The NIX Stop: The Wild Juan and our Tagaytay Summer Adventures

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Heya! Think of pahabol for summer trips and Tagaytay would come to mind, yes? Well, here's my own take to traveling there. So this post is really a month old already, and I shared most of my story on When In Manila, but I felt that I needed to share it here in my blog as well, in a more personal manner.
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I've been to Tagaytay before, in my formative years, and the last of which was when I was in college. But I never really went more that Tagaytay city itself, unlike what me and my family did now. So we got acquainted with this country style restaurant, The Wild Juan, which just so happens to be a bed and breakfast Inn as well. Plus points for that because we also intended to visit Caleruega, the church-garden that I always see in awesome wedding photography and prenup shoots. Definitely, a day trip is not enough if we would also want to have that so called rest and relaxation...

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The Wild Juan Restaurant and Rooms

Upon entering, you will sense the feeling of home. It's pretty much a modernized version of your grandma's house, with the paintings, old books and brick textures...

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Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner Cravings

We pretty much enjoyed the fare there, and their must try dishes are Caldereta Wings, Chicken and Pancakes, Adobo Flakes and Adobo Pasta.

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Buffalo wings has a special place in my heart, because of it's tangy and spicy flavor, and it's what my family eats up whenever we have special occasions. The Wild Juan's take on these- infusing it with Caldereta Flavor had me singing that said Caldereta Wings is my soulmate. And instead of Bleu Cheese, they went for cheddar dip, which complements the Caldereta taste. Spice-o-meter goes for not that spicy to mild though, but if you really want to take the heat maybe you can ask the chefs to adjust them. :)

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As for their Adobo Pasta, this has hints of coconut cream which they probably used as base, and then they served it with Adobo Flakes on top. If you're into Crispy Adobo flakes, you have to come here at least once and try theirs because they serve it really crispy and flavorful.
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Chicken and Pancakes is another must try, as the cinnamon-chocolate flavor is not overdone, and paired with the honey, I was addicted. The chicken itself is crispy on the outside and yet moist and tender within.

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If you get too clingy with tagaytay's cool breeze and pristine view, like we did, you can opt to stay in for the night. The Wild Juan has a Bed and Breakfast Inn which caters to walk in guests, although for peak seasons, I recommend that you make a reservation. Which we did do by the way.

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We got a room with a king sized bed, and asked for a foldable one for my kid's nanny. The  suite is quite roomy, even with 3 adults and a couple of makulit na kids on the side. It comes with a mini bar, cable Flat Screen TV and electric fan. We didn't really get to use said electric fan because the breeze of Tagaytay is enough to ventilate the room and keep it cool. The CR is great as well cause it's got the usual essentials, except for toothbrush and toothpaste, has a heater and is well maintained.

Caleruega Church, Nasugbu, Batangas


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Our visit to Caleruega is a really enjoyable one. As I've never been there, I found myself ooh-ing and ahh-ing at every nook, cranny and view that I saw there. It was also like a training hike for my kids,as my pichi and I intend to bring the kids to hikes and camping travels soon...

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Here's a quick guide if you are commuting to Caleruega Church, Nasugbu.



  • From Manila, take a bus bound for Nasugbu, Batangas.
  • Just inform the driver to drop you off at Batulao or Hillcrest.
  • Once you arrive Hillcrest or Evercrest, take a tricycle and tell the driver that you are going to Caleruega Church.


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By the way, the place itself is Majestic, and I really wish that if I get our vows renewed we can do it here. Hmm, or maybe not- my dad might get mad at me because of all the climbing that he'll have to endure hahaha!

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Another nearby place to visit is Sky Ranch Tagaytay and Twin Lakes Paseo... If you're wanting your Starbucks cuppa joe with an awesome view to go with it, Twin Lakes Paseo is the way to go. :)


19 comments:

  1. The food sounds really interesting. I also love buffalo wings, but I've never tried them with cheddar! And I've had chicken and waffles a few times, but never chicken and pancakes. I bet it all tastes great though. And certainly Tagaytay seems beautiful enough that I would enjoy eating anything!

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  2. I live near Tagaytay but I never had a chance to visit The Wild Juan and Caleruega yet. With two little kids at two, it is quite hard to travel alone. Maybe when my husband arrives this August, we might include a visit in Caleruega in our vacation lists. I would definitely love to have a taste of the Caldereta wings you featured in one of the pictures in this post.

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  3. The hotel and restaurant looked so welcoming. The food presentation is awesome. Chicken and pancakes sound interesting. They are big with chicken and waffles here. The nature path looked fun and peaceful.

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  4. Great captures! Those food are so sumptuous! The place looks serene and the last time I was in Tagaytay was around five years ago. I think I should visit again! Haha!

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  5. We used to go to Tagaytay a lot when I was based in Manila. It was the perfect venue for quick getaways. :) Sadly I haven't been back since we moved to Subic a couple of weeks ago. The adobo pasta though makes me want to visit again. I'd definitely brave the infamous Tagaytay traffic for this! Hahaha. :)

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  6. I didn't know that you write for When In Manila too. How was it? They encourage newbie bloggers like us to write for them, but I don't know how their systems works so we still stuck with our blog.

    Anyway, based on your post, I will definitely try their Adobo flakes. Meanwhile, I find chicken and pancakes a bit peculiar, and then cinnamon was added which makes it even more peculiar. I find it peculiar since I'm more familiar with chicken and waffles which is typically served in the U.S. You suggested that it's a must try. Is is taste overall delicious or not? :)

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  7. Hey it looks nice and homey. How much are the rates there?

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  8. It looks like you had a lovely time! :) I love the view and the goldfish pond! :)

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  9. I honestly am craving for them! It's way better than Ihop's in my opinion, and they give out pure honey instead of maple syrup so yeah.. it's awesome. :)

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  10. A room costs for 2000+ Php, depending on how big it is. What we had was priced at 2000 (more or less,#momnesia hahaha!), and it has a king size bed, a sofa, cable tv and complimentary breakfast for 2. Food's price range is at 200-600 per dish, and a full meal for two can cost anywhere between 500 to a thousand, depending on how big you guys are at eating and if you're having some of the handcrafted brews or not. :)

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  11. It's nice because if I saw a really awesome place/restaurant/quirky thing that I know deep in my heart I just have to share, I can go to WIM to capture more readers than what I would have with my own blog. There are some perks too.. :)

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  12. Tagaytay is really a nice and beautiful place to hang out with friends and for relaxation.

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  13. I could not resist commenting. Very well written!

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  14. Oh my! Thank you for the support m88! :) Hope that you keep coming back, I've got more adventures to share soon...

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  15. Thank you Kiersten for appreciating my posts! :) Hope you stay tuned cause I have more to share!

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