(L-R: Rache Diaz, Chef Vicky’s Mother, Chef Vicky’s brother Gaby Tinio, Pat and Marivic Silva)
I’ve heard yummy stories about Chef Vicky’s private dining in Baguio from foodies raving about the experience. We met Chef Vicky in Mercato Centrale, with her stall selling her yummy goodies from Baguio, when we first opened in 2010.
She offers an 8-course, French-inspired, strictly-by-reservation private dining in her lovely home in Baguio. She only accepts strictly one group at a time, with a minimum of 6 persons.
There is no menu, so just be prepared to be surprised with the 3-hour, 8-course Degustation Meal.
Awesome Baguio Experience Series:
- BAGUIO’s PANAGBENGA Flower Festival
- MAMA’S TABLE: Chef Vicky Tinio Clemente’s Private Dining
- STRAWBERRY FIELDS Forever…
- BENCAB MUSEUM Experience
- CAFE SABEL @ BenCab Museum
- HILL STATION & Mt. Cloud Bookshop
- HAPPY TUMMY & Wright Park
- Hotel Elizabeth and Bliss Cafe in Baguio
- CAFE BY THE RUINS Breakfast!
- EVE’S GARDEN Organic Lunch
BAGUIO: Your Awesome Journey to Baguio Food Trip (Infographic)
Chef Vicky personally welcomes you into her house.
It is recommended that you arrive before sunset so that you can still see the beautiful view of the garden and the Cordilleras.
One of the things I love about Mama’s Table is that it is one of the most kid-friendly private dining places we’ve visited.
The boys loved roasting their own marshmallows and hotdogs in a functional fireplace. 🙂
Chef Vicky is known for her long board, serving the best of Baguio’s breads, appetizers and her signature dips.
We really enjoyed this unique combination of Chicharon with Smoked Bangus Spread!
It was a bit unusual, but the saltiness and crunchiness of the chicharon complemented the creaminess and smoked flavor of the spread.
Chef Vicky showcased the various types of bread that she loves in Baguio — Basil Bread from Cafe by the Ruins and Sovital by Baguio Country Club (Wheat bread with Raisin and Walnuts) paired with her Herb Garlic spread.
She also served her version of the Artichoke dip with Parmesan and Mozzarella.
Finally, my personal favorite: Nachos with Chef Vicky’s Chili con Carne (which was not too spicy).
She served the boys ahead of time with Monggo Soup, Chicken and Liempo with rice.
The kids have their own degustation, tailor fit to their taste and pacing.
Also, if you have a yaya and a driver, they are served with their own food, too, which is included in the package.
She can accommodate a group of 12-15 at this long dining table.
Their living and dining rooms were nice and homey, with high ceilings and big windows overlooking their beautiful and well-maintained garden.
Appetizer: Caramelized onions on a bed of Shiitake, Button, and Oyster Mushrooms with Gruyere Cheese, Truffled Mustard, served with Anchovied Butter Finger Toast
I was impressed with the first course, which was served in an eggshell. You can scoop it up with a small spoon or you can use it as a dip for the bread. We loved this unique combination that we haven’t tasted anywhere else before.
It was fun to be seated next to JP Alipio with fiancee Candy Reyes, talking about the Cordilleras and planning an exploration trip to Mayoyao Rice Terraces. 🙂
Soup: Squash and Singkamas (Jicama) Soup
The next course was a squash soup with singkamas. It was good but needed to be served a little hotter.
I forgot to take a picture because I was engrossed with building a house made of sofa cushions where the boys can go under (like a small tunnel).
Seafood Course: Salmon on a bed of Shiitake, Button, and Oyster Mushrooms topped with Tobiko with sauteed Shrimps and Mussels
The seafood course was equally awesome with good quality seafood served with the right amount of sauce. I particularly liked the creaminess of the salmon paired with the taste of the fish roe.
Since the boys already finished their meal, they had a lot of energy to have a pillow fight (with the blessing of the hosts, who have a soft heart for kids). 🙂
Intermezzo #1: Seared Scallop on Tabbouleh Salad
The scallops got mixed reviews, but I personally enjoyed the softness of the scallop, which was unusually matched with cucumber, tomato, mint and parsley with lemon juice.
