No travel is ever truly complete without buying pasalubong for loved ones waiting at home. As more individuals begin traveling again, more tourist destinations and local businesses open (or re-open) to cater to growing demand.
One such local brand that has recently expanded its footprint is the Balai Palmera Restaurant and Pasalubong Center in Silang, Cavite. Its second location, along Aguinaldo Highway, Bypass Road, San Vicente 2, is strategically located to serve travelers coming to and from tourist-favorite Tagaytay and other neighboring places.
Home to heartwarming Filipino dishes and gratifying pasalubong snacks and delicacies, the pasalubong center side (which is what motorists see from the road) of Balai Palmera opened in May 2021, while the restaurant (located at the back) opened in July of this year.
“More than anything else, we want our guests’ experience here in Balai Palmera to be remarkable. With Cavitenos’ innate hospitality and great talent in preparing local dishes and delicacies, we are proud to have local talents in our restaurants who we get to share with everyone,” said Ryan Jay Dimapilis, chef and president of Balai Palmera Restaurant and Pasalubong Center.
Balai Palmera came to popularity through its wide array of dishes and delicacies that have been a hit with tourists and foodies alike. Topping the list of must-tries is its buko pie, which Dimapilis said is the best one in Silang.
Usually served fresh out of the oven, a box of Balai Palmera buko pie costs P330, at par with the prices of buko pies in the area. With an open kitchen setup, guests would be able to watch how the tasty treats are made—from the dough preparation up to the boxing of the yummy pie.
Aside from buko pie, they also offer an assortment of tarts, which include local flavors such as banana and buko. For pastries and bread lovers, the chocolate almond babka, raisin bread, ensaymada, silvanas, and sans rival cake are must-tries. Oh, they all go well with local coffee, which adds another layer of flavor.
Aside from those sweet treats, Balai Palmera also takes pride in its Department of Trade and Industry- (DTI) approved products that are locally made and produced such as tahong chips, banana chips, mushroom cracklings, calamansito, basimatsi, coco jam, jacobina, biscocho, piaya ube, and chicharon, among many others.
Over at the restaurant, the kare-kare and dinuguan are some of the dishes that should tickle anyone’s taste buds. Also worth trying is the Silang Express, which is their version of Pinoy favorite Bicol Express.
With a 270-seating capacity, dining at the restaurant feels like coming home to a … heritage-style Filipino home of the olden days. The place is well-ventilated, and lets in lots of natural lighting. It also has al fresco dining options for those who want to enjoy the cool Silang breeze.
Its servers wearing traditional Filipino garbs add a nice touch to the ambiance, and so is the soft Pinoy music that plays in the background.
Dimapilis said: “We believe that the best food experience is one that makes our guests come back again and again. Here in Balai Palmera, we make sure that every visit is unique and truly satisfying as we continue to develop our menu by offering a wide selection of favorites and new products as well as the continuous improvement in our service that marked world-class Pinoy hospitality.”
Balai Palmera Restaurant and Pasalubong Center now have two branches, with the other one located at Tagaytay-Sta. Road Brgy. Pasong Langka, Silang, Cavite.
