There is no greater happiness than having good food, paired with the best wine, devoured with good company. In a country where food is omnipresent, a celebration is never complete without preparing the well-loved Filipino favorite dishes that often grace our Media Noche spread.
When Taal Vista Hotel welcomed the holiday season, they served the most exquisite five-course dinner, curated by the culinary team led by its executive chef Jayme Natividad.
The feast took place at the Grand Ballroom, elegantly adorned with Christmas lights and fresh flower centerpieces created by Amante Fleurs florist Julius Villamante.
The delicious fun began with the first course. For appetizer, the waiters brought in an amuse bouche of Trio of Tagaytay mushroom crepes with parmigiana cream and topped with caviar. These little appetizers brought a big punch, especially when paired with a glass of Hahn Estate Chardonnay 2020, USA.
Salad came next, with mixed greens of arugula, romaine, and barley with cinnamon-roasted squash, dressed in citrus vinaigrette. Also paired with Hahn Estate Chardonnay 2020, USA.
To cleanse our palate, we were served with sorbet made from ginger, chamomile, and mint. Watching the choreographed way that the waiters brought the food to the table was in itself a treat.
Deuxieme entrée was fillet of beef roulade sous vide with gratin potatoes and drizzled with sauce au poivre. The entree was best eaten with Maxwell Silver Hammer Shiraz 2018, Australia.
Of course, there should always be a space for dessert. The panna cotta with pineapple-mango compote sweetened with Don Papa rum. We just love how the La Gioiosa Moscato NV, Italy brought out the flavors.
I would like to give salutations to Nestor Jardin for curating and pairing the scrumptious food with the perfect wine.
Prior to that delicious dinner, the guests witnessed the lighting of the handmade Christmas tree in the hotel lobby. Inspired by the “Season of Lights,” the Christmas tree was made specially by Pampanga craftsmen for Taal Vista Hotel by Pampanga craftsmen.
SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation president Elizabeth Sy, SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation vice-president Peggy Angeles, and Taal Vista Hotel general manager Ramon Makilan led the tree lighting, with the special participation of DOT IV-A regional director-OIC Marites Castro.
DLSU Dasmariñas Chorale filled the air with holiday music with their angelic voices. Proceeds of this year’s celebration would benefit the children of Augustinian Sisters Servants of Jesus and Mary.
Wonderful music brought the celebration to a different high, with DLSU- Dasmariñas Chorale, under the music direction of John Angelo Diamos, performed joyful Christmas songs and special renditions.
The Nightingales powerful duo Bianca Lopez-Aguila and Keiko Cressida Cayanga wowed the crowd with their powerful vocal skills. Solo pianist Jon Joe Ayala Mercado provided the musical accompaniment.
As a cultural landmark in the heart of Tagaytay, Taal Vista Hotel remains committed to elevating its service and adapting to the changing needs of guests, while preserving the warmth and friendliness of its staff.
It is no wonder the hotel brought home the Best Accommodation Experience award at the recent 3rd CALABARZON Tourism Excellence Awards, where the Department of Tourism Region IV-A recognized the different stakeholders who made sure that the region remains the one of top tourist destinations in the country.
Aside from Taal Vista, different local government units, tourism associations, and some individuals received various awards. The Province of Cavite received recognition for its relentless efforts and commitment to enhancing and developing its destinations, and improving service quality standards among its tourism enterprises. It seems that the province has the most accredited tourism establishments in 2021.
DOT Region IV-A gave the Tourism Excellence Awards to 10 LGUs that have the biggest contribution in same-day arrivals, and 10 other LGUs that have the highest overnight tourism arrivals in the region.
For same-day arrivals, Antipolo City in Rizal topped the list, followed by Tanay also in Rizal, Tagaytay City in Cavite, Lucban in Quezon Province, San Pedro City in Laguna, Baras in Rizal, Liliw in Laguna, San Pablo City, Tayabas City in Quezon, Sto. Tomas in Batangas, and Dasmarinas City.
San Juan in Batangas has the highest number of overnight arrivals; followed by Lian in Batangas, Tanay in Rizal, Tagaytay City in Cavite, Tayabas City in Quezon, Lucena City, Rodriguez in Rizal, Lipa City, Nasugbu and Lobo (all located in Batangas).
Plaques of Recognition were given to community-based organizations such as SM Sunrise Weavers Association, Tanay Tour Guide and Recreation Association Inc., Mga Bangkera sa Lawa ng Pandin, Likhang Maragondon, and BIPCO Mangrove Eco-park.
Dolores in Quezon was recognized as the LGU with the most number of community guides; while the Province of Laguna has the most number of vaccinated tourism workers in CALABARZON region.
Some provincial tourism officers received recognition for their contribution to the development and promotion of tourism in the region, namely Elinia Imelda Rozelle S. Sangalang, Regina B. Austria, Sylvia M. Marasigan, Corazon S. Laserna, and Alberto S. Bay Jr.
There were also the Director’s Choice Awards, which went to Marino B. Bacani, George C. Tapan, Dorothy Joy U. Tung, Lolito E. Maderal, Norman O. Eusebio, Summit Ridge Hotel Tagaytay, and Twin Lakes Hotel.
Major awards went to: Best Customer Service Excellence for Food and Beverage – Santis Delicatessen Cafe; Best Customer Service Excellence for Accommodation – Acuaverde Beach Resort; Best Customer Service Excellence for Transport – MR7 Transport Service Cooperative;
Best Customer Service Excellence for Travel Agency/Tour Operator – Pakisuyo Travel and Tours; Best Customer Service Excellence for Health and Wellness – Nurture Wellness Village; Best Casual Dining Experience – Girasol Tagayatay; Best Farm Tourism Experience – Bukid Amara Agri-Farm; and Best Venue Experience – Via Elise Event Center.
For Special Awards: Sustainability Award – Nurture Wellness Village; Resilience Award – Twin Lakes Hotel; Innovation Award – Acuaverde Beach Resort; Community Care Award – Sonya’s Garden; Gender-Responsive Award – 88 Hot Spring Resort; Exemplary Employee Award – Nurture Wellness Village.
This year, DOT Region IV-A introduced the People’s Choice Awards, which included People’s Choice Award for Restaurant – Pico de Pino Cafe and Restaurant; People’s Choice Award for Accommodation – Casa San Pablo; People’s Choice Award for Destination – Enchanted Kingdom and Sampaloc Lake in San Pablo City, Laguna.
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Taal Vista Hotel is located along Kilometer 60, Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City 4120, Philippines. Stay connected with Taal Vista Hotel by visiting its website www.taalvistahotel.com. Follow them on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@taalvistahotel).