Terraza Cafe: Food Heaven Located in the Paradise of Club Balai Isabel (Talisay Batangas)

Batangas, 4200 Batangas, Philippines

A few weeks ago, me and my friends had a spontaneous getaway to Club Balai Isabel in Talisay Batangas.  There are a lot of activities that you can do there, one of which is eating! And, I'm excited to share our dining experience at Terraza Cafe.

terazza cafe
Terraza Cafe is open air so there's no air-conditioningIt exudes a homey vibe with its cabin interior and wooden tables and chairs.

terazza cafe
There are three dining areas available: main dining area, function room and pool side.

terazza cafe

My pick would be the pool side and here's why.  Just ask for a candle to keep the flies away.

Food

Salad and Appetizers
house salad
House Salad (240 php)
We started with a healthy House Salad.  Everything is fresh: greens and fruits.  What brings granduer to this simple looking dish is their home made kamias dressing.  It bring a refreshing tropical and citrus delight. 

Hearty Soups and Stews 
bulalo
Bulalo (475 php)
One of my favorite soups is BulaloThe Bulalo is a pre-hispanic bone and marrow broth originating in Southern Luzon.  I'm not just a fan of bone broth for it's rich savory concentrated flavor but also for it's health benefits.  Way before bone broth has become a trend thanks to Paleo and Gaps diet, pre-historic records shows that it has always been known as an elixer around the world.  That is why we Filipinos have the Bulalo, Koreans have the Seolleongtang, Japanese have the Tonkotsu Ramen, French have the Consome and Italians have the Brodo.

Batangas is well known for it's Batangas Beef so having Bulalo to this pioneering city is a wise choice.  Terraza Cafe's is one of the best one I've had.  The chunky tender beef, melt in your mouth marrow and warm and rich broth is simply comfort food for the soul.  

kalderetang kambing
Kalderetang Kambing (430 php)
I've been eating Kalderetang Kambing and it is only this time that I've seen one with grated cheddar cheese on top.  It made the dish more balanced and its a contrast to slight gamey flavor of the goat that didn't escape my senses.

kare kare
Kare-kare (450 php)
One of the dishes that really got us into munching more is the Kare-kare.

Grilled and Fried Corner 
chicken inasal
Chicken Inasal (300 php)
The Chicken Inasal is tasty but I'd enjoy it more if it was more tender and juicy.

balai lechon liempo
Balai Lechon Liempo (380 php)
The quickest one to be emptied is the Balai Lechon Liempo.

balai bagnet
Balai Bagnet (360 php)
How can you resist this beautiful Balai Bagnet?  For the price, this enormous chunk of delectable fat and tender meat is quite a steal. 

sisig
Sisig (300 php)
Gorgeously slathered with egg and mayonnaise, the mild spicy chewy Sisig was well-appreciated.
 
Seafood
salt and pepper seafood
Salt & Pepper Seafood (280 php)
The Salt & Pepper Seafood isn't exactly how I expected it to be.  It was more like sweet and spicy for me.  The seafood: squid, shrimp and dory is all similarly battered so it's difficult to distinguish one from another unless you bite into it. 

tilapia na may minatamis na sampalok
Tilapia na may Minatamis na Sampalok (250 php)
The secret to the sweetness of the Tilapia na may Minatamis na Sampalok is that they use fresh and live tilapia.  The tilipia cubes are so soft that they almost dissolve once popped into my mouth.  

 
Vegetables
grilled eggplant
Grilled Eggplant (185 php)
It took some time getting used to consuming the Grilled EggplantOur local tongues are used to eating grilled eggplants with bagoong (shrimp paste).  If you love curry, you'll find liking in balai's special spicy coconut cream sauce that serves as a dip.

Buffet


terraza cafe buffet
If the resort is almost fully occupied, they offer a buffet.  Breakfast is included in the accommodation.


terraza cafe buffet
The menu changes.  But I'm quite please that whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner,  there's fresh fruits available.  We noticed that the items we ordered ala carte were also candidates for the buffet selection.  There are also a minimum of 5 viands to choose from in addition to the salad, fruits and other dessertsSome of the desserts we loved are their Mango Buko Loco and Churros.


terraza cafe buffet
There's a live station too.  During breakfast, you can order omelet with toppings of your choice.  For lunch and dinner, it becomes a pasta station.  I love their pasta!


terraza cafe buffet
So here's my breakfast place with a bowl of cereal.


terraza cafe buffet
I also had a warm bowl of champorado, a slice of puto and a hot cup of brewed coffeeThe puto is so delicious!  

During dinner time, there's a live band and wonderful lights set up all over the trees by the pool making it a cozy atmosphere.

Drinks
terraza cafe buffet
Health is Wealth (140 php) and Mango Shake (140 php)
I really liked their fresh and healthy drinks.  Everything we had was very refreshing and not too sweetened.


Tip: Aside from eating, you might wanna check out my Top 12 Suggested Activities To Do at Club Balai Isabel



Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Terraza Cafe is offers reasonably priced delicious dishes served in generous portions.  I consider this food heaven a great complement to everything else in Club Balai Isabel.


Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating Terraza Cafe Menu
Ambiance Menu 1 | Menu 2 | Menu 3
Taste
Service
Price
=Favorites or Recommended 
Terraza Cafe
Business Address Club Balai Isabel
Talisay, Batangas,
Philippines
Business Hours Breakfast: 7am-10am
Lunch: 11am-2pm
Dinner: 6pm-10pm 
Payment Options   Cash
Service Charge 10%
Budget/Person 250-800
Free WiFi No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks None
Contact (043) 728-0307
Other  Website
Terraza Cafe Club Balai Isabel Map  Like This Post? Subscribe here