A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend the opening of Buon Giorno Caffe & Bistro at Twin Lakes in Tagaytay.
Fortunately, J was available that day to accompany me! The Twin Lakes development by Megaworld has actually been open for about a year now, but since our recent forays into Tagaytay never got us that far down the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road, it was our first time to visit Twin Lakes.
Twin Lakes is located just a short distance further down from the entrance to Sonya’s Garden. It’s on the left side (coming from Tagaytay proper), you can’t miss it!
I’m still very happy to tell you that parking is FREE at Twin Lakes, and I wish all establishments, especially in Metro Manila, would go back to providing free parking! Parking is available out front, and there is also basement parking if parking out front is full, just follow the signs.
The front part of Twin Lakes is a dining spot, with many popular Tagaytay restaurants, as well as coffee & dessert places, having branches there. The back part of the area is being developed as a vineyard resort community with residential villas, townhouses, commercial and retail hubs, etc…
Here is the view of the back. Isn’t it just gorgeous? Even I was amazed when I saw this photo I took. It looks just like an architect’s rendering, does it not? But this is real!
Here is the view of Taal Lake from Twin Lakes:
BUON GIORNO CAFFE & BISTRO
Buon Giorno can be accessed from the main door, and also from the second floor. I really like how Buon Giorno is located near the stairs – with the cool climate and gently blowing breeze, it seemed like I was in some Tuscan vineyard villa – I wanted to stay there forever!
Here’s the front of the restaurant:
Even with so many people during the grand opening, it didn’t feel crowded or hot, so, good job on the interior design! The place seems airy and open.
These are the stairs inside the restaurant. I just find it so Christmassy 
THE FOOD
Buon Giorno serves Italian food. The grand opening feast was served buffet style, where we got to sample many of their specialties. Here are some of the dishes served:
Smoked Salmon with Mango Dill Sauce
Buon Giorno Special Salad – there were several dressings available for us to choose from. I liked the Orange Sesame Dressing. This salad was delicious! I do love these salads that combine sweet and savory elements – here they have apple slices, grapes, etc…
Zucchini Fritters – this was light and better than expected. The zucchini was fresh and the fritters were not oily.
Spinach e Funghi Ravioli
Pasta (with Arrabiata, Puttanesca, Vongole sauces)
Grilled Seabass – this was my favorite dish! It’s wonderfully flaky and sweet, a bit similar to crab meat.
Pollo e Funghi Risotto – this was also very, very good! Creamy and perfect, and lightly seasoned, I couldn’t get enough of it!
Apple Strudel – this is delicious! The strudel pastry is flaky and crispy and sweet, like biting into a fresh otap. The whole thing is not too sweet and the cinnamon is not too strong. It is something I would order again when I go back.
Chocolate Cake (I’m not really sure what this is, but I am guessing that it’s the Chocolate Espresso Torte) – this was delicious!!! If I wasn’t so stuffed I would have gone back for another round. The desserts are buffet sizes, by the way. They are bigger when you get a full order.
Pricing – salads are price around P200-300, entrees are around P500-800, desserts are priced around P200.
The food is done well, using only quality ingredients, and taste is very good – as Italian as you can get using fresh, local ingredients as much as they can, without “Filipinizing” the taste. The food they serve is like that of an Italian family-style feast, using good quality, fresh ingredients. The ambience, the view, is beautiful. The staff seem to be old hands and are familiar with the restaurant operations. All in all, it is well worth the money to dine at Buon Giorno, and I suggest planning a looooong lunch to fully enjoy the spectacular view (and more time to pretend you own a vineyard! hehe).
Congratulations to Buon Giorno on the opening of a new branch!
Buon Giorno Caffe & Restaurant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Buon-Giorno-Caffe-Bistro-175757805780209/
