Tagaytay is our go-to/quick vacation spot whenever we feel very stressed and toxic. Last year, Gus and I decided we needed a break from our heavy workloads and a trip out of town was the solution. I was craving for some juicy, crunchy crispy pata and hot bulalo at the same time, so we knew Tagaytay was the place to go.
Based on our quick research, Josephine is the most frequented bulaluhan in Tagaytay City. I know there are more famous bulalo houses in Tagaytay, but given the time that we had, Josephine's was the #1 most recommended by people we knew. So we drove all the way to Tagaytay just to grab a hot bowl of bulalo.
Unfortunately, when we got there, they didn't have bulalo anymore. It was understandable, given that we got there at around 9 PM already, but still disappointing. We decided to order the closest thing to bulalo we could have: Beef Nilaga.
It wasn't bulalo, but their beef nilaga still made the trip worthwhile. The soup was served hot, with generous portions of both beef and vegetables. The serving was big enough for four people to share. Aside from the beef nilaga, we also ordered crispy pata.
Their crispy pata (Crispy Pork Knuckles) was good! The skin was really crisp, and the meat, soft and juicy. It was flavorful inside out. Plus, their soy-vinegar dip was done right, it complemented the pata well.
So, we might not have gotten what we went there for, but it was still a really good meal. Josephine does live up to its reputation -- excellent Filipino food. We enjoyed our meal so much that we decided to have dinner there again, this time, during our anniversary weekend. For our Josephine Experience Part 2, read ahead. :)
