Monday, December 5, 2011

Food Trip Weekends: Good Earth Garden Cafe



I went out to have merienda and some chit chat with my good friend L.  There are limited choices in Tarlac when it come to food and we always end up going to the same places over and over again.  We knew Good Earth Garden Cafe opened a branch at the McArthur Highway (they also have a branch at Romulo Highway), and decided to go there to try something new.  

The first time my friends mentioned this place, I thought it was the same Good Earth restaurant in Manila.  Turned out it was a homegrown Tarlac business.

I remembered the first time I ate here. they only had one menu to pass around.  I'm happy to see they printed out more menus already. hehe


We started with homemade malunggay pesto and crackers.  This  is a good way to insert more malunggay into our diets.  



Mushroom burger.  It tasted like a regular hamburger because I didn't feel the mushroom presence in this.  


We enjoyed their shakes and lemongrass lemonade very much.  The unusual pineapple and basil shake was served in a big glass and was only 50 pesos.  I had the refillable lemongrass lemonade for 60 pesos.  It was a nice way to cool down on a lazy, sunny afternoon while making chikka with a girlfriend. :)


While waiting for the bill I perused their selection of jarred products.  I'm intrigued by their tomato and tuyo sauce and vowed I will try their pasta on my next visit.  They also sell organic lettuce which they grow themselves.  




On a different day, I ordered an appetizer they called Barako sticks.  There was fish, cheese and bits of chili pepper inside.  It was perfectly spicy and cheesy and how could you go wrong with fried lumpia?  We also enjoyed their homemade dressing which they served alongside the fried sticks. 


I liked the sauce for the tomato and tuyo pasta.  Their pasta was cooked in advance so it was a bit mushy but the sauce made of for it.  I would have like it to be served hotter too.  They were generous with the sauce though and the chunks of sour sweet tomatoes were accentuated by the salty fishiness of dried salted fish.  I wouldn't mind eating another plate of this. hehe


This big pitcher of pineapple basil shake costs only 150 pesos, is way healthy and serves 4 people.  Better deal than a Starbucks frapuccino huh? :) 


Anyway, friends who are traversing the McArthur Highway should stop by and get a snack from Good Earth.  Not only do you support a local business, you get to eat healthy, organic, cheap and delicious food to boot. :) 

Good Earth Garden Cafe 
Besa Plaza cor. Panganian St. 
+639197001827

3 comments:

Swice said...

nice review cheska

Swice said...

great review !

Cheska Tan said...

Thanks! Promote Tarlac haha :)