A Day in Clark

Clark is an urban oasis that connects its people to the peaceful clamor of nature amidst the busy streets and traffic. It’s about an hour and a half drive away from the metro, and is an easy getaway when you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Manila for even just as short as a daytrip. 

View of Porch Coffee from the Parade Grounds

Our first stop was at Porch Coffee: a cozy coffee house in a bungalow with a wraparound porch, true to its name. 

One of the many cafes that surround the Parade Grounds, Porch Coffee offers a variety of dishes and drinks to kickstart your trip in Pampanga. From sandwiches and silog meals to yogurt and coffee, there are enough choices to get you energized for the day. 

Patty Melt (P295) and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (P265)

We tried two types of sandwiches: the Grilled Cheese (P265) which was served with a side of sweet jam to balance out the savory taste of the sandwich, and the Patty Melt (P295), which surprisingly, was our favorite order! The beef was juicy and tender, and the cheese melted perfectly. Though a bit oily, it wasn’t nakakaumay if you’re sharing with someone. 

Porch Latte (P195), Cheeseburger (P295), and Milo Dino (P170)

We also tried the Cheeseburger (P295) but it was a bit dry. If you’re craving for a burger, I’d suggest opting for the Patty Melt instead if you don’t mind losing the veggies from the Cheeseburger. 

We also tried a couple of their drinks. The Porch Latté (P195) was served iced and resembled the taste of chocnut. The Milo Dinosaur (P170) was filled to the brim with Milo powder – hindi tinipid! 

After having breakfast, we headed to the Parade Grounds right across the cafe, and took a long, leisurely stroll. There are many other restaurants and cafes within the area, and it’s nice to take a look around. The only downside: there aren’t many shaded areas along the parade, so it’s best to wear a cap or bring an umbrella if you’re walking during brunch hours.

Spanglish

Along Roxas Highway, we also had a bite at Mexican restaurant Spanglish. Still quite full from breakfast, we only ordered a plate of their Nachos Supreme (P365) to share. It’s concocted with corn nacho chips, cheese sauce, ground beef, pico de gallo, jalapeños, black olives, and sour cream. It was good for 2-3 people to snack on. 

Nachos Supreme (P365)

For a bit of cool air (a.k.a. aircon), we headed to Clark Cityfront Mall which is conveniently located right across SM City Clark. It’s still pretty empty apart from a few stores and stalls here and there, but there are many seats to rest at in the food hall and the cinema area. We stayed at the lounge by the cinema house entrance and got a couple drinks from Brew Bros, right by the theater’s snack bar. 

Matcha Latte (P170) and Butterbeer (P190)

We got the Matcha Latte (P170) served over ice and the ice blended Butterbeer (P190). I wouldn’t really order the Matcha Latte a second time, but the Butterbeer had an interesting taste of a sweet and salty butterscotch blend. Both drinks were refreshing enough to beat the heat!

Art-quarium at Clark Cityfront Mall.

There aren’t a lot of things to do at this new mall, but they do have these cool murals you can walk through before exiting the alfresco area.

Sage by Ardesia’s indoor dining area.

Sage by Ardesia’s alfresco area.

Our last stop was at Sage by Ardesia for dinner. It’s about a 20 minute drive from Cityfront, and has both indoor and alfresco dining areas – we opted for an outdoor table since it was comfortably warm by the nighttime already.

Burrata Salad (P980)

The Burrata Salad (P980) was a sumptuous start to dinner. It had arugula, fresh oranges, cherry tomatoes, cranberries, pecan, and pistachios, if memory serves me right. The burrata was rich and creamy, and the other ingredients did not overpower it at all. I’d go back just to have a taste of this again.

Pistachio Mortadella (P720)

Next to be served was the Pistachio Mortadella (P720). Honestly, it tasted like the cheese pizzas you find in fast food chains (which are still decent!), but for its price, it’s not worth it. There wasn’t really any hint of the pistachios and mortadella when you take a bite.

Lasagna Verde (P785)

We then had Lasagna Verde (P785), made with spinach pasta. The combination of beef and cheese was decadent, but a little too much – about four spoonfuls was enough for me. 

Tiramisu (P380)

We capped off the night with Tiramisu (P380). It didn’t really taste authentic, but they don’t claim it to be: instead of ladyfingers, I think they used some kind of sponge cake, and they could have added a little more mascarpone cheese. It was also topped with a chocolate sauce which made it taste more like chocolate cake than tiramisu, but it was delicious nonetheless. 

Overall, the food wasn’t anything out of the ordinary – just your typical Italian food from any decent restaurant. But the ambiance was sophisticated yet cozy and made up for the whole experience.

Sage by Ardesia is located at Ardesia Resort & Spa, Brgy. Margot, Angeles City, Pampanga.