Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Rustic Mornings by Isabelo

Rustic Mornings
Had a wonderful brunch with Mike last Wednesday at Rustic Mornings <3 


Since there were so many people the last time we dined here, we weren't able to go around and take pictures. Luckily, weekdays aren't as busy, and we even got to sit down with the owner, Ms. Portia Baluyut! Here are some of the photos I took that beautiful morning.
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Lovely, right? Imagine waking up in the morning and stepping outside your garden or porch to have breakfast. That's what Ms. Portia wanted for Rustic Mornings when she opened it almost two years ago. It's really them (her family) opening their doors to welcome visitors into their home and try our their food. So the vibe is relaxed and homey.
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It definitely helps to have an artist on your side when you're opening an establishment. In this case, it was Ms. Portia's mom who played a big role in turning their home into an outdoor cafe. She filled it with so many unique decorations and trinkets that gave it its flair and turned it into what it is now.
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It is this organized chaos that brings people to Rustic Mornings - aside from the great food, of course!
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Oh yes, she paints, too!
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Everything you've seen so far is only their outdoor set up. Did you know they actually turned their home into a cafe/restaurant?
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Let's see what's behind the white and blue doors! ;)
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More rustic chairs and tables! Thanks to Ms. Portia's mom (again), they were able to upcycle their old floor panels and turn them into tables! This would totally make for a great DIY project!
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More paintings hanging on the walls and vintage jar/bottle displays
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Who would've thought old perfume bottles would make great decorations, too?
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I'm definitely loving the white and blue motif. And that ceramic owl on the left. So pretty! <3
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If you're loving the rustic/one-with-nature theme you're seeing, you should check them out at night when they transform into Isabelo Garden - a dinner-by-reservation establishment that opened five years ago offering rustic Italian dishes prepared by Ms. Portia herself. After three years, she decided to branch out and open Rustic Mornings in the same location. The menus for the two establishments are completely different, and the experience you'll get is different as well, even though you're in the same place. During the day, it's homey and relaxing. At night, the lights are turned on, so it's more intimate and romantic.
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After all that, it was finally time to eat. I was pretty happy that updated their menu with more drool-worthy photos - it definitely made it easier to choose what to order.Rustic Mornings
Are you ready?
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We started off with their Country Omelette (P220) - an open-faced three-egg cheese omelette with bacon, potatoes and leeks served with two slices of crunchy ciabatta bread, herbed butter, and fruit jam.
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Mike, who has been so devoted in counting his daily calorie intake, finished this and more. I guess that says something about the food. ;)
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Next, we had the Beef Tapa Breakfast Tray (P280) - served with two free-range eggs, garlic parslied rice, tomato wansoy salad, and red wine vinaigrette with red onions.

One of the best tapas I've tasted. And the serving is pretty generous, too!
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Here's my favorite - the Crispy Waffle Half and Half (Plain and Churros) for P215. The churros side is THE best. I don't care how their waffles rank on Spot.ph, it's #1 in my tummy.
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Hash Browns (P80) - it reminded me so much of the shoestring potato snack Pik-Nik which I love. I wonder if it's possible to make a ketchup-flavored version... Haha :p
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We also got to try a side order of Pork Tocino (P50) which was flavorful and tender.
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To cap it all off, we (mostly me) drank this mix of apple, orange, and I'm not sure what. Haha! They just mixed us up something off the menu! All I know is that it's a healthy drink! :P
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It's amazing how passion backed up by a powerful God can result into something like this. Ms. Portia, even though she has no background in culinary arts, pursued, practiced, and prayed for her dream - and it came true.
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Rustic Mornings / Isabelo Garden is located at #11 Isabelo Mendoza Street, San Roque, Marikina City.

Rustic Mornings
Accepts walk ins from 8am to 4pm daily
Like their Facebook page or visit their website.

Isabelo Garden
Open from 6pm onwards; Dinner by reservation only
For bookings, please visit their website.