Chef Vicky personally serves guests, with the help of University of Baguio students.
Chef Vicky’s 90-year-old mother joined the group and shared stories with us. Her brother was also fun to talk to, and he was the one who encouraged our boys to play.
Intermezzo #2: Pickled Caper Berry, Cream Goat Cheese, Asparagus, Roasted Beet and Strawberry Sauce with Crushed Hazelnut, Watercress served with rice crackers on the side
This one just blew me away. 🙂
It is best eaten with the rice crackers topped with the different, contrasting flavors of cream cheese, the roasted beet and strawberry sauce, a bit of nuts, and pieces of asparagus and watercress. I loved how the flavors mingled together.
At this point, the kids were still jumping and wrestling with each other. 🙂
Meat Course: Seared and Roasted Tenderloin with Mushroom Red Wine jus, Corn, Zucchini and Mushroom Risotto, served with French Beans and Snow Pea vegetables
The steak took some time to cook, but mine had uncooked portions. Nevertheless, it was still good.
I like how the dishes are not pre-cooked beforehand and just heated. They are cooked just in time to be served on your plate. But it can also be a bit risky if your timing is off.
Digestive: Lola Rosa, Romaine Lettuce with Watercress, Apple, Orange, Walnut and Citrus dressing
According to Chef Vicky, salad is served by the French as a digestive course to aid in digestion and to prepare the stomach for dessert. 🙂 (Ganun ba talaga yon?)
Nothing beats a serving of fresh salad in Baguio. Although, I must admit, this is the first time I had a salad after the main course and before dessert.
It was a pleasure to celebrate Sam Fogg’s birthday during that dinner with his partner Clarisse Eraña, who loved the pavlova dessert.
Dessert: Pavlova with Strawberry, Mango, and Toblerone chocolate sauce
They say the pavlova is the healthiest dessert because it is made from egg whites and fruits (just remove the cream). We loved the crunchiness of the meringue and the freshness of the strawberries from Baguio. Sarap!
Mama’s Table gets our two thumbs up. Highly Recommended! 🙂
Your Baguio foodie trip would not be complete if you don’t get to experience Chef Vicky’s food, warm and kid-friendly hospitality and authentic Baguio Home ambiance.
(Tip: You can bring your own wine with no corkage fee.)
Can you share your own experience at Mama’s Table?
Mama’s Table Private Dining
by Chef Vicky Tinio Clemente
8-course Degustation Meal
P1,500 +10% service charge per head
Strictly by Reservation only with 2 days advance notice
888-A Ambuklao Road, La Trinidad, Benguet
Telephone: +63 (74) 442-1794
Mobile: +63 915 643-8775
Email: VickyClemente@Yahoo.CA (take note of the .CA) and
mamastableph@yahoo.com
Related Blog Posts on Baguio:
BAGUIO: Your Awesome Journey to Baguio Food Trip (Infographic)
Flavors of Baguio: Discover Baguio, One Bite at a Time!
- C BOUTIQUE HOTEL ‘s Flavors of Baguio Food and Heritage Tour
- SOLIBAO: Baguio’s BEST Filipino Restaurant since 1972
- ROSE BOWL: Baguio’s Home-Grown BEST Chinese Food since 1945
- TAM-AWAN: Baguio’s Artist Village by Chanum Foundation
- HILL STATION: The BEST Restaurant in Baguio (Revisited)
Awesome Baguio Experience Series:
- BAGUIO’s PANAGBENGA Flower Festival
- MAMA’S TABLE: Chef Vicky Tinio Clemente’s Private Dining
- STRAWBERRY FIELDS Forever…
- BENCAB MUSEUM Experience
- CAFE SABEL @ BenCab Museum
- HILL STATION & Mt. Cloud Bookshop
- HAPPY TUMMY & Wright Park
- Hotel Elizabeth and Bliss Cafe in Baguio
- CAFE BY THE RUINS Breakfast!
