tagaytay – Jellybeans in the City

Unwinding with excellent food and spectacular views at Leslie’s Restaurant in Tagaytay

Leslie’s Restaurant is a popular dining destination located in Tagaytay City, Philippines. The restaurant has been serving local and foreign tourists for over three decades since its establishment in 1984. It is known for its stunning panoramic view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake, making it an ideal spot for romantic dates and family gatherings.

The restaurant’s menu features a wide range of Filipino dishes, with specialties such as bulalo, crispy pata, and pritong tawilis. These dishes are cooked using traditional methods and fresh ingredients, ensuring that diners get to taste authentic Filipino cuisine.

Leslie’s Restaurant has become a staple in Tagaytay’s dining scene, with its excellent food, service, and breathtaking view. Its reputation has attracted a loyal customer base, with some even making it a yearly tradition to dine at the restaurant. Its location and ambiance make it a perfect place to unwind and savor the natural beauty of Tagaytay, while indulging in delicious food that truly captures the essence of Filipino cuisine.

I should know: I’ve been going here with the fam for years, to enjoy both a filling Filipino meal and the lovely view overlooking Taal. Recently, we treated our balikbayan tita and cousin to lunch here on our way to our holiday in Pico de Loro.

Planning a family trip to Tagaytay? Let me share some of the things I think you too would love about Leslie’s Restaurant so you can include it in your Tagaytay itinerary:

Spectacular View. One of the main highlights of dining at Leslie’s Restaurant is the stunning panoramic view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. This picturesque sight is the perfect backdrop for your dining experience, making it a must-visit destination in Tagaytay.

Authentic Filipino Cuisine. Leslie’s Restaurant is known for serving authentic Filipino cuisine, with specialties like bulalo, crispy pata, and sinigang. You can expect to savor traditional Filipino dishes cooked with fresh ingredients and served in generous portions.

Kid-Friendly. Leslie’s Restaurant is also kid-friendly, with a special menu that caters to children’s taste buds. The restaurant’s staff is also accommodating to families with young children, providing high chairs and other child-friendly amenities. Plus, the viewing deck also has ample space for older kids to explore and run around (with your supervision, of course!)

Cool Al Fresco Dining. The restaurant’s outdoor dining area provides a refreshing ambiance with a cool breeze and a view of the surrounding greenery. Enjoy your meal al fresco style and feel the Tagaytay breeze on your face.

Leslie’s Restaurant in Tagaytay is more than just a dining destination, it’s a complete experience that allows you to indulge in authentic Filipino cuisine while soaking in the natural beauty of Tagaytay. With its panoramic view, excellent food, and warm hospitality, it’s no wonder why it has been a favorite among locals and tourists for over three decades.

Whether you’re looking for a venue for a family meal, or maybe a romantic date or to treat your balikbayan relatives, Leslie’s Restaurant has something for everyone. With its exceptional service and picturesque setting, it’s undoubtedly one of the best places to dine and create lasting memories in Tagaytay. So, if you’re planning a visit to Tagaytay, make sure to put Leslie’s Restaurant on your list and experience the best that this beloved restaurant has to offer.

Leslie’s Restaurant is located along Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Silang, Crossing West, Tagaytay City, Cavite, open for dine-in and takeout weekdays from 6am to 10pm and weekends from 6am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 46 8662273, +63 46 4834271 or +63 960 3005684.

Stay updated on its offers by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Zomato Tagaytay Food Crawl Second Stop: Lime and Basil Thai Restaurant

The second stop of our Zomato Food Crawl was held at the Lime and Basil Thai Restaurant, tucked away along Sicat Road in a residential area off the Aguinaldo Highway on the way to Mountain Ridge.

Surprisingly, despite the location and the rainy weather, it was still filled with families who want to enjoy a more exotic cuisine for lunch.

Its grounds are surrounded with greenery and garden decor with an Asian, Zen-like feel. Sadly, due to the rains, we were not able to dine outside (but we did hold our flat-lays there, though). It would have been quite enjoyable to feast on the Thai dishes while enjoying the refreshing Tagaytay breeze.

The resto’s interiors also has a distinctive Asian decor, from the bric-a-bracs that line the walls, the proliferation of indoor greenery, and the colorful accessories that accent the place.

