Barely a year since it opened, the restaurant unsurprisingly became one of Baguio City’s thriving food establishments.
It is fast becoming a place for food and nature lovers in Baguio. Aside from the delectable dishes they serve, it surely appeals as your taste buds’ new faves, and the ambiance in this gastronomic haven is something that makes you feel at home.
Thanks to its nature backdrop, it’s not just your tummy that gets its fill whenever you visit Valencia’s–the soul experiences nourishment too.
During our visit to the place last May 25, it’s owner, shared about the humble beginning of his new business, and how it quickly became a fave family dining spot in the city, in less than a year.
“We started on July 28, 2022. Almost one year pa lang po,” he shared, noting the trudgy start they had in the midst of the pandemic.
“Noong umpisa talagang medyo mahirap pero based sa comments and sa guests namin, bumabalik naman sila—marami namang repeat customers diyan. Then sa food naman, okay naman, pati sa service, nakikita naman nila sa comment section namin na maayos naman. Saka ‘yung food, talagang pinaghirapan ng mga chefs namin,” he noted, adding he initially wanted just a coffee shop.
Among the problems the Restaurant faced during its first few months of operation is the people’s initial hesitancy to check out its offerings, only because of price. According to Valencia, himself, however, they were able to keep customers and attract more, due to the quality of their offerings, and their hefty servings.
“Sabi nila mahal daw, pero ‘pag nakita nila ‘yung serving, andami! Then, pag tinikman, hindi dahil sa amin ‘to, nagugustuhan naman. Dahil nga big serving, may pantake out,” he shared.
Valencia noted that it was a blessing in disguise that they were able to find a very suitable place for their business.
“Isa sa gift na rin sa amin, sa pagkakatayo nito, ay ‘yung ambiance. ‘Yan yung malaking plus factor namin talaga, ‘yung ambiance na meron kami dito sa Baguio,” Valencia said.
Valencia recalled how his affinity towards cooking, especially during the early months of the pandemic, led him to set up his own business and then expand to his present restaurantt.
“…nag-come up ako na sabi ko, ‘maghanap nga ako ng chef’, Yun, doon na lumakas ang loob ko. Pero before pa noon, bago ko pa makita sina Chef Jo, is ano lang talaga, coffee shop,” he shared.
He admitted that he initially had no idea about operating a resturant, but meeting certain people who had experiences in the business, gave him the confidence to pursue Valencia’s.
“Noong nakilala ko nga sina chef, doon lumakas ang loob ko, nong pinakita nila sa akin ‘yung mga pagkain at nag-food tasting na kami, ” he recalled.
The current exquisite design of the Valencia’s Restaurant is from the collective efforts of its owner and his partners. He admitted that much work got done to dismantle the old designs of the place, noting the previous owners of the building.
“‘Yung design, halos kami lang gumawa talaga nito, tapos ‘yung name ng Valencia, ‘yun, hindi ko naman maipagkakaila, ka-apelyedo ng tatay ko, ‘doon nag come out yan,” he told our group, sharing that his being a rice dealer and seller was also one of the reasons behind one of his restaurant’s best sellers.
Valencia’s menu is a fusion of Western and Filipino cuisines with hint of Spanish influences.
“Yung history rin ng isa naming food, since nagtintinda rin ng rice talaga ako sa Bulacan, so ‘yun nag-come out ‘yung sini-serve namin dito, ‘yung rice, then ‘yung rice coffee namin,” Valencia shared.
You can tell Valencia’s intent to keep his roots, while also pursuing his dream of navigating a thriving business, through the choices he made for his restaurant.
The Restaurant’s menu is created through the expertise of some of the region’s most brilliant and innovative chefs. Chef Jo, who heads the culinary team, explained very well the inspiration behind some of the restaurant’s bestsellers, among which includes their signature Paella Valenciana dish, which despite being from the Spain, took a more Filipino form, through the twists Chef Jo introduced.
“Sa Paella po kasi sir, kumbaga nilagyan na namin ng twist na , kasi ‘yung Paella na original from Spain ‘po to bale, so ‘yung mga ingredients wala po dito sa Baguio. Nilagyan na lang namin siya ng twist ng kung ano dito ang mabibili,” he explained.
Like Paella, the restaurant’s heartwarming and mouth watering dishes such as Spahetti Marinara, Valencia’s Pizza, and Baked Salmon Florentine, are all infused with twists that make them uniquely Valencia’s.
Spaghetti Marinara. Nilagyan din po namin ng twist na dito lang din matitikman. Nilagyan namin ng konting Middle Eastern na konting herbs. ‘Yung sa pizza po, nilagyan namin ng sarili naming twist na dito lang sa Valencia makikita, kasi may home made po kami dyan na nilalagay na kami lang po ang gumagawa. Even their Brocheta, has something you can never find in other establishments.
“Marami pong matitikman na Brocheta pero kaiba po ang ginawa namin. Nilagyan namin ng twist na dito lang po matitikman,” said Chef Jo with pride.
The drinks they serve are also unique, of course. Their iced tea, for instance, are all freshly-brewed. “Signature cocktails. Lahat po ng drinks namin lahat dito po nagagawa,” said Mark, their head barista.
Located at 30 Outlook Drive, Baguio City, Valencia’s Restaurant is a contemporary family-style restaurant that you can’t afford to not visit in Baguio. Indulge your tummy and your soul in their sophisticated renditions of various well-known Romantic dishes, all with a touch of local inspirations.
From Paella to Pizza, there is no shortage of gastronomic wonder at Valencia’s. You can either book a reservation or just come anytime you want, with your family and friends. Have that exquisite Western and Filpino feast while feeling Spanish at Valencia’s!
