Caterers, Food, Restaurants

Hungry for History at Republic of Cavite

Wria:

It was a stormy morning when Betty and I decided to go to Cavite for our long-overdue visit to Republic of Cavite. We had long wanted to try it out, ever since Rhed first recommended it, but every time we headed to Cavite, we never seemed to make it that far, always stopping (and filling up) in Imus. We had already checked their website, and were so impressed by how they presented themselves and their dishes there, that we made a promise that this would be part of our repertoire.

Betty:

This time, instead of passing through Zapote and the Aguinaldo Highway, we decided to take SLEX (it was raining hard, and the last time we were in Cavite, portions of the Aguinaldo Highway were virtually underwater. Besides, we didn’t want to get sidetracked by the other items on the Rhed list, hehe). Turned out parts of the Carmona / Silang highway were under repair, so we still had to sit through some traffic, though not a lot: I suppose people were staying home that blustery day (in fact we learned during the drive that classes had been suspended in Muntinlupa already).

Wria:

We knew the exact address but as first timers to the place, we were always in anticipation of the landmarks so as not to miss a turn. In Trece Martires City, we noticed the life-sized statues of the 13 martyrs of Cavite. Immediately after the monument along the main road is the Trece Martires City Hall. Republic of Cavite is strategically located at the back of the city hall: just turn at the when you see the martyrs and you won’t miss it.

Betty:

We had an appointment with the folks at the restaurant, but we were pleased and surprised when we were greeted by Andrew Pacumio, the President and General Manager himself. Naturally we were running late (hey, blame it on the rain!), but Andrew didn’t seem to be perturbed… he instructed the staff to prepare some dishes and chatted with Wria while they waited for the food As for me, I wandered around taking photos: the place was huge, with different sections laid side by side and one atop the other, just like a Pinoy version of the Burrow, the Weasley’s house in the Harry Potter books (the building was actually designed to replicate Aguinaldo’s mansion in Kawit, down to the balcony where he declared independence).

Wria:

Caviteños have a habit of combining things, usually to striking (and incongruous) effect. The trait was very prevalent in the way the restaurant was presented physically: the building spoke of grandness but the interiors were quaint in their simplicity. One thing was immediately obvious: the owners of this place had a strong sense of history and patriotism. The names of their function rooms were names that pop up in our history classes: the Magdalo Room, the Plaza de Armas, and the Sala de Gobernador, the attic that had been transformed into a wedding showroom for the sister companies that dealt with catering and events management. Aptly named, the Sala de Gobernador shows a collection of charcoal portraits of the previous governors of Cavite, from Mariano Trias to Bong Revilla and Ayong Maliksi (there was even a wedding photo from Bong Revilla’s wedding to Lani Mercado—guess who organized that event?). Stepping into the room brings you back to the Spanish era, what with all the antique chandeliers and lamps, and the dignified old portraits; it also seems like a bazaar of sorts for people planning events, since the company’s services and centerpieces—including a faux four layer wedding cake, complete with a cutout wedge for real cake to slice through during the cutting ceremonies—were all displayed.

One of the most charming things about the place was the attention to detail: everywhere you looked there would be small touches like capiz and wood hangings, strings of shells draped behind the chairs—even quaint butterflies made from carrots to garnish the food.

Caviteños are also known for fusion cooking. My lola always followed the classic Cavite combinations: strongly flavored food would be offset by bland dishes, and dry meat or fish would be served with soup. I believe this is the locals’ way of reminding themselves that while there is poverty, there is also prosperity just around the corner.

Betty:

The food was great: simple, but well-prepared and presented. Unlike the usual dishes prepared by most caterers, these tasted like they were specially prepared (think of the difference between ala carte meals and buffet quantities: somehow the buffet versions are just a bit more nakakasuya). (To clarify: we’re talking about a bunch of entities here: there’s Town’s Delight, which does catering; Republic of Cavite, which is a restaurant and the physical venue for events (and where the Town’s Delight showroom is located; and there’s weddinginthesky.com, part of their group that specifically deals with organizing weddings in Tagaytay.)

Back to the food. There was Crispy Binagoongang Baboy (P185 for 250g), which was essentially lechon kawali (oh joy) served on grilled eggplant and topped with bagoong; there was Kilawing Puso ng Saging (P145 for 200g), banana heart vinaigrette with fresh tahong; and there was Chicken Barbecue with Peanut Sauce (P120 for 250g).

The binagoongang baboy was brilliant. Somehow the slices of pork felt delicate, crispy and crunchy without being the least bit tough. Plus, all the time I was taking pictures, they were sitting on a bed of gooey eggplant, and they didn’t lose their crunch. This is a perfect example of what Wria’s talking about: dry fried pork in contrast to the soft, moist eggplant, all heightened by the salty taste of the bagoong. Winner.

The puso ng saging tasted a lot like langka with gata, and the tahong was fresh and well with the veggies. (My British friend points out that Pinoys simply cannot leave their veggies alone to be, well, veggies: we always have to mix in some form of meat, fish, or what have you.) Looking at the pictures, I want to drive back to Cavite and have some more.

The chicken is the result of trying to appeal to everyone: they wanted to come up with something that everyone—young, old, rich, poor, whatever—eats and is familiar with. Unfortunately they forgot to account for me (hahaha, such an ego), not a big fan of barbecued chicken that’s not inasal. So while the chicken was good (and cooked right through—it’s preboiled to make sure there are no icky bloody parts inside, which sadly made it dry), I think I failed to appreciate it as much as I should have. The pickled mango salad on the side more than made up for it, though: this was truly excellent, a unique way serving this, which I’m more used to eating straight out of the jar. The chicken is one of the main dishes they pitch in their walk-in restaurant.

Wria:

Dessert was their enigmatic Lihim ni Lola. An original recipe of the catering company’s matriarch, this is purple rice pudding, a smoother version of puto bumbong shaped like inverted puto or kutsinta. The secret is—shall we spill the beans?—let’s just say there’s something hidden inside that belongs to Lolo, and it’s for Lola’s eyes only. A truly yummy and unique treat that we enjoyed with their tsokolate (they sell tablea too, as well as coffee and makopa wine).

Betty:

After our meal, Andrew gave us a tour of the place, which was much larger than we expected. In addition to the patriotically named function rooms and showroom, there are also two garden venues for various events: Munting Tagaytay, a recreation of Picnic Grove with small concrete huts, and the Republic Garden, a more formal setting (and quite romantic in the rain) where they hold receptions (both are accessible directly from outside).

This place is a gem just waiting to be discovered: not just as a restaurant, but as a venue for events, a supplier, and a storehouse of strong regionalistic knowledge and sentiment. It’s no fancy hotel, but it certainly is a good option for nearby residents for small meetings in the restaurant, informal events outdoors, or more formal gatherings in their Bulwagang Cuenca. The local government has set up a stage in the lot behind the city hall, and the street is regularly closed for various events. For non-residents, the group can help organize tours around Cavite; their wedding arm, weddinginthesky.com, brings together a lot of information about local churches, venues, and suppliers for folks getting married in Tagaytay (they’re especially helpful for those on a budget).

Wria:

It’s a good thing we didn’t let a little rain put us off visiting—by the time we drove home, the day had brightened up already. We’re looking forward to our next Cavite adventure.

Republic of Cavite
Brgy. San Agustin, Trece Martires City (behind Trece Martires City Hall)
(046) 419-0088, (046) 419-0177, (046) 419-0515, (046) 419-0102 (telefax)
www.republicofcavite.com
Restaurant hours: 8AM – 10PM, Monday – Saturday

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