Happy Foodies

<figure> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIAh7znssZKlrxaCSc3iMimc9xwECP3RQnK-pxiqSh3Nf7eFzrKPpT8QDlmi6rdsKw9VHh4VrXz4M6UBsLP5SWGN9oBuqcKtweEqtbbFgPslmdL_p-4R3LmBGxuQ3VVsDNKUHAbfNb6IDhRUalySQsbPwYtVs8P-HHAZ0apwVcswJfHJHLJ7iotG63Mw/s16000/IMG_1455.jpg"> <figcaption>Sharing orders at ELPI Veg Haus</figcaption> </figure> Embracing a vegetarian lifestyle can be daunting. Maybe not so much about missing meat but being able to afford a plant-based diet when veggie prices remain high. That’s why vegan food outlets like ELPI Veg Haus can be a godsend. ELPI offers a bunch of P99 meals — a worthy alternative to the usual fastfood fare.

<figure> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRejcJ4wllSf0dlaDDVqR5UVYY-OlWtxvHTzGu_rJ365YltniDo9sWWV-oNxDaGlWZ1sOU-0sreVdxiws7p_XD4Eg6a0KyasRFJAVKRgmk8lXPLx9MbF4as6mQmMjyYyyHwkquJAXCwU-76owfRbHBFwDlSuac46-b8yllWuzGhjv15bgmM2jWbzOX0Lk/s16000/IMG_9677_Radiant.jp"> <figcaption>Homemade Matcha Ice Cream from Ikigai Kakigori Cafe</figcaption> </figure> It’s been nearly a decade since we first wrote about <a href="https://www.happyfoodies.com/2010/10/vegging-out-gets-new-meaning-at-wabi.html" target="_blank">Wabi-Sabi Noodle House, back in its early days at The Collective</a>. Back then, it was a cozy spot with fewer than 10 tables, serving up delicious, healthy vegan fare — long before veganism was mainstream.

<figure> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotDOJlOt1D_e7Ioisz2Rzbu9_m23t56-3DcL7ACfW6FA6_I_imawtYpdBM2PgXK0bzTxbDwdkFnLKwkbuR07BpZffWEByNDrM7PxJM371XUeBn4pNxlY46HmoPAj9MsOKbRIVNNPPuo4uCcO4ZrwG9ejJu4VeXqmhHCLcB-du3sOHqUU-pBWmvoSTDHY/s16000/happyfoodies-veggie-hut.jpg"> </figure> After a refreshing nature trip to <a href="https://www.ironwulf.net/2024/08/maapon-falls-beautiful-cascades-in.html" target="_blank">Maapon Falls in Lucban, Quezon</a>, we were eager to find a spot for a late lunch. Lucban and its neighboring towns are renowned for their longganisa and pancit. We indulged in pancit hab-hab for breakfast, we were in search of something heartier for late lunch. With vegan and vegetarian friends in mind, The Veggie Hut was a delightful discovery. Thankfully, our meat-eating companions were game to try something different, and we’re glad they were.

<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mkFQxbIMuYL9Wg6DljHOSFTgKf0M6mPIKe6oTIW4RCAB7vWaPyvh9uOD0L2Lgw9HWYwB9QHijJsgYaiGT4K5YUpPMBglWkUWNKqUnYhV_PxEh6h1IsNbjT2UBkHB3orEOho32G_uvseA1EEL6uew3MTuenQr-fcKk6UH9vDbAn0aeU5nkfUUkJMsXAA/s1920/um-a-farm-tuba-benguet.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mkFQxbIMuYL9Wg6DljHOSFTgKf0M6mPIKe6oTIW4RCAB7vWaPyvh9uOD0L2Lgw9HWYwB9QHijJsgYaiGT4K5YUpPMBglWkUWNKqUnYhV_PxEh6h1IsNbjT2UBkHB3orEOho32G_uvseA1EEL6uew3MTuenQr-fcKk6UH9vDbAn0aeU5nkfUUkJMsXAA/s16000/um-a-farm-tuba-benguet.jpg"></a></div> <span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> From the same people who brought you <a href="https://www.happyfoodies.com/2024/06/health-100-restoreant-beloved.html" target="_blank">Health 100 Restaurant</a> in Baguio City comes Um-A Farm and Restaurant in Tuba, Benguet. Couple entrepreneurs Elmer and Dr. Celestrelle Macalingay have elevated the experience of healthy dining at Um-A Farm and Restaurant, offering eclectic restaurant interiors with an unobstructed view of one of the last remaining forest reserves in Tuba, Benguet.<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> <p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">

