
Mobile: +63 925 880-1487
Facebook: Tahanan Bistro
Website: http://tahananbistro.com/
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of our friend Benji Reyes. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Don’t forget to check out the Boutique Vintage shop of Carina and their Star Wars and Marvel collection.
very nice place! hopefully we can visit it! ^_^
congrats guys, planning to swing by