Biyaherong Barat

Tagaytay City’s fame as one of the country’s most popular destination came with a number of establishments ranging from hotels to restaurants. Fast food chains, diners, and coffee shops found in Manila also added an urban flavor as an alternative to the local Bulalo dish. An addition to the wide variety of food options in Cavite’s high altitude tourist spot is Manos Greek Taverna.

Mediterranean cuisine restaurant, Manos Greek Taverna, is located along Calamba-Tagaytay Road (Tagaytay’s main road) a few hundred meters from the roundabout. It’s noticeably white and blue themed facade captures the eye of passers by and invites them to have a taste of authentic Mediterranean cuisine.

Manos Greek Taverna facade.

Inside, visitors are greeted with a touch of the Aegean with its blue and white interiors delighting its customers with a Greek ambiance as they eat. Tables are wrapped with blue picnic checkered cloth while  pictures of tourist destinations and a map of  Greece hung by the wall.

Checkered picnic cloths.

Blue and white theme dining hall.

Empty bottles of wine adding accent to the restaurant’s ambiance.

Manos Greek Taverna is a full service restaurant which serves all courses from appetizers to desserts. Names of dishes are written in Greek fortunately they have translated those name in layman’s terms. According to owner Manos Sapountzakis, ingredients are imported from Greece which creates the authentic Mediterranean kick.

On my two visits, I tried different dishes but I’d surely get a Mousaka every time. Mousaka is like lasagna but instead of using pasta, sauteed eggplant and tomato layered with beef, topped with white sauce then baked. For appetizer, we had pita bread and dipped into Tzatziki, which is yoghurt mixed with garlic and olive oil. Lamb Gyro is similar with shawarma but Tzatziki was used as sauce instead of the regular white Shawarma sauce.

Mousaka (P300.00 good for 2 persons)

Pita Bread dipped into Tzatziki (P130.00)

Lamb Gyros (P130.00)

For the main course, I had a hefty serving of Beftekia Scaras, or Greek Beef Patties, with plain rice, fries and vegetables. I researched the Beef Patty recipe and found out that bread soaked in milk are used as fillers instead of using radish or sweet potatoes. I’d love to make a patty of my own and probably write about it.

The Grilled Chicken is a quarter leg chicken flavored with olive oil, vinegar, and oregano. In Greek, it’s called Kofoupolo Scaras, but I was unlucky to have no search results in Google.

Grilled Beef Patty served with rice, fries, and mixed vegetables (P280.00)

Grilled Chicken also served with rice, fries, and mixed vegetables (P325.00)

Many may have passed by,  seen,  and captured attentions but, like me,  was afraid to try Manos Greek Taverna. A friend actually recommended the place before I tried it.  So far, the dishes that I’ve tried haven’t failed me though I am not a person who is hard to please, as long as it taste good for me, price is reasonable, that’s good food.

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Now here are some fast facts that may help you in your trip:

1. A complete list of .

2. Aside from the restaurant, they also have a hotel. Read more in .

3. Tagaytay can be reached from Manila via buses coming from Buendia corner Taft Avenue (JAM Transit) and from Pasay/Taft Avenue area (BLTB Bus & Crow Transit). Buses are bound for Nasugbu and passes Tagaytay. You can ask the conductor to drop you off at the Tagaytay Rotunda. From there I think its a short 5-minute walk.

4. Try calling JAM Terminal and ask for route and schedule. Here are some numbers, I’m not sure if its in either Pasay, Buendia, or QC: (+632)9247712
(+632)9251758
(+632)5414409
(+632)8314390
(+632)8318264.

5. Budget in Manos Greek Taverna for 2 persons would cost more or less than P1,000.00 only.

6. On some occasion, the Manos restaurant gets quite filled and parking space is limited though some vehicles may park along the road.

7. Last time I ate in Manos was in 2010 but I updated the price and provided a linked to

8. Please on Facebook.

9. Enjoy your meals and have a safe trip. More photos on Facebook.