How amazing a place is has a lot to do about the people and the food. Those two factors make a big difference in the decision to go back or not. Food has always been a big part of travel for me. It’s either you remember the food or the place, and lately, it’s been the food for me.
When we arrived in Baler, it was past noon. Our tummies were rumbling, and I didn’t have anything in it since we left Manila at around 4:00 am. Ideally, I’d have to eat something in between 8:00am or 9:00am, but I just didn’t fancy eating fast food. I think I’ve got to a point where eating fast food just doesn’t cut it for me anymore.
Of all the places we drove past, it was Charlie Does Cafe that we finally decided to eat. It was quite tough to consider we had a dog with us and that we wanted to eat in a place where we could relax.
Charlie Does Cafe had an alfresco area which was perfect for Buddy, our golden retriever. Inside was sort of divided into the restaurant and a store where everything from surfboards, longboard skates, and surf wax were being sold.
The other side was their counter area, and the menu which was beautifully written in chalk was on the wall of their kitchen. Charlies Does Cafe had a wide variety of food, which I felt was vegan and vegetarian gourmet. They had pizzas, burgers, traditional Pinoy dishes with a vegan twist, and they had coffee too! I needed my daily dose of caffeine.
There were other dishes that my aunt and cousin ordered, but I forgot to take photos of because I was too hungry. I remember they baked their own bread and I loved their pumpkin soup. It was served in a bread bowl, and the bread just tasted crisp on the outside but light and airy when you bite in. It tasted even better when you dipped it into the soup.
When I was satisfied, I went outside to check the surroundings. They had a huge lawn or was it more of a vacant lot? I’m not sure, but when you go around, you will find art on the walls and in places you didn’t think there could be. Also, their comfort rooms are fantastic.
If vegan and vegetarian food were this good, I’d probably forget about eating meat. One thing’s for sure, when I go back to Baler, I’m definitely eating here again.
