PNKY Travel Cafe Baguio: A Travel Back In Time

I slogged up the driveway of PNKY (pronounced as pinky) Home Bed and Breakfast. My hubby Shervin, laboriously carrying our heavier than normal 5-month old daughter, panted as he tried to keep up with my already slow pace. It wasn't even a steep climb, nor a long walk. We're just so darn unfit.

A non-manic Monday.Or old.

And how befitting it is to mention that because today is Shervin's Big 3-0 today. No big celebration though. I'd love to say we have gone past the stage of having insane I-dunno-how-I-got-home-last-night parties... but the truth is, we're just far from our friends. There's no one to party with.

Plus with an infant around, heading to a smoky bar is out of the question.

I have been eyeing PNKY Travel Cafe for ages. Four months of residing in Baguio, we only went this noon because I was saving it for a special occasion.

Back in early 2000, it was still Q Bar. A quaint watering hole which hosted folk performances every weekend. Its interior showcased interesting pieces from chairs to lamps, made by Baguio artists. Some of it were for sale. We never dined there so I don't have an idea if they served good food, but we did sample their to die for chocolate cake.

Top: Old dining area of PNKY Home. Bottom: One of the spacious, sparsely furnished rooms. Click here to see how the house looks like now!
PNKY Home Bed and Breakfast on the other hand, was just another house with rooms rented by vacationers. We frequented this place during that time, three to four times a year in fact. I remember the rooms were very basic and rates varied according to size. Guests can cook in the kitchen, something our family mostly did because we were too cheap to eat out.

Our fave spot in the house was by the fireplace... Where my aunts, cousins and I would catch up on each other's love life (or lack of) and future plans. Slurry at that, due to the booze treat by whoever had the highest paying job.

There were times we braved the arctic outdoors and lit bonfires beside Q Bar. And once one of us accepted the dare of entering the Laperal House's gates, across the property. The caretaker caught her and said she was trespassing. We laughed our arses off. In case you haven't heard, this house is known to be haunted. Some members of the family who lived here were brutally murdered by Japanese soldiers during World War II.

It's uninhabited now, and hasn't changed ever since. Unlike PNKY Home whose face and interiors have been revamped (the original structure still intact). I miss the old house with the chipping white paint. But hey, it has turned into one of the loveliest acommodations in the city, designed by owner Pynky Magsino and her daughters. How can I complain?

Left: Cozy corner. Right: Travel depicted everywhere.
I smiled as I entered the cafe. No one was there except for the staff who warmly welcomed us. My eyes excitedly shifted from one decor to another. From old suitcases, to framed postcards, to lomo photos. All of which were collected by the Magsino family.

Left: Homey dining area. Right: Cute camera tissue holder!
Pynky opened her daughters' eyes to the world of traveling when they were young. Something I know I'll be doing to Luna as she grows. And boy, I imagined our future house (wherever it will be) looking like the cafe - with trinkets gathered across the globe!

The menu, looking like a coffee table book.
Okay, so the ambiance rocks, but how about the food?

Our selection: Le Louvre P120 (spinach, mushrooms and tofu on rice) for me and El Prado P240 (pork ribs with tomato and pineapple sauce with rice and veggies). I'm pretty sure my dish will score a thumbs up from vegetarians (meat-eaters won't find it outstanding), while Shervin's ribs were uber tender and tasty. What made me jump up and down was dessert. We ordered Message in a Bottle P75, PNKY's homemade ube crepe. It's filled with grated kamoteng ube and cream. We also ordered Organic Lemon Grass Juice P60 (yum!) and Strawberry Smoothie P95.

Clockwise: La Tomatina Soup, Le Louvre, Message in a Bottle and El Prado.
By the way, you may dine al fresco. Food will get cold however in a couple of minutes. So better gobble it down quick.

Perfect nook for reading and sipping a piping hot cup of Chocolate de Tablea.
It was an awesome, hearty lunch. I am no food critic, so pardon my puny adjectives. Hopefully, the photos are enough to entice. Too bad our baby's not taking solid food yet. She would have gone nuts over the dessert list.


PNKY Travel Café
13 Leonard Wood (a short stroll from Session Road)
Baguio City
Visit their website at: www.pnkyhome.com



TweetShare


This page was viewed times.