Log Cabin

Dianne's Review

I’m not really much of an outdoor person, and this is the reason why going to Sagada has never been on my priority list. But then I heard about Log Cabin. Somehow, the thought of eating authentic French cuisine prepared by a real French chef in a distant mountain was hard to resist. I thus allowed myself to be dragged into a 12-hour road trip fraught with zigzags and bumpy roads.

I wasn’t exactly pleased with how we were initially received at the restaurant. Knowing Log Cabin’s reputation, I had booked a table for ten persons three weeks beforehand through text. I received a reply, and we were advised to confirm our reservation in person on the day of our arrival in Sagada. However, when we got there (it was around 2 pm, which was 5 hours before dinner), we were greeted by a snooty front of the house. He checked his reservation logbook and insisted that we weren’t on the list. He was not even in an appeasing mood; it was as if he was really anxious to turn us away. If I hadn’t known about Log Cabin’s reputation, I would’ve walked out then and there. But I couldn’t accept the fact that we had travelled 12 hours just to be turned away by this caricature of a maitre’d. Fortunately, I had saved the message on my phone, and we were eventually accommodated for dinner.

Dishes of butter placed on the table

The good thing was, the dinner was worth the hassle. The ambiance of the restaurant really lives up to its name. It really is a log cabin, and the interiors are warm and cozy. The rooms are dimly lit by table lamps and sconces, and are adorned by paintings hanging on the walls. Near where we were sitting was a huge wooden china cabinet filled with cutlery and other utensils. Despite our “rush” reservation, we were able to get a long table for ten people, which was decorated with flowers and little bowls of butter. It was near the buffet area, too. At this point, I would like to apologize for the really blurry pictures. I wasn’t able to properly adjust my camera to Log Cabin’s low lighting environment, and I couldn’t wait to consume the wonderful feast before me.

Mulligatawny soup

To start the meal, we had mulligatawny soup, which consisted of chicken, bacon, apples, brown rice and leeks in a rich brown broth. I liked the interplay of sweet and savory in this dish, although it tends to be a little bit greasy when it’s been sitting away from the warmer too long. We were given two choices of bread – one was a wholewheat ham and garlic focaccia, while the other was a three-grain and black sesame seed focaccia. Both were were nice and chewy and went well with the soup. One of them (I can’t remember which one) had a tang to it that reminded me of sourdough, which I enjoyed very much.

An assortment of freshly baked breads

The most memorable dish of the night:
 Cantaloupe sorbet with beef ham

Perhaps the most memorable part of the dinner was the savory sorbet shooter. The sorbet itself is sweet – it’s made of fresh cantaloupe. It’s wonderfully refreshing and tastes as if you froze an entire cantaloupe and turned it into a sorbet. Strips of beef ham are placed on top of the sorbet. Eaten together, the salty, chewy ham complements the cold, sweet, fruity sorbet perfectly. It’s like a revamped version of prosciutto and melon.

There’s plenty in the main courses and side dishes to please both meat lovers and vegetarians alike. There was a salad of fresh Sagada greens tossed in a light vinaigrette, a side dish of sautéed Lombok and mustard greens, and a warm potato salad with eggs and cucumber. You can really taste the freshness of the greens, although the sautéed dish was a little bland. However, it’s great paired with the meats and acts as a buffer to the richness.

One of the main courses was roast pork loin with goat cheese (from Davao) and fresh parsley. The bones from the pork loin were also baked with chili powder as were served as a separate dish. I liked the pork loin and cheese combination, although because of its leanness, it tends to dry out quickly. The bones were well-seasoned, and I enjoyed them more than the actual pork loin. There was also a smoked chicken with eggplant, lemon juice and sweet potato dish. The smokiness of the chicken is quite subtle but adds a nice flavor the meat. 

Pork bones baked with chili powder - really tasty

Roast pork loin stuffed with goat cheese and parsley

Smoked chicken with an assortment of vegetables

Sauteed fresh greens

There was also this bowl of pork skin (almost like very thin strips of chicharon), which is great eaten like a snack. It’s wonderfully crispy and not at all greasy. You can really finish an entire bowl if you don’t stop yourself.

Really sinful crispy pork strips

Finally, dessert was served. First, there was a baked cheesecake with an interesting texture – it was a bit grainy and nutty (I’m not sure what ingredients were responsible for this). This was served with a berry compote (blueberries and strawberries), which was tart and not at all sweet. It’s great eaten together with the cheesecake. As a chocolate lover, the highlight of dessert was the intense chocolate cake. According to the label, the chocolate was Indonesian origin (and it’s probably 72% cacao or something), and the cake was rich, decadent and bittersweet. It would taste great with a strong cup of coffee.

A trio of desserts (from the left clockwise): Cheesecake, Dark Chocolate Cake, Berry Compote

I can’t believe that we only paid P390/person for this feast. The Log Cabin experience is truly a memorable one, and I can’t wait to do it all over again. Next time, I hope they have a more organized reservation system. And Coke Light on the drinks list.