Making Each Day Count

During our recent staycation in the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila, D and I grabbed the chance to explore the walled city of Intramuros more. After revisiting the Museo de San Agustin, we planned to have lunch at La Cathedral Cafe, which I was excited about as I saw several raves about the place in social media. It’s known for giving a good view of the Manila Cathedral. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, food was not going to be served until about an hour later, so D only had coffee before we headed out.

We ultimately had lunch at the Ristorante delle Mitre, owned by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). It was a stone’s throw away from the San Agustin Church. The restaurant serves mostly Filipino cuisine, and from what I saw in their menu, features favorite dishes of the priests and bishops. The restaurant’s slogan is “A place for dining and relaxation after a day’s toil” and they offered a wide variety of food options at an affordable price. D and I enjoyed our simple but yummy meal here, and I made a mental note to go back to this restaurant on our next visit to Intramuros.

Next stop was the Batala Bar, at Plaza San Luis. They are known for their local craft beer, ice cream, I’ve been following this place in social media in support of Ed Lam, the Homeless Artist of Ermita, whose art pieces they carry. I was so happy we managed to get what I considered as the best seat in house. I contentedly gazed at the courtyard of the Plaza San Luis as I sipped on my gingerade.

Afterwards, we walked to Destileria Limtauco Museum, a quaint little musuem showcasing the products of Destileria Limtauco, the equipment used through the years, and preserved personal effects of the owners. The entrance to the museum was 100 pesos (around US $2). Our visit was educational, and I was amazed with the journey their company had made. I remember their TV commercials from my childhood days. Before we headed out, I was almost tempted to try their product tasting, but I had to remind myself that my alcohol toleance is very low so best to save any drinking when we are at the hotel.

That wraps up our quick tour of Intramuros, Manila. There’s more ground to cover, but we’ll save it for another day. Next time we’d love to have a proper walk on the Intramuros walls, try out the established restaurants, and check out the big souvenir shops. More things to look forward to for sure.