Well, there is a popular restaurant along the Session Road that serves fresh, delicious yet affordable breakfast meals, and flavorful beverages that will invigorate you to explore the Summer Capital of the Philippines. That is Garlick Food Stall.
This go-to place located on the second floor of La Azotea Building is mostly recommended by content creators and other netizens on their social media accounts because of the signature silog dishes and ambiance.
I can attest to its popularity when I tried to dine there for the first time in December last year. There were fellow customers who had their luggage, waiting for the security guard to allow us to enter the building. However, our excitement went down when the other stall owners, and the guard told us that Garlick would not be operating that day.
I immediately searched their Facebook page and sent them a message asking them if they would open. “We’re closed,” they replied. Well, it was the 26th, a day after Christmas. I left the area and thought of dining there next time.
After five months, I came back. It was 7:30 in the morning when I arrived and I had to wait as there were customers who were also waiting for their meals to be served. The kitchen was busy, but I felt calm as I was entertained by one of the staff courteously. I learned that he was Ricky Baker, a co-owner of the stall, when I checked their Facebook page as part of my research in writing this article.
Ricky told me I have to wait until 9:30 AM as many diners sent their early reservations on their Facebook page. I told him that I am willing to wait as I do not want to miss the chance to savor their specialty. I can conclude that Garlick ‘clicks’ in Baguio City.
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| Garlick's menu displayed at the stall counter. |
Garlick touts their signature silogs that are served with Garlick Rice and egg. Their number one, Garlicksilog is a heavy meal which is an assemblage of longganisa, tocino, hotdog, and sausage worth 125 pesos. The following are their other affordable and palatable silog products and cost:
Tapsilog- Php 118
Cornsilog- Php 108
Hungsilog- Php 108
Bangsilog- Php 88
Longsilog- Php 88
Tastiksilog- Php 88
Tocilog- Php 88
K-Silog- Php 78
Hotsilog- Php 68
Of course, choosing Garlicksilog was a no-brainer for me. I partnered it with Cordi Blend, which is a hot mix of coffee from Montañasa, the old name of the Cordillera region. The drink costs Php 35. Aside from this, they have following beverages:
Iced Americano- Php 45
Iced Latte- Php 50
Black/ Green Tea- Php 40
Home Brewed Iced Tea- Php 40
Pineapple Juice- Php 48
Sodas- Php 28
Sodas in Can- Php 48
Bottled Water- Php 20
They also sell cakes too. They were selling Cornel’s banana cake that time worth Php 125 pesos.
To kill the time, I took photos and videos of the cozy place. I love its rustic vibes as the set-up is woody. I also love how they display real garlic and garlic stuff toys as their main decorations. The stall has colorful figurines and artificial flowers placed at the counter. There is also a small table near the window with small chairs you can use to take selfies.
Inasmuch as I wanted to eat on the balcony and enjoy the view of Session Road, I could not withstand the sunlight. There were diners who bravely endured the heat.
After capturing pictures and recording video clips, I read the fault setting poetry book of Joel Toledo bought in the bookshop section of the Museo Kordilyera managed by University of the Philippines Baguio.
I was enjoying the first four poems of Toledo when Ricky served my coffee. It was aromatic and hot. Sachets of creamer and sugar were also given. After taking pictures of a cup of coffee and the book, I immediately put creamer and sugar. Every sip of coffee felt like everything in Baguio was in slow motion. The coffee tastes divine which makes you feel excited to stroll in the city the whole day.
I had to look for a smaller table as I was occupying a table for six people. Good thing, a customer left and I moved to that vacant spot. I was surprised when Ricky served a pan of Garlicksilog 35 minutes after I made my order. It was fast as the one hour and thirty minutes waiting time was erased.
Garlick has an iconic way of serving their silog meals. They use a pan with partitions which they can put the sinangag, egg and processed meats separately. I can’t help but take pictures of their unique presentation. Based on how it appears, I know it is delicious.
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| A cup of Cordi Blend and a pan of Garlicksilog |
I am not a fan of tocino and longganisa as some varieties are sweet. I tried the two foods, and they became my instant favorite. I love the balance of sweet and salty flavors of their tocino. Baguio longganisa is savory.
The hotdog and sausage make the meal exquisite. They are juicy and flavorful. They make the dish top-tier. Their Garlick rice was perfectly done.
The dish made me feel at home in Baguio. As a fast eater, the Garlicksilog slowed me to enjoy the morning in the city. Truly, a cup of coffee is a perfect partner of the trifecta Filipino meal.
Before I left, I was asked by Ricky how the meal was. I complimented it based on the taste and presentation, and I also told him that it is worth the wait. He said that Chef Benn meticulously prepares the food they serve. I was not able to talk to the chef personally as he was too busy fulfilling the orders. I hope he heard the praise for his hard work.
The way Garlick communicates with their customers is laudable. They treat you like a friend. They are hospitable. You are not intimidated when doing transactions with them.
Based on their Facebook page, they are open from 7 AM to 1 PM during weekdays and on Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays. There are times that they operate on holidays from 7 AM to 12 noon.
For you to cross out places in your fully loaded Baguio itinerary, eat a fully loaded silog meals at Garlick.
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