Some items in one of the inner rooms are also for sale. These include small mortar and pestle sets, decorative jars, local raw wild honey and more.

Thai cuisine is characterized by the intricate balance of five flavors: sour, sweet, salty, bitter and spicy. An emphasis is placed on the strong aromatic elements and a spicy edge. These flavors came into play with the dishes served to our group which included:

Fresh Spring Rolls (Php270). Rolled herbs, carrots, cabbage, tofu and noodles topped with a sweet chile relish. A hit for those who want to eat something light, fresh and healthy!

Tom Yum Goong (Php410). The dish’s name translates to “lemongrass shrimp soup.” It is a hot and sour soup with large shrimps. It is reminiscent of the Pinoy sinigang but with more complex flavors owing to the herbs and chilis mixed in.

Lime and Basil Salad (Php340). The resto’s namesake salad contains fried egg, basil, lettuce, peanuts and shallots lightly doused with a sour tamaring dressing. I find it a good palate cleanser after tasting the more flavorful dishes.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews (Php380). Sauteed bits of chicken cooked with cashew nuts in a salty sweet sauce.

Kao Pad Saparod (Php360). Fried rice served in a bowl made of pineapple which adds some sweetness to the salty rice.

Pad Thai (Php350). A sweet-savory noodle dish, most commonly served as street food in Thailand.

Kaeng Deng Kha Moo (Php770). The Thai version of the Pinoy Crispy Pata with a red curry sauce. The crackling skin was very crispy while the meat was quite tender. It went well with the pineapple rice.

Kao Neiw Mamaung (Php220). A beautifully presented dish, it consists of glutinous rice, coconut milk and luscious slivers of ripe mango. It is doused with condensed milk for some added sweetness.

Thai Iced Team (Php110). What Thai meal is complete without its signature iced tea? This refreshing beverage is made from strongly-brewed tea with some additional spices and sweetened with sugar and condensed milk.

The dishes were tasty and well-presented, quite excellent representatives of Thai cuisine. These will help in broadening the horizons of the Filipino palate.

Lime and Basil Thai Restaurant is located at 9104 J. Rizal Street, Barangay Sicat, Tagaytay. It is open weekends from 11am to 9pm and weekends from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 915 627 6393.

Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Mother’s Day Brunch at Jaytee’s Tagaytay

Wanting to avoid the Mother’s Day lunchtime rush to Tagaytay, the family decided to leave Manila early in time for brunch at Jaytee’s Home of the Best Bulalo and Kare Kare.

Named after the initials of its proprietors, husband and wife team Jessie and Tess Mojica, the restaurant is located at One Destination, along Aguinaldo Highway, affording its diners a scenic view of Taal Lake and Volcano.

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I recommend dining inside the resto as its interiors are clean and well-appointed. You can just take your requisite Taal Volcano family group pics outside while waiting for your meal.

The resto prides itself on its Special Beef Bulalo (Php650, good for 5-6 persons), which is what we drove all the way to Tagaytay for. It did not disappoint, the meat was tender, the soup flavorful, and the veggies crisp. (Of course, the sinful bone marrow is the star of the dish.)

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We also ordered veggie dishes Chop Suey (Php220) and Fresh Lumpia (Php190 – a real winner with crisp ubod inside, light wrapper and a peanutty garlicky sauce!). For variation of viands, we also ordered Crispy Tawilis (Php220) and Grilled Liempo (Php360). The oldies ordered Buko Juice (Php85) and Green Mango Shake (Php110) while the rest of the fam sipped on Cucumber Iced Tea (Php180 per pitcher). We also capped off the meal with a scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream (Php45 – a must for my little boy) and Leche Flan (Php180 – a little too sweet but that’s what desserts are for huh?).

The food were served family style by attentive wait staff, however, I found the tables too small to accommodate all the food we ordered. (They certainly made taking foodie shots a bit difficult.)

Since we arrived so early, we were able to avoid the traffic going to the resto-with-a-view places along this stretch of Tagaytay. We were also able to park our cars with no problem.

Jaytee’s Filipino Cuisine is located at One Destination Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay. For reservations, call:

(046) 443 1795
(0977) 745 8511
(0921) 319 3233
(0929) 613 0678