Green ATS Bulalohan in Tagaytay

I took my family to Tagaytay last Sunday. As usual, we visited first the Pink Sisters' church, before going around the cool city. Afterwards, we bought burgers and lomi soup from Mushroom Burger as morning snack at Roberto's parking area along the ridge, where the kids rode the horses and bicycles for rent.

Late lunch was in Green ATS Bulalohan, after the Bag of Beans along the way to Residence Inn. We just want to try it after receiving good reviews from friends and from internet. The restaurant provides a very nice view of Taal lake and volcano from their dining tables.

Service at Green ATS is disappointing. There's nobody who will greet or assist you on getting a table. It takes eons before someone takes your order, inspite of repeated calls to the waiters around. We have to ask for condiments, ice, etc. which should have been served with the food and drinks we ordered. Well, the place is packed that time, but they should have been prepared and used to the crowds every weekend. Good thing that we're not so hungry so we're not that bothered. Otherwise, we may have left and transferred to other restaurants. The only redeeming factor in their service is their traffic aides who will assist you in parking/unparking from the busy main road.

We ordered extra large bulalo for Php 405, grilled squid with filling at Php 160, whole roast chicken at Php 385, Coke 1.5Lt at Php 70, and rice platter for Php 150, enough for us 6 adults and 5 kids. Here's our verdict on the food:

• Bulalo's taste is fine with me. Wife says the bulalo dishes in Mahogany Market carinderias are better. There are complaints of tough bulalo meat in the group, but the meat parts I got are tender and just right. Portion size is large enough for 6 adults to share, served on a claypot without external heating unlike in other restaurants.
• Grilled squid is too dry and had shrunk in size, obviously overcooked. It lost its juiciness and too rubbery in texture.
• Roast chicken was served almost cold, also dry and with tough texture. Even the kids don't like it, so we have to bring the leftovers for frying them at home for dinner.

With many kids in tow, I didn't have the time to take photos of the food and dining huts. Washrooms are clean enough and the handwash area has sufficient soap and running water.

The question is, are we going to come back in this restaurant? Perhaps I will give them a second try, on a weekday when they have less customers, and if we want a cheap fix on bulalo craving while admiring the view of Taal.