Long before I found myself sampling lamb dishes across Tagaytay, my impression of lamb was shaped by every Pinoy stereotype: maango, and simply “not for me.” That changed during a December trip to Gold Coast, Australia, where a mixed-grill platter of beef, chicken, lamb BBQ skewers, and grilled corn brushed with spices introduced me to Australian lamb that was tender, clean-tasting, and far from gamey.There, lamb wasn’t a specialty item. It was weeknight dinner, grocery-aisle normal, the kind of meat people reach for the same way we do chicken or beef.
PS: My Trip to Australia story and the process for getting an Australian Visa can be read here.
I Lamb You
That memory resurfaced recently in Tagaytay as the city celebrated
I Love Aussie Lamb Tagaytay, a culinary initiative supported by Meat & Livestock Australia highlighting how Australian lamb can thrive in hands of talented Filipino chefs. We visited four restaurants that day, each one reminding me why lamb deserved a proper re-introduction to Filipino diners.
The first stop was
Elaia by Cyma, led by Chef Roby Goco—recognized as the country’s first Filipino ‘Lambassador’ under MLA’s global program. His Greek-leaning approach treated lamb with respect and generosity. The Lamb Rice, which was a slab of roasted Lamb Shank laid on top of Basmati cooked in lamb stock and spices, topped with grilled tomatoes and onions, was comforting and bright with the tomato-mint sauce cutting through the richness.
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| The Lamb Rice |
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| DIY mini lamb Gyros |
Yet the standout which perfectly captured the essence of Australian lamb, was his DIY mini lamb Gyros. Eight-hour roast lamb brisket, thick house-made tzatziki made with local greek yogurt, pickled red onions tinted with beet, some greens, and fries fried in extra virgin olive oil came together with a platter of fresh pita. He even taught us not just how to assemble our Gyros, noting that we should be generous with the ingredients we put in, and how to eat it the Grecian (and less messy) way. Flavorful and aromatic, it showed how clean lamb can be with proper technique.
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| Pulled Lamb Tostada, Reynaldo’s Smoke House under Chef Mona Duay |
From Greece, the journey shifted to refined
Tex-Mex at Reynaldo’s Smoke House under Chef Mona Duay. Her take was the Pulled Lamb Tostada, an eight-hour smoked and pulled lamb piled onto a crisp shell with peach romesco and topped with avocado crema. Smoky, lightly sweet, and creamy, this was the kind of dish that introduces lamb gently to the hesitant.
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| Lamb Rib Salad The Fatted Calf and Chef Jayjay Sycip's creations |
Then came what may be the most Asian of the lamb interpretations, with The Fatted Calf and Chef Jayjay Sycip's creations. He understood how Pinoys tend to resist lamb, and anchored his dishes in recognized Southeast Asian flavors. The Lamb Rib Salad— Tagaytay mixed greens came in bright with sugar, fish sauce and lime salad sauce, with ground, toasted rice sprinkled on top of the salad—was a zingy, Thai-leaning starter that accentuated the grilled Marga Lamb Ribs. There was also Lamb Thai Curry that showcased the Lamb Shoulder with fresh red curry paste, roasted potatoes, and eggplant, best paired with plain fluffy rice.
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| Lamb Thai Curry |
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| Lamb Shank Balbacua |
Yet the Lamb Shank Balbacua easily stole the show. Braised low and slow with a bit of ox feet to achieve that classic Visayan-Mindanao Balbacua sauce richness, it arrived with roasted garlic and chickpea rice, and a side of patis and calamansi for fine-tuning. This was the crowd favorite with its comforting, rich, and culturally familiar flavors that could convert even long-time skeptics.
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| Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Cutlets at Anzani |
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| Spinach Open Lasagne |
The final stop was Chef Marco Anzani’s kitchen at Anzani Ville Sommet, where lamb took on refined European finesse. The Lamb Croquetas were crisp, creamy bites served with yogurt sauce and arugula that gives small, but flavorful introductions to the meat. The Spinach Open Lasagne layered slow-braised lamb ragù with spinach pasta sheets and roasted cherry tomatoes, each forkful buttery and soft. The highlight for Anzani was their Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Cutlets served with a side of couscous, apricot-almond salad, and golden raisins. The lamb cutlets were warm and delicately spiced, and emphasized how lamb absorbs flavors and why it is loved globally.
The misunderstanding on “gamey lamb” stigma
Plate after plate, one truth stood out: the “gamey lamb” stigma comes largely from unfamiliarity. As Chef Goco noted, lamb is only up to 12 months; anything older is mutton. That's stronger, sharper, and often mistaken for the same thing. Many Filipinos may have simply encountered mutton instead of lamb or the wrong technique. With proper cooking and generosity with your citrus, aromatics, and cooking techniques, lamb turns gentle, flavorful, and remarkably versatile.
As for me, with every dish I tasted, I kept returning to that first skewer in Gold Coast; the surprise, the clarity of flavor, the realization that lamb could be good. And here in Tagaytay, I saw that with the right hands and product, Filipino diners have every reason to embrace lamb more often, especially when dining out.
As I Love Aussie Lamb Tagaytay unfolds from February 16 to March 15, diners are invited to explore the thirteen restaurants that reimagined Australian lamb in thoughtful, flavorful ways.
If you’ve ever doubted lamb, this is your moment to make the drive, and taste lamb in a new light. You might just find your new favorite dish.
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