<figure class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtG7Et1k7yzmLYVL_aKN5oU1-1eIkFzJo7VD6kWOaQsoA6R8PRx6oDcRuouEMpNkzswv4HeXAF1s6bGGG-ogL6e_sRf5LkJvcHcgvPlR5hZw5GWNIsSRWdoJ-PretsgwmCR3x4QyuwbZVGIdLNTMlglGmo5cmhobweTIZEWHlS7rPm_kFvDRa_IC-M-c/s1600/health-100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtG7Et1k7yzmLYVL_aKN5oU1-1eIkFzJo7VD6kWOaQsoA6R8PRx6oDcRuouEMpNkzswv4HeXAF1s6bGGG-ogL6e_sRf5LkJvcHcgvPlR5hZw5GWNIsSRWdoJ-PretsgwmCR3x4QyuwbZVGIdLNTMlglGmo5cmhobweTIZEWHlS7rPm_kFvDRa_IC-M-c/s16000/health-100.jpg"></a></figure> Baguio City is a haven for vegetarians, thanks to its location in the Cordillera region, known as the vegetable bowl of the Philippines. The abundance of fresh produce means plenty of options for vegetarian and plant-based meals. On my recent visit to the City of Pines, I had the pleasure of dining at Health 100 Restoreant on Magsaysay Avenue. This humble and unassuming eatery offers a variety of vegetarian dishes, with vegan options available, all at very affordable prices.

<figure class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M-V8TgAOEQ76dnAgxKWQJlJNXsAGAAEIeG9LfM0urYE2zaN1MJjwj2I2wDo1K0-BI2cpNSodI1mfM68eNFVR1ljXWIstnI2_XAJpiEoE1ajmdcx7g_RW5rPdk3mrWqmtkTohf801i65dxic1BXwYEeNUwFSsHitmTeNSs202eq-FsVEGwx9RRrMcDy4/s1600/kwentong-dagat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M-V8TgAOEQ76dnAgxKWQJlJNXsAGAAEIeG9LfM0urYE2zaN1MJjwj2I2wDo1K0-BI2cpNSodI1mfM68eNFVR1ljXWIstnI2_XAJpiEoE1ajmdcx7g_RW5rPdk3mrWqmtkTohf801i65dxic1BXwYEeNUwFSsHitmTeNSs202eq-FsVEGwx9RRrMcDy4/s16000/kwentong-dagat.jpg"></a></figure> When I found out we would be making a side trip to Liwliwa Beach before heading home from <a href="https://www.ironwulf.net/2024/04/discover-serenity-of-lake-mapanuepe.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Lake Mapanuepe</a>, I had to check if we could stop by Kwentong Dagat. It's a lovely beachside resort with rustic and charming A-type cabins serving 100% plant-based meals. So after enjoying the expansive shoreline and playful waves of Liwliwa Beach, my companions and I decided to have lunch there.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dg9b7jSIXlGUSvJSNyErADXcx6U-G5JBLlwflx3RnkuVbvzpersP1VwPzZuIoSz0mZx6f5BDOhu300SyRPsg6qaSwHKbUqZJMSi_Dt-Nu3KFM5HJRfZ0LEivgF0qMSg3MCmuV2Zi8iIwCQpEUmjuKy8Mrs9rf7ISoJlG2aGLlick-oT8oDdFvCnf9uI/s1600/the-farmaccist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dg9b7jSIXlGUSvJSNyErADXcx6U-G5JBLlwflx3RnkuVbvzpersP1VwPzZuIoSz0mZx6f5BDOhu300SyRPsg6qaSwHKbUqZJMSi_Dt-Nu3KFM5HJRfZ0LEivgF0qMSg3MCmuV2Zi8iIwCQpEUmjuKy8Mrs9rf7ISoJlG2aGLlick-oT8oDdFvCnf9uI/s16000/the-farmaccist.jpg"></a></div> <div> </div> “We are driven by the knowledge that food is medicine. Beyond just food, we serve nourishment.” This is one of the core values of The Farmassist, a new restaurant in Pasig. Don’t be misled by the name; although it may sound like a pharmacy, they serve affordable plant-based meals. In 2024, Happy Foodies will start featuring establishments and products that promote vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, and healthy food, beginning with this neighborhood find in Pasig.