How Mt. Camisong’s Alapaap elevates Cordillera meals, tradition in Benguet

Simply past Baguio’s borders, Itogon shelters Mt. Camisong, a mountain retreat expertise that captures the essence of the Cordilleran tradition in each element.

Launched final February, the park and occasions place had additionally unveiled their non-public eating corridor: Alapaap, taking from the Tagalog phrase meaning “cloud” or “the higher heavens.”

True to its identify, Alapaap lifts regional delicacies to new heights by way of considerate flavors and methods, grounded in a shared sense of neighborhood and look after the setting.

Mt. Camisong’s vice chairman for meals and beverage, chef Stanley “Stan” Suva, stands on the helm of the kitchen, main it with a deep respect for Cordilleran traditions and native elements. His background as an avid outdoorsman and his love for cooking over firewood on tenting journeys reveal themselves in Alapaap’s affinity for earthy, open-fire flavors.

Although Kapampangan by heritage and raised in Manila, Suva’s method to his “complicated meals” attracts from his travels throughout the mountains corresponding to in Kalinga and Besao. This uncovered him to highland cooking strategies corresponding to smoking, fermentation, and foraging — traditions that now manifest thoughtfully throughout the menu.

“All my dishes right here have a Cordilleran contact,” Suva instructed Rappler — a philosophy that shines in Alapaap’s particular menu curated for Baguio’s annual Ibagiw Competition, which celebrates native visible, musical, and culinary creativity. 

The curated menu, which is out there to the general public from November, options staples from their common menu and bespoke dishes impressed by native artists Cara Bruno, Francis Alingcayon, and Michell Camolo.

In line with the chef, the Ibagiw 2025 menu is a testomony that creativity has no boundaries. “It may be painted, sculpted, carried out, or plated,” he mentioned. “We hope that each meal reminds you that meals, like artwork, can transfer the soul.”

From the atmosphere right down to the flavors, the menu affords a gastronomic expertise that actually embodies what the Cordillera is all about.

Eating among the many bushes

The very first thing you’ll discover is that Alapaap was designed to mix in with the mountains. Down the slope of the park, you’ll be greeted by Mt. Camisong’s signature glass walkway and viewing deck that provides a panoramic view of the encompassing mountains.

Tiers and stairs lead gently from the deck right down to the eating space, which is seamlessly built-in with the pine forest. Inside, tall glass partitions fill the house with pure gentle whereas framing the greenery of the Benguet highlands.

The house additionally lets within the cool Benguet breeze, sans airconditioning. This units up a meal that feels subtle and intimately linked to nature. 

Particular Drink: Maharlika ng Alapaap – foraged grapes and apples

Earlier than the meal, they served a lightweight refreshment with a mushy pink hue. Known as “Maharlika ng Alapaap,” it’s made with foraged grapes and apples, topped with delicate cloud-like bubbles and a fruit garnish impressed by Michelle Camolo’s wire sculptures.

The Maharlika affords a delicate and earthy style, with a dangling wired fruit braid that melts into the drink so as to add a contact of pure sweetness. Notably, a strip of fruit leather-based constructed from dehydrated mango and pineapple peels added to its visible enchantment, showcasing a resourceful use of leftover elements and the park’s dedication to zero-waste eating.

Starter: Pagsibol – Kilawin in Bloom

First on the menu was “Pagsibol – Kilawin in Bloom,” a vibrant starter that instantly awakens your senses. For this dish, recent tuna is marinated in citrus, coconut milk, and bugnay vinegar — a neighborhood different that provides the dish a nuanced tang and sourness far past extraordinary vinegar. 

Visually as hanging as it’s flavorful, the Kilawin was adorned by edible blooms and microgreens that felt harking back to a miniature meadow. Impressed by the floral components in Cara Bruno’s work, the brilliant starter left a long-lasting impression that teases your urge for food for the programs to comply with. 

Essential Course: Tadhana – Adobo and Pares smoked pork ribs

The principle course was a smoked pork ribs platter known as “Tadhana” which means “fateful assembly” in Tagalog. The dish affords the pairing of two beloved Filipino staples, adobo and pares, into what Suva dubs as “AdoRes.” The mixture of the 2 sauces mirror the Ibagiw Competition’s convergence of high quality arts and high quality eating.

Highlighting Suva’s signature smoky flavors, the meats had been infused with depth, particularly as the 2 sauces meet right into a candy, savory, and fragrant concord. The mashed candy potatoes offered a creamy counterpoint to the textures of the grilled and sautéed root greens, which felt like a dance on the palate.

The AdoRes mixture was a stunning hit, proving that marriage of fashionable Filipino flavors can elevate one another.

Dessert: Walang Hanggan – Strawberry mascarpone

In any journey to Baguio and its neighborhood, strawberries are at all times a given. Alapaap celebrates them superbly in a layered dessert known as “Walang Hanggan,” taking inspiration from Francis Alingcayon’s surrealist and dream-like artworks. 

The ultimate course affords candy strawberry mascarpone mousse, freeze-dried strawberry flakes, and cotton sweet that seem like clouds, making a whimsical presentation. The tiny merengues add a contact of “candied” crunch whereas the dessert itself strikes an ideal steadiness of sweetness to finish the meal on a lightweight and playful observe.

Total, the filling course meal loved with the backdrop of nature felt like a much-needed reset from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The complete-course meal at Alapaap is priced at P2,400, good for 2. Contemplating the worth for the standard and freshness of the elements, the menu is already a bang in your buck in comparison with Metro Manila costs.

Guests ought to observe, nevertheless, that Mt. Camisong expenses an entrance payment, making it finest to plan for the whole expertise:

• P500 for adults
• P400 for college students and locals (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay)
• P350 for Senior/PWD
• Free for kids 7 years outdated under

All yr spherical, Alapaap options completely different curated menus, with the Ibagiw Competition set obtainable till December 15 solely. In the meantime, the restaurant may also offer their Vacation Menu that encompasses a noche buena-style meal together with Seafood Bringhe, Roasted Rooster with Orange Watercress Salad, Ube Maja Blanca, amongst others.

Mt. Camisong additionally affords a number of eating choices exterior of Alapaap, corresponding to Marahuyo Café and the Muni-Muni Snack Bar, additionally conceptualized by Suva. These informal spots serve artistic Filipino rice bowls with twists corresponding to Tapa Pigar-pigar with stir fried cabbage and kangkong sambal and Pinangat na Tilapia. 

Guests and diners will discover {that a} meal at Mt. Camisong permits you to expertise the very best of what Cordillera has to supply: meals that celebrates its neighborhood, respects its setting, and displays the artistry that repeatedly elevates it. – Rappler.com