Trying to get rid of the very hot and waterless Metro Manila on a Maundy Thursday, my sister Eunice drove for an hour to bring us ( my sister Bhet and me ) to Tagaytay City and enjoy the cooler and fresher air.
We got there at about 11 a.m. and proceeded to BREAKFAST at Antonio's for our brunch.
the entrance
at the front parking area
We were here in this restaurant a few years ago and we have noticed a big change in its structure. It's now sunnier and brighter, more spacious and inviting as compared to its smaller, dimmer and more compartmentalized building before. No wonder, it's full packed, aside from the fact that it was a non-working holiday and everybody in Metro Manila seem to be fleeing to the nearest cooler place which is Tagaytay.
brighter and more spacious dining area
waiting area
display shelves of drinks beverages
display shelves of bread and dips
the restrooms
with my sister Eunice at the rear side of the restaurant facing the
panoramic view of the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano
with my sister Bhet Hugo
with my sisters Eunice in red and Bhet Hugo in blue
the panoramic view of the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano
We wanted to go for something light so we ordered Antonio's house salad .
Antonio's House Salad
 |
a mixture of greens (arugula, sorrel and mizuna leaves, iceberg
and romaine lettuce, assorted fruits, mixed nuts and seeds, cucumber
and organic boiled egg |
mix berries mustard yogurt dressing
We guessed it was so light to have a totally complete salad day so we also ordered a platter of prepared meat and cheese. It was a no-rice meal on a Maundy Thursday, though.
A selection of prepared meats and cheese such as
Jamon Serrano (a.k.a. pharma ham), Salami Milano,
Chorizo, Morcillas, Bleu d' Auvergne and Brie, prosciutto,
green and black pitted olives, roasted buttered clove of garlic,
green and black pitted olives, pesto dip and grapes
We really had a hearty meal. With our platter of meat and cheese, ( no offense meant to those who abstain from eating meat during the Holy Week ) we tried to concoct our own prosciutto combinations. We also tried to discover the goodness of the meat and cheese with the salad greens. It was such a perfect dining experience !
sorrel leaves with sausages, blue cheese and olives
After an hour of chatting in between eating and informative "lectures" from Kuya Arnold ( the F&B Associate assigned to us), our platter looked like this...
except for the black sausage which was a bit fatty, everything was
scraped to bits including the roasted buttered clove of garlic
a few sorrel and rocket leaves left from the salad bowl
As we dined, families kept coming in. Fish and chips and salads seem to be the topnotch orders but chicken and meat were never trailed behind. Meat abstinence was not very visible at Antonio's last Maundy Thursday. It seemed like an ordinary day.
It was actually my first time to have a joy ride on a Maundy Thursday. When we were younger, our Holy Week experience was a bit different. It was a week of quiet days. We were scolded whenever we laugh aloud or shout during playtime. We associated it more with going to church and prayers.
Through the years, customs and traditions evolved with time. While some have maintained the more popular Holy Week traditions and practices such as the "pabasa", " penitensiya", bisita iglesia", and many more, there were more people now in the beaches, resorts and picnic groves. Evidently, The Holy Week now became one of the most awaited time for leisure, pleasure and recreation.
As we left Antonio's, I asked myself: What should I really do on a Maundy Thursday ?
For me, Maundy Thursday should be like any other ordinary day that's full of love, love, love!
Love God ! Love your neighbors! Love yourself! After all, the Holy Week is a commemoration of God's greatest love for man that He gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross so that you and me will have everlasting life!
