Vigan, the capital of Ilocos Sur and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is rife with cultural and historical heritage, being home to ancient churches and ancestral houses and Casa Lourdes—a microbrewery and restaurant.
Casa Lourdes and conceived by five friends over dinner that lasted through the next morning, captures both the feel and the culture of Ilocos. It has three factions: a brewery (Calle Brewery), a wine and tapas bar, and a degustation reflecting a fine dining experience.
It is housed in an ancestral home built in 1875 by Don Florendo and Doña Maria Verzosa.
“The richness of the culture infused with the restaurant’s three factions makes the experience distinct and worth the visit. The distinctness of the restaurant is incomparable. There are no restaurants in Ilocos that offers quality dishes and fresh beer,” says corporate chef Robby Goco, whose culinary masterpieces features his interpretations of Ilocos favorites.
People flock to the resto-bar for its smoked meats, IPA (Bigote ni Antonio), red wine, Spanish dishes such as gambas and salpicao, and Ilocano fine tasting menu.
The process of developing the menu starts with Goco and partner brewer Joey Viray giving their inputs and project timeline. A series of testing and tasting among partners was done before finalizing the menu.
The owners/investors are hands-on in running the business. Each has their own tasks and responsibilities such as finance, operations, quality audit, business development, marketing, and others. They all share the same pride of being able to give their customers the experience they envisioned.
“The sole reason why the restaurant still stands is our customers. We have locals who are regulars here, and also travelers. We are grateful for their genuine feedback and support,” adds Goco.
One of the usual requests they get is bottling their beers so customers can enjoy the local brews at their home. There are also requests to open a place with the same concept in different locations in the Philippines. To address these requests, Calle Brewery has already started supplying beer kegs to partner hotels outside Vigan.
Casa Lourdes is located at #11 Calle Encarnacion, Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Call (077) 604-5223 or 0917-7131694 for inquiries and reservations.
