First on our Baguio Foodie List is Happy Tummy located at Kitchen, this brilliant compound in front of Wright Park which houses foodie restaurants in a cool, organic set-up. I wish we have a similar place in Manila where independent restaurant owners can set up shop.
We actually found Happy Tummy by accident since we had no idea where it was. The boss's son recommended the area when we asked where we could eat lunch at such a late hour. It was serendipity! For a person who hates eating at mainstream places, especially when travelling, this place was like a dream discovery for me. I wanted to try Canto and Green Pepper but they were closed for the afternoon. We arrived for a late lunch at around 2pm and Happy Tummy was the only place still open after the lunch hour.
All the restaurants had an open, hippie vibe. I also loved the tall trees surrounding the area which gives the feeling like everyone's having one big picnic. Ambiance-wise, it's a relaxing place where you can eat and hang out without feeling like you're in a mainstream joint. Of course, Baguio's cool breeze probably helps a lot.
Happy Tummy is a Thai restaurant that serves cheap dishes ranging from Php 150 to Php 250. All the dishes we ordered were good for two to three persons. I'm a sucker for cheap Thai food, which is why Jake and I love eating at Jatujak and Soms. It's also the main reason why I've been nagging him to say yes to a Bangkok trip because I miss eating legit Bangkok street food (that, and riding an elephant again).
We ordered the pad thai for starters. I'm personally not a fan of pad thai and would prefer tom yum as an extra dish but this wasn't too tamarind-y, if you catch my drift. I like my pad thai with lots of egg and hate it when I can taste too much tamarind. Happy Tummy's version managed to balance the flavors that I ended up eating more than I usually do. Not bad for Php 150!
We had two orders for each dish so everyone would get a fair portion. On hindsight, we should have asked for three orders of the catfish with green mango salad (Php 130). Everyone loved it! It was crunchy, had a nice shredded consistency, and the green mango didn't overpower the catfish.
We also had the fish fillet with sweet and sour sauce. This was nothing special for me, but it wasn't bad either. I would have gone for the chicken sate if it weren't for veto power.
We also opted for the beef curry which was very spicy and therefore a winner for me. It also had a strong curry flavor that complemented the vegetables really well. I found myself stabbing at the veggies and mostly ignoring the beef. This is a dish that I can eat alone with rice, or just by itself. It was another cheap dish at Php 150.
I normally hate chicken pandan because I feel that it's too bland. Happy Tummy's version didn't really amaze me. However, the peanut sauce that came with it managed to convince me to eat the chicken just so I won't look like a fool eating peanut sauce with rice. I happily drenched my chicken in the sauce the whole time. Another cheap thrill at Php 150!
Of course, we had the requisite bagoong rice and the crab meat fried rice at Php 150. Both orders were good enough for ten people. If it weren't for my diet, I would have piled on the crab meat rice. I say you can't really go wrong with bagoong rice, but the crab meat was a happy discovery.
My companions tried the Thai iced tea, which I normally hate because of the overpowering sweetness. I went for the tamarind juice. Both were priced at Php 120 a pitcher. The tamarind juice was TOO sweet and I barely drank half before I gave up and asked for water.
All in all, mission accomplished! You made my tummy happy, Happy Tummy!
I also found out that they have a branch in Taguig near Heritage (so much for being an exclusive Baguio foodie find). I have yet to drag the boyfriend there for some requisite cheap Thai food date. I'm more than willing to pig out on Thai food again so I hope they have the same price and quality here in Manila!
And this funny scarecrow!
Happy Tummy
(in front of Wright Park)
Romulo Drive, Baguio City
+63923-8784968
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