Ramil and I have been on a date hiatus for some time now. Although we never agreed  to be on one, it was something that just happened amidst diaper changes, breastfeeding, rising costs of rice and gasoline, test papers, and lesson plans. It was usually either we don’t have the budget, we don’t have the time, or we don’t have the energy.

Months before our 100th month though, I told him that I want us to go out on a date this time. So my dear husband carefully thought and planned for it. He originally suggested going for an overnight stay at a hotel just like what we used to do before Mateo came along. We already had a budget for it but our beloved red car broke down last May and Mateo got sick several times. Hence, we were left to plan for something more affordable.

We’ve been hearing and reading about a small, quaint Swiss restaurant nearby called Vieux Chalet . Ramil and I thought that it might be a good time to try it.

We made reservations for our date and they sent directions to Ramil’s phone. Since we’re from the nearby area, we easily found it in 15 minutes. It might be a bit more difficult to find if you haven’t been to Antipolo though. The restaurant used to be an old house and it adds a homey feel to it. There was only one waiter but he made up for it by being so accomodating, service was definitely way better than other classy restaurants filled with waiters and waitresses. Just like other restaurants in Antipolo, it has a magnificent view of the metropolis. It’s one of the reasons why the restaurant is a favorite romantic destination.

Apart from the whole atmosphere in the place, a small, faraway restaurant will not be as well-known if not for the great food it offers. Ramil and I had a difficult time choosing what to order because we were both hungry and we wanted to try everything. The prices on each dish however, limited us to order just two dishes. Two dishes proved to be more than enough because we were both very filled and satisfied after our meal.

We decided to each order a dish and then to share it between us. I ordered their Shrimp Ravioli which costs 400+ and is good for 3-4 persons. I was initially tempted to go for the safer Fettucine Alfredo but decided to be more daring and to try something new. It was a good decision because we were pleasantly surprised with the pasta dish I ordered. The sauce was really delicious and the cheese filling of the ravioli was very generous.

Ramil, a meat person, ordered beef tenderloin in mushroom sauce. This dish was very expensive at 700+ and is good for 2-3 persons. The mushroom sauce was really good, a better version of Razon’s Sizzling Bulalo sauce. It was a good thing that we were happy with the sauce because the beef tenderloin was not as tender as we would have wanted. Don’t get me wrong, it was soft enough to cut with our fork and spoon but I’ve tasted other less expensive, softer tenderloins.

We both had their refreshing lemongrass cooler for our drinks but decided against ordering dessert. We instead decided to have dessert and coffee at a coffee shop on the way home.

All in all, it was a worthy date in light of our self-imposed date hiatus. While driving home, I told Ramil that I was happy and satisfied with our experience in Vieux Chalet but will not go back anytime soon. I swallowed my words the following day when I woke up craving for their Shrimp Ravioli. It’s definitely a date place I would love to go back to as soon as we get our hands on some extra money

Tags: Antipolo City, beef tenderloin, date, restaurant, shrimp ravioli, Vieux Chalet