- EVE’S GARDEN Organic Lunch
Awesome Baguio Experience Series II:
- THE CHEF’S HOME in Baguio – A Must Eat!
- OH MY GULAY @ Vocas Artspace, Session Road, Baguio
- FOREST HOUSE Bistro Cafe (Our First Time)
- O’ MAI KHAN Mongolian Barbecue & Hot Pot
- LE CHEF AT THE MANOR @ Camp John Hay, Baguio
- BAGUIO is not Complete Without CHOCO-LATE de BATIROL?
- LE MONET Breakfast Buffet – The Best in Baguio?
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Contact me: anton@diaz.ph 
Full Disclosure: We were personal guests of Chef Vicky, who we met as one of our vendor partners in Mercato Centrale when we first opened last November 2010.
P.S. Here are the directions on how to get to Mama’s Table:
Go to St. Joseph Church in Pacdal on Wright Park Circle. Go around the rotunda, past the Police Station, and turn right on Pacdal Road. This road goes up and becomes Ambuklao Road. Keep going up until you read APTS, which is the landmark that signals you are near already.
You should see the 888A VTC sign, which is before the KM post 254. Turn right up into a red house on a hill. At night, it is a bit hard to see this sign, so it is best to go before the sun sets.
Hi Anton! I loved my meal at Mama’s Table too! http://www.shootfirsteatlater.com/2011/02/mamas-table-by-chef-vicky-tinio.html
I hope there won’t be any kids like yours when we go there.
How cold. @Cathy
@Cathy That’s a very rude thing to say.
Nice feature Anton. Judging from the number of knives, this really looks a long meal with multiple courses. I think it is quite cheap at that price.
Just want to comment on Cathy’s reaction. I think it’s just an honest expression of what she wants during a night out. I mean, personally, I would not want rowdy kids during a nice dinner. I have a 4-year old hyperactive son and I don’t bring him to dining places that are not really meant for having kids – no matter how kid-friendly they are. One reason is I don’t want other diners to be disturbed. Second, I don’t want to worry about my son destroying something.
@Cathy: since it’s private dining, you can opt not to bring kids with you when you plan your party.
Anton, I like to eat my salads the way the French way, which most of the people I know also find strange.
I am sure Cathy and PinoyexExpat are considerate enough not to bring their kids. It’s when other people do that takes away from the adult dining experience.
If you can afford a night out you can afford a baby sitter.
hello anton,
this post bothered me. it bothered me on many levels. as someone who had a year-long stint as a nanny, i think that having the nannies eat separately reeks of segregation. and why on earth bring children to a fine dining event?
ayaw ni st. john baptiste de la salle niyan…
best,
geraldine
p.s. degustation meals are never pre-cooked otherwise they won’t be labelled as such. also, salade is served after the main course to cleanse the palate.
@Geraldine,
There is a reason why it is called Private dining, it means you eat with the people you know only. Also, if you want to eat with the Nanny then that’s your call since this is your own private event.
It is not a restaurant where you eat with people that you don’t know.
@Cathy,
I respect your point of view, that’s why I allowed the comment. We don’t eat in places that are not kids friendly and with people who don’t like kids as part of the dining experience.
Anton
Agree with Cathy.
I think its important that kids, even though they are in a “kid-friendly” place still be required to behave.
Its a sign of respect to the other people in the place. And the owner!
Even if you can bring kids, it doesn’t mean that you can just let them be. Adults should always be responsible for their children.
Respect and consideration for others should always be present.
we have different tastes and different strategies in traveling and dining. when it comes to bringing kids, there are a few places that allow kids that is why they are called child-friendly, meaning the place is safe for kids even at minimum supervision. mama’s place would not sacrifice the dining experience with guests focused on the kids. and we know our kids best, if we know we can manage them in a private home, then there would be no problem bringing them. that would be a family-friendly dining experience. unfortunately, our present definition of fine dining does not include children.
anyway, mama’s table only caters to one group at a time. there would be no other “kids” there except your kids if you bring them.