The Wild Juan is a restaurant plus Bed & Breakfast place in Tagaytay that's a little far off the usual busy place that's packed with malls, hotels and mainstream restaurants. Located before you even reach Twin Lakes, The Wild Juan sits quietly at the front line of a 9 hectare property along the ridge. It has a nice view of the mountains and the lake and it's not too near any other establishments.
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| The Wild Juan, Tagytay |
Owned and managed by the Murillo family, The Wild Juan promises Tex-Mex and Filipino food fusion, taking inspiration from the experiences of it's Chef and Owner, Thomas Murillo.
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| Meet Chef Thomas Murillo of The Wild Juan! |
It was such an honor for foodsocietyph to be invited over for lunch by The Wild Juan mom - Tita Thelma. We went there on a Friday. With my homies Jai and Ruth, we were welcomed warmly by Thomas himself.
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| Some of the paintings and trinkets inside the restaurant |
Chef Tommy explained that the concept of the food came about because he was born and lived in the US for a while. He wanted Filipinos to experience Tex-Mex cuisine with dishes familiar to our palate. He prepared some dishes for us to try.
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| Pulled Pork Adobo Bruschetta for 188Php |
Small in size, big in flavors! The goodness of a Filipino Classic Favorite dish, Adobo, topped with cucumber salsa and drizzled with chili pineapple cilantro puree. Each bite was flavorful! I loved the salsa on top as it cuts through the saltiness of the Adobo, giving each bite a refreshing twist.
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| Shrimp, Pops! For 328Php |
This dish was my favorite! Crab fat x coconut milk - two of the best ingredients in the world! The Coconut Aligue Sauce was a little spicy, tasty and a little sweet.
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| A closer look at this delicious dish! |
The shrimps were perfectly cooked! Sweet and succulent with that nice bite. IMO though, a little more coconut milk would be knock out.
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| Caldereta Wings for 288Php |
The concept was great - instead of the usual buffalo wings sauce, Chef Tommy made a Pinoy version by using Caldereta sauce. Since Pinoys love putting Eden Cheese into their Caldereta, Chef Tommy made a dip out of Cheddar as well. The dip was really good! You can dip anything here and it'll taste great! But the chicken wings didn't taste like Caldereta at all. Least favorite.
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| KKK - Krispy Kasuy Kare-Kare for 518Php |
Kare-Kare is one of my favorites Pinoy dishes. The Wild Juan's take on this Classic Pinoy Favorite was different but not bad at all - though I still prefer the traditional, this one was something I liked as well. The sauce was thick and made from purely Kasuy or cashew nuts instead of the usual peanuts.
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| Closer look at this delicious Kare-Kare! |
They didn't use coloring here that's why it was pale. But it was good - on the sweeter side but it was tasty. The beef chunks were indeed crispy! What I liked about the meat though was the tenderness behind the crispiness. The chunks were tasty too! Served with home made bagoong on the side, trust me, the sauce was good and you wouldn't need much of the bagoong anymore.
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| Surf Rice for 328Php |
Seafood bagoong rice that's good for sharing! The bagoong flavor was there but surprisingly, their wasn't that strong distinct smell. The saltiness was also just right but this rice was packed with flavors!
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| Cashew Tart and Calamansi Custard for 198Php |
For dessert, we had this duo - Cashew Tart and Calamansi Custard. The best way to go is to get a little of the tart with the Calamansi Custard and dunk both into your mouth! But we didn't do that and just realized when Chef Tommy asked us.
The Cashew Tart was good! Roasted and Chopped Cashew, baked with a graham crust in a ramekin - I loved the Cashew chunks!
The Calamansi Custard had a good flavor - sweet and tart. But the texture wasn't as smooth as I have expected. It was like a flan with more egg whites than yolk. Chef Tommy apologized though and promised to improve.
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| Table settings and some more in The Wild Juan |
Overall, it was a great lunch! Aside from the food, the restaurant has it's own charm too. It had simple interiors, paintings here and there and a good view with soft cool breeze blowing in.
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| Dining area that's overlooking the ridge. |
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| The Wild Juan also has a Beer Garden that serves cocktails and local craft beer! |
Also, Chef Tommy was so easy to talk to. He's very passionate with his craft at such a young age! Definitely going back here to bring the family and probably try their B&B as well.
4 out of 5 Stars for The Wild Juan!
--- The Wild Juan: KM 68 Pinesville, Tagaytay- Nasugbu(National) Highway, Tagaytay City
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