Nothing says hole in the wall more than this place does. We started at the wrong end of Outlook Drive and almost gave up on our search for this fabled Malaysia-chef run restaurant(?).
Located along Outlook Drive, first store you’ll see coming from Baguio Townhomes, this humble looking place takes pride in its authentic Malaysian and Thai offerings.
The humble Chef’s Home beside Apolo Sari Sari Store on Outlook Drive
However, do not let the humble facade make you think you’ll have a humble bill. 😀 . Total damage for 4 people is 1000 pesos. Not a typical thing you’ll pay at your neighborhood turo turo or for a McDonald’s Happy meal. The explosion of asian flavors in your mouth, however is unlike any other gastronomic experience in Baguio. Check out their menu.
Menu changes depending on availability of ingredients
On the day of our visit, the menu offered a lot of sea food dishes– we tried the Blue Marlin with Fresh Chili in Garlic and Lime Dressing. It supposed to be mildly spicy but my buds say otherwise. Eating the spicy blue marlin dish with the cilantro leaves was the way to do it. Also the fruity fruit tea effectively countered the spicyness.
Blue Marlin in Chili Garlic Sauce with Lime and lotsa cilantro leaves on top
To curb my Thai food craving, I ordered the Thai Pork Salad,which is prepared a little differently than I was used to when I was living in Burma. Pork slices were a bit thicker and the spicyness level toned down. Nevertheless, the combination of fish sauce, basil, lime, basil and spice was perfect.
Thai Pork Salad
For a veggie dish, we got sauteed cucumber, a dish we picked among the other sauteed vegs. Didn’t know that cucumber can actually be sauteed like this. It was topped with pork flakes and mixed with exotics spices–some even hand carried from Thailand and Malaysia. Eating cooked cucumber was like eating patola with style 😀
Sauteed cucumber
Finally, there’s the Murtabak, which is like pancake stuffed with beef and stuff. It’s a pretty popular Malaysian dish, and a staple on the Chef’s Home menu. It’s eaten best with the chili paste and pickled onion.
Murtabak
Alvin Emuang, the Malaysian chef and his Bacnotan-native wife Gina like to keep their eatery small, even opening only at certain times, that is — 11AM to 2PM and 6PM to 8PM Mon-Sat (closed on Sundays). Seats are very limited (20 max!) so make sure you get there early. We came at 5PM but the chef was happy to feed us anyway.
If you’ve got adventurous taste or just miss authentic Malaysian-Thai cooking, this place is for you. Or if you’re just hungry and happen to be in the area,this is for you too :). Bring family, friends, dates who, like you have a flair for discovering new and often obscure eating spots in Baguio.
FYI, they’ve only been in business for 1 year but managed to be picked up by a popular long running travel show in the Phils.
Chef’s Home is located at 13 Outlook Drive, Baguio City, (Mob 09997746624 , 09164445756)
[slideshow]
Nice blog! Just a question, the place is nearer the mine’s view end or is it nearer country club? Thanks!
it’s at the mine’s view end…oh and just curious…how did you find this blog?
finally, we found it at Mines View..Featured in Tina Valdez program at ABS CBN..
yup! im excited to go back…again, as I asked the other commenter— how did you find this blog? 🙂
hiyee… im so happy to find your blog. i love eating out here in baguio and i love that i have an idea of what a resto can offer before i try it for the first time. 🙂 i found your blog when i was looking for info on chef’s home.
glad you found it. By the way, they’ve transferred to a bigger and classier location. Just follow the road going up from the old site and you should see it on your right!
I just had dinner at Chef’s Home tonight and I am so glad to find this restaurant.
Chef Alvin sat with us halfway through dinner… His food was a perfect reflection of his character: honest and with integrity. The beef rendang was packed with flavor and the new item on his menu, crispy fish with mango salad on top, was a wonderful surprise. We finished off with a shared bowl of sago gula melaka. Each dish reflected the respect that Chef Alvin had on his ingredients and his diners. Each ingredient in each dish stood out yet complemented the whole. It wasn’t a wonder that he sources key ingredients from their country of origin, rather than mixes. The restaurant is not exactly cheap but if you want to eat food that is made with love and respect, Chefs Home is it.
I was refreshing to hear that much passion and dedication from a man over his work, as he treats everything as an act of devotion. With an attitude like that, you are assured 100% that you’re in good hands.
yes he is such a gracious host.. he sat with us the first time we we visited…im glad they expanded
Landmark: It’s near Mansion House. if you tell a taxi driver, he should know.
[…] Reading blogs and various write ups about this restaurant, I was mega excited to experience eating there and when the excitement (everyone else’s) had sort of died down about its opening, I made a reservation. On the appointed day, Race and I drove up a little early. It proved to be a good move because we had our pick of the table. We chose the one by the door with windows that let me see a part of (I believe) the ‘real’ chef’s home. (Go beyond the interesting looking gate – check! House stalking – check! *hihi) […]