A sinfully delightful interview

FOREST House, a name almost synonymous to the best casual dining experience in the city and maybe even the country, offers a menu like no other.

Famous for its bagnet, white wine chicken and other fine dishes, as part of its affordable yet satisfying menu to choose from this Season of Lent, the restaurant rated to be one of the best in the country by Philippine Tattler and Dine Asia magazines, features a promising fusion of Asian and Western flavors for anyone’s palate.

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With its hands-on owner Ari Versoza supervising his experienced and courteous staff, no wonder the restaurant’s habitués always kept on coming back for more of their unforgettable mix of dishes.

The late lunch we had started with a serving of pumpkin soup and potato-cheese chowder. The pumpkin soup, judging by its smell was placed in a thick crusted bread bowl that’s heaping with flavor which does not only melt in your mouth but gives you an unending smile throughout the lunch experience.

The potato-cheese chowder meanwhile, with a little flaglet on top reads a quotation, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” which indeed started the hearty lunch with a bang and lasted until the great ending.

The next portion of the warm lunch served by Ari’s staff included mixed green organic lettuce with raisins, nuts, carrots, cucumber, and turnip and nuts which has become a perennial favorite order among restaurant regulars.

“The best way to enjoy the meal is to eat it with your hands, first you place of the choices from carrots or turnips, then wrap it in the lettuce, slather the dressing and load it in your mouth,” Versoza said.

At first, I was a bit hesitant to (having been trained to eat salads by knife and fork), but as soon as Malen, my companion (and the one who invited me to join her in making a story about the resto) and her little daughter Eli started on munching the mixed greens, I started munching the treat, too.

The dips were as spectacular as the wide array of vegetables in the wrap to choose from. First on the list of dips to choose from was its trade secret – their creamy strawberry dip.

Kids certainly love that sweet and tangy taste of the dip, but Ari says his kids love the second dip served to choose from – the blue cheese dip, and so I tried it first, and indeed, I find its piquant flavor endearing. But, of course, the kid in me led me back to the strawberry dip. Our third dip, the honey vinaigrette, was also as tongue cleansing as the others.

Then, we moved on the main course of the lunch served to us. The first dish, although not for those practicing abstinence from meat this Holy week, was of course, the dish that has made Forest House famous among food connoisseurs – the Forest House White Wine Chicken. With fresh mushroom in creamy sauce, huge servings of chicken breast cooked to perfection by Chef Sheila Fernandez, whose hands and talent served the restaurant for nearly a decade now (eight years and counting!), was my first choice.

Fernandez, who rose from the ranks as a food server, to assistant chef and finally taking the position as restaurant chef, after their old-timer chef left to start also his business, was the master behind every meal of Baguio’s top resto.

“We always see to it that our staff are experienced enough in handling the food, most especially our chef who even with a bit of shyness in her, exudes confidence in the kitchen,” Versoza said.

The chicken breast was indeed marvelous, with its fresh herb ingredients still lingering in my mouth and tongue.

Afterwards, I started setting my eyes on the second dish offering, Forest House’s Fish Roll in White Wine.

The filleted fish rolled with ham and sidings of crisp organic highland vegetables and a side-serving of creamy and buttery mashed potatoes is no match with other restos’ offerings in the city. As if heaven sent, well, maybe because I’m supposed to write a Lenten food story, is enough for anyone’s Last Supper.

But not yet, of course, the final main entrée that were served to us was what made me come here in the first place – the Forest House Sesame Crusted Fish Fillet. For Roman Catholics, whose traditional Good Friday fare includes fish and more fish this weekend; this would be a great idea for a heaven sent food.
The original recipe, from Forest House’s branch in Metro Manila, captivated me as huge servings of Creamy Dory fish fillet fried in olive oil and sesame seeds with sidings of organic steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes is certainly a delight to the tongue but also to the eye.

The fish was tender as mango salsa was slathered on top of it giving it a sweet touch that’s truly unique for my taste buds.

Until now, I’m still in awe at what Forest House offered us. But with their offerings this Lenten Season, what’s a sacrifice of a few hundred bucks just to taste a heaven sent meal?