It’s still my birthday month, and as I have mentioned in my previous post, I will feature restaurants where you can celebrate important events. It’s one day after my son’s birthday, so technically, we had his post-birthday celebration last Saturday. This is one of my unforgettable trips because I was able to bond with my family in a not so distant place from ours and savor the beauty of nature.
LOCATION
This hidden gem is already part of Baras, Rizal (though the address in Google is Antipolo).  Park, Rest & Dine Restaurant is a place where you can park your vehicle and taste delightsome”lutong bahay” food. Being at the place made me feel more relaxed, and for that particular moment, I had peace of mind. Temporarily, I forgot about all the negative things I had in my mind and felt secured and relieved.
WHY PARK, REST & DINE?
I was curious about the title– how they come up with such name, and it’s a good thing that the owners were very accommodating. However, they were swamped at the time we visited.
We were able to have a short chitchat with the owners Ms. Melody and Sir Romano Syaman, and asked about the concept of the place. They lived in New York for ten years, and during their stay in the United States, they would often see the sign “Park, Rest and Dine.” and from there, they got an idea of what to name their restaurant. It is for travelers who would like to park for a while, check-in a room, or dine for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Initially, when they started in 2013, they had two rooms available for rent. Still, they decided not to offer the rooms anymore because they have a limited supply of water. They opted to focus on the restaurant.
While waiting for them to cook the food, we explored the place outside. We didn’t even notice that 20 minutes have already passed.
THE RESTAURANT
You will feel at home when you enter. In essence, the typical wooden furniture, sofas, modern lighting, and native decors will set your mood to relax and enjoy.
Park, Rest & Dine is a 12-hectare property. They can accommodate more customers because they still have more tables with an umbrella outside. Yet, according to Ms. Melody, they are just providing small groups. Inside the restaurant, seating capacity is 20-25 pax. The entrance can accommodate ten pax and the veranda for another 20 pax.
 Park, Rest & Dine is open from 7 am to 5 pm. Though they close that early, they are accessible for walk-in customers who would like to dine for dinner. You can also call their Globe number for reservations (0926- 0560103). They are open from Sunday to Saturday and even holidays.
The restaurant is just for families and barkadas. They do not sell alcoholic beverages because they do not want to deal with drunk customers, and they want to preserve the cleanliness of the place and maintain their wholesome image.
THE FOOD
These are some of the bestsellers that we have tried. For the starter, we were served with a bowl of Sinigang sa Sugpo. Not only the adults loved it, but the kids as well.
Chicken is one of my favorites, and I was delighted that we were served with this dish. That made it even better because it was served with half-cooked veggies (very good for health-conscious eaters).
This is an all-time favorite especially during parties. What made it more special is the pork and veggies.
The Tanigue Steak is one of their bestsellers because of its taste. This is made of fried fish steaks cooked in soy sauce, topped with white onions and red bell pepper.
This soup is made of beef, cabbage and potatoes. This is a hit for the adults but the kids prefer Sinigang sa Sugpo.
This is what I will remember about Park, Rest & Dine– I had the best and most delicious pancakes here! Their pancakes are quite big and thick and they come with scrambled eggs and sliced hotdogs.
Here at Park, Rest and Dine, you can have unlimited brewed coffee for only P60. Yes, you read it right! So for coffee lovers, this is surely something you won’t like to miss.
If you would like to have a unique dining experience, go out with your family or barkada and give this a try!
Marikina-Infanta Hi-Way, San Jose, Upper Antipolo
Mobile:Â 0926-0560103
