ugu bigyan pottery

after less than an hour road trip from los baños is this laid back town of tiaong in quezon province. we have frequented the place very often during our trips going to san juan batangas. it was only recently when i learned about the place from a high school classmate who frequents the place especially during the sale period (which is the owner's birthday). i googled the place and sure enough, i read good reviews of the place. so, this year, instead of haggling myself to cook for our valentine celebration at home or looking for a place to have a good meal with the family, i finally hit the jackpot. it is best to make a reservation. the number is available on their FB page.the place is so relaxing. it is ok to arrive ahead of your reserved time since you can spend this time to wander around the place and check the clay items for sale.

The place is inviting...from the entrance to the garden. It took us 2hrs traveling on a Saturday-early-morning, we arrived at around 10:30AM and the place was empty. No one greeted us at the gate, we didn't know what to do, should we go around already or check the gallery...if only they have like a reception area :)When we were in their gallery, I was only looking for one mug, the 'funny-face mug' but they said it's only seasonal (October-December) sad :(The food was superb! I love the kulawo and the fern-salad! It was like a feast hehe - too many for the two of us. We paid Php700 each for the complete meal (from salad-soup-main-dessert + pitcher of fresh buko juice) - by the way, they do not accept walk-in customers, make sure to make your reservation prior to visiting the place. We will definitely go back - to buy my 'funny-face-mug' :DI found this site very helpful esp the direction to the Pottery:http://websushidesign.com/blog/2013/03/23/ugu-bigyans-pottery-garden-and-restaurant-tiaong-quezon/Address/Contact details:490 Alvarez Village. Brgy Lusacan, 4325 Tiaong, QuezonTel: (042) 545-9144 / (042) 545-8689

This is my favorite, most accessible getaway place from the city---about 2.5 hours from Manila, with traffic time imputed. Here I get the best of both worlds---shopping and dining. Ugu makes such uniquely Filipino pottery---plates in the shape of banana leaves, gabi (taro) leaves, jars/vases with twigs as handles, etc. He also cooks the most delicious traditional fare. Not to be missed are the paco (fern) salad and the kulawo (smoky-flavored banana heart in coconut cream).The best thing of all is that you dine in a lush, tropical garden. No aircondition, no loud mall sounds. It's really back to nature without having to rough it.

Finally made here when a balikbayan friend came for a holiday. Place is quaint and traditionally Filipino with nice touches of the pottery items all over the place. Food is home cooked by Ugu and delicious. Cost of the food is reasonable. Nice that Ugu goes around to personally check that all is well with his guests.

Brought my mom here for Mother's Day. I made a reservation a day before and was so glad we were accommodated. Finding the place was a bit of a challenge. There were no road signs leading to it. Note that it's not a commercial restaurant; it's a charming home of a known Filipino potter who happens to also cook good food. We got lost but eventually found our way, and it was all worth it. All our food was prepared personally by the artist/potter himself, Ugu Bigyan. The lunch rate was fixed at 600 per head (complete set). Price was very reasonable, considering the ambiance and all the dishes being served. Plus, we got to chat with Ugu himself and see his creative work. What stood out from all the dishes for me was the "Kulawo"! It's a must-try for every new visitor.I thought it was the perfect place to dine on such a special day. My mom loved the place so much! She said we have to take the Balikbayans there some time. It gives you that vibe!

Aside from the beautiful display of charms,chimes,and fountains, experience good food especially prepared and cooked by Ugu himself. Delicious food, nice ambiance. Good for dates, family lunch out, and small wedding venue.

1st day of June --- is summer officially over? Before the torrential rains come pouring, we want to make the most out of the dry season. One more road trip, but this time with a mission. I wanted to see and experience the much talked about Ugu Bigyan dishes. I heard that he does all the cooking himself. You need to make a reservation to have a meal -- they are dead serious about not accepting walk-ins (which I often do), and Ugu will only cook if he gets at least 10 confirmed diners. So if you have less than 10 in your traveling group and there are no other diners who booked on the same day, you will have to pay for the minimum of 10, even when you have less than 10 in your group. Today, we were 7 in our group and we were lucky to have coincidentally booked along with 70 other guests, so we only paid for the 7 pax in our group. The price is P600 per pax -- a bit pricey but truly worth it. The place was really very pleasant and well maintained. There are many pocket areas for semi al fresco dining. "Semi" because the dining areas have roofs but no walls--btw, is the plural form "rooves" still acceptable? Every area has its own charm. There is a store for the products made by Ugu and other artisans. In every nook and cranny of the property, from floor to ceiling of the structures, you will find something interesting -- the wind chimes, the floor patterns, the walls, the wall hangings, the furniture, everything!! You can sense the artist’s passion and obsession for perfection in his work. The stories behind the process in crafting those intricate details will help you understand why these products cost more than average. Then there's the food!! The passion was obviously extended into the creation of these dishes: consomme with ground chicken and pork, kulawo or a banana heart dish cooked in coconut milk (a friend considers Ugu's kulawo the best she's had so far), then the paco fern salad, the shelled tahong (mussels) with pechay (leafy cabbage similar to bokchoy), large shrimps, very tender pork ribs, chicken in oyster-like sauce, fried talakitok fish with mango salsa, and ginumis (shaved ice and tapioca with coconut milk and pinipig [rice crisps]) for dessert. Even the rice tasted great and it was only sinandomeng (its an average kind of rice)! Humidity these days (May to June) is high so you might want to request for a fan while you dine. Buko juice in a punch bowl was for self-service from one of the console tables. We were not able to finish everything, so we had them bagged for take home. We were pleasantly surprised upon seeing the take home bag -- a cute bayong (native shopping bag made from a mat of dried leaves) --- thumbs up for that nice touch. You can also order barako coffee and they will serve it in a french press. They recently added two large vacation bedrooms that they will be renting out soon. I highly recommend that you add this to your itinerary if you will be in the San Pablo, Laguna area. Instead of the lunch at the Pandin Lake, I suggest lunch at Ugu's after you take the balsa ride on Lake Pandin (although lunch at Pandin Lake could also be a unique experience for some, and it's cheap at P160). For pasalubong, when you happen to see Pantoja baked products being sold along the way, get some of their yema cake -- I swear, it's the best I have tried so far (and believe me, I have tried many). I'm not sure if they sell this cake in the Metro Manila branches of Pantoja.

It was dream come true meeting Mr.Ugu Bigyan, a potter that defies convention.The Quality of his products is high, the ones that would not easily crack or break. He managed to accomodate us personally. Very simple and i was humbled by his deeds. He is such a genius, decades of craftmanship, an artist par Excellance. His crafts are a bit pricey but worth every penny. For first timers, it has no signages or directions going there but its just approximately 50meters from the National highway and he is known. His place is his residence cum farm cum display showrooms cum asian villas. It is also a culinary destination for those who love to taste good food, fresh veggies, and something that is different. Reservations to dine in can be arranged before hand if a group intends to stay longer at the cite for php600. No walk ins can order right then and there. Keep it up!