Choco-Late de Batirol was one of the things that got me
excited for our Baguio Trip since I’ve read a lot of positive feedback from
different blogs and it was also listed as one of the must-visit places in
Baguio. In fact, when we first arrived here the first thing I asked my husband’s
friend’s girlfriend, Yvette, a local in Baguio, was where Choco-Late de Batirol
is, and if it was far, and if it’s true that their chocolate drink and food
tasted so good! She gave me a so-so response but I still wanted to try it for
myself.
So the next day, we decided to take our brunch at Choco-Late
de Batirol. I can feel my excitement then and it’s like I could already taste
the hot & thick tsokolate on our
way there. The place is a bit hard to find because it is located at a small
cozy alcove hidden among the forest of Camp John Hay (near Gate 2 and Baguio
Country Club).
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| So as not to miss this small almost-hidden cafe, keep an eye for this yellow sign along the road. |
Around this café is a lush, fairytale-like garden that will
bring out a mystical feeling. It reminded me of that cozy dwarf house in the
fairytale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. So we immediately took pictures
around the place before finding a table.
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| I think the people at the back are doing tattoos. |
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| Hubby and baby taking pictures. |
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| Our baby Yuri. |
Inside is just as good as it is outside. You will find a
display of wooden artifacts and a few recycled materials used as decorations on
tables, chairs, and even on their roof! And I just love its intimate & laid-back ambiance of nature.
Choco-Late de Batirol is actually the most awarded and recognized
garden-restaurant in Baguio. It is a Filipino Café that specializes in hot,
thick, bittersweet chocolate drinks made from Philippine-sourced cacao beans.
Their chocolate drink is traditionally made by swiftly hand-stirring the tsokolate inside a batirol (copper pot) and with the use of a molinillo (wooden whisk) until you achieve a thick and frothy
consistency. I would give this place a thumbs up for preserving the Philippine
tradition & culture.
For our orders, my husband’s friend, Orvic, ordered the
Traditional Blend whereas I ordered their Almond flavor because I’m a sucker
for chocolate with nuts. My husband, however, ordered their cold batirol – the
Baguio Classic flavor which he also shared with our son, Yuri.
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| Our baby Yuri is crying because his daddy took "his"drink for the photo. Lol. |
To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with my order. It had
a bitter, nutty, & burnt taste. It was like they added too much roasted
almonds in it. The Traditional Blend tasted better than mine. It had a
distinctive, rich & strong taste. But according to my friend, the sikwate (local Cocoa) in Cebu tasted
better.
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| Traditional Blend (P80) and Almond (P90). |
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| Say hi to Orvic! |
I also got to try their Baguio Classic cold blend and I can
still taste that bittersweet flavor of the cacao and I somehow hoped that they
made it a bit sweeter. My husband also described it as a champorado (chocolate porridge) shake but more of bitter and less
of sweet. LOL.
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| Baguio Classic (Cold Batirol, P135) |
Sad to say, none of the drinks we ordered met my expectation
and in my opinion, not worth the price at all. We decided to skip on the pricey
food items after that disappointment. This was probably because my expectation
rose with all the hype on the internet and also because the taste was
new to me. BUT the ambiance is what makes it something that you should not miss
out when visiting Baguio. It makes a good hangout place if you just want to
warm up & take a break from Baguio’s cold weather. You can also check their
prices here.
I was also a bit disappointed with the waitress here because
she barely smiled from the time she took our orders, to serving them, up to
giving us the bill. I’m not sure if she wasn’t in the mood that day or she had
issues with Bisaya customers (since
we were talking in our Cebuano language while deciding what to order). Her
negative aura may have caused our orders to go bad. Hmm... Just kidding.
Overall, I’d say the place is nice! I’d still suggest that
you give their chocolate drink a chance though because we may not have the same
taste and you might like it. But I suggest you go for the Traditional Blend to
appreciate it better. And make sure to take pictures while there! They also
have a cute hidden garden beside this place. Good place to take those Instagram-worthy
photos.
Address: Igorot Park, Camp John Hay, Baguio 2600
Operating Hours: 7:30AM
– 10PM EVERYDAY
Contact: 0916 375 6510
Email: chocolatedebatirol@yahoo.com
Website: CHOCO-LATEde Batirol
Facebook: Choco-LateDe Batirol Baguio
Instagram: Choco-LateDe Batirol Baguio
Twitter: @ChocoDeBatirol
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