“What is the most daring thing you’ve done,” I asked my single girl friend yesterday as we were driving to Tagaytay. She couldn’t think of anything, except for perhaps driving to Subic or Baguio alone after work. She asked me what I had done, and I said, cliff jumping at Tali a year ago. The conversation went around to what we couldn’t do, and I confided, “I never eat alone in public if I can help it.” My friend could not believe what I had just said, as eating alone in public was something very ordinary to her. “Are you afraid of being picked up?” she asked, “or that people will think no one wants to be with you?”

This got me thinking about the whole situation. I’ve always been around people all my life. From when I was young, meal times were family bonding events. We had to eat together; that was the house rule, and I carried this over to my household. Every meal was an opportunity to keep abreast of what was happening in each other’s life, to share stories, to discuss or sometimes to debate important issues, and to give thanks to God for our many blessings.

Eating alone in public was thus anathema to me. It was just too sad to eat without anyone to talk to or share the meal with, and so I would rather not eat. When I got truly ravenous especially when I was traveling alone for work, I would order room service and then turn on the television as I ate.

Alone in the house over the weekend except for Bugsy, I decided to call my friend and ask her out to dinner. She agreed to have lunch on Sunday instead. She was test-driving a car, and asked if I was willing to drive anywhere for lunch. I agreed, ready for an adventure. Her first suggestion was Baguio, but then it was raining pretty badly, and so we settled on Tagaytay. Searching for a place to eat, she asked me to look up Chateau Hestia on Wayz. After a few false starts, we finally found the place.

Hidden away in the back roads of Tagaytay, Chateau Hestia Garden Restaurant and Deli is a gem of a hideaway, a quaint bed-and-breakfast with a charming garden restaurant. Lush green foliage greeted us as we entered the driveway. A stone-paved trellis pathway led to the restaurant. Shaking off the droplets of rain water, we entered the warm and cosy restaurant.

To the left was a bright deli with European sausages, cheeses and breads for sale. They also had local handicraft made by indigenous people for sale. To the right was the dining area, and being quite hungry at this point, we made straight for it.

We were surprised to see several tables still full with guests despite the fact that it was way past the lunch hour. Settling down, we were greeted warmly by Len who took our order.  The warm bread they served was most welcome to the hungry pair we were.   The whimsical teddy bear ice cubes were a big hit. Their pizza Margarita was one of the best I’ve tasted, and the shot of their homemade limoncello was simply divine! I liked it so much that I bought a bottle to take home.

Ever so curious, I looked around the restaurant, filled with sturdy wooden furniture, bottles of varying sizes and shapes, old magazines, and knickknacks seemingly collected during the owner’s travels. I spied an antique cash register in the corner which I longed to touch, but a sign held me off. Lining the walls were paintings of such vibrant and happy colors they caught my eye immediately.  I learned that these artwork were done by Sandra Colis, a 23-year old wheelchair-bound artist who used her mouth to paint. What an inspiration that there are people like Sandra who do not let their handicap deter them from achieving their dreams! This put me to shame when I think of all the times I worried and focused on what I cannot do, rather than on what I can.

I discovered that Chateau Hestia also has a dining area upstairs which can sit a hundred people. We didn’t have time to check out the rooms, but I filed this away for when I need a venue for events.

Wondering where the name Hestia came from, I googled it and learned that Hestia, according to Greek mythology, was the virgin goddess of the hearth and home, who presided over the baking of bread and the preparation of the family meal. What an apt name for such a homey place!

Myth says she was the first born child of Kronos and Rhea, Titans of the old world. Kronos swallowed Hestia and her five siblings at birth, but was forced by Zeus, the king of the gods, to disgorge her and her siblings. Since she was the first to be swallowed, she was the last to be disgorged, earning her the title of eldest and youngest of the six Kronides. First in, last out. Apparently, she was quite the beauty as both Apollo and Poseidon wanted to marry her, but she refused and instead asked Zeus to let her remain an eternal virgin.

I definitely will be return to Chateau Hestia to sample their interesting European menu, and perhaps next time, take my friend’s challenge to eat in public alone. I promised her an Instagram when that momentous event happens.