Situated in San Pedro, Laguna is Casa Luisa: a hidden gem of a restaurant serving dishes cooked using French and Filipino techniques.
Casa Luisa in San Pedro, Laguna is not far at all! It was a surprisingly short drive and we got there in no time on a Friday. People seem daunted to take a trip to Laguna but we got to enjoy lunch, including some of their new dishes, getting to San Pedro in less than 40 minutes from Rockwell using the skyway!
Chef Jen Gerodias started making her famously delicious empanada (the French Onion Soup in particular) during the pandemic. It became such a hit that she opened up her family home and partially made it open to the public as a restaurant. She was trained in France and combines French and Filipino techniques to come up with unique food ideas like her French Onion Soup Empanada! Imagine the onions, moist yet drained of soup, with cheese inside a light and flaky crust?
She has other flavors of empanadas also such as Spinach Feta Bacon, Four-mushroom Duxelles (a mince of mushrooms, onions, herbs, and black pepper, sautéed in butter and reduced to a paste) Chorizo Fundido, Ham and Cheese, Beef Rendang, Pizza ala Diavola, and Mango-Sampaguita and White Cheese!
Jen prepared a lovely sampler lunch that started off with a French Onion Soup Empanadita. She served this with a small cup of French Onion Soup so people will be familiar with what really started Casa Luisa! This was a rich 12-hour roasted beef marrow bone broth reduced with red wine into a rich glaze with caramelized onions, thyme, and Gruyere cheeses in a light and flaky butter pastry.
A Fresh Green Salad with Kesong Puti (Fresh Laguna carabao’s milk cheese), fresh greens, local figs from Batangas, prosciutto ham, and flaky butter croutons served with crema de balsamico dressing followed. It was refreshing as it was light and healthy.
One of Jen’s most beloved dishes is her Garlic Butter Crab Palabok – rice noodles tossed in a garlic butter crab sauce, topped with soft cooked eggs, smoked tinapa (fish), lump crab meat, fish roe, fried garlic, and chicharon. This is one of the most ordered dishes for lunch or merienda (afternoon snack). She makes the garlic butter crab sauce the French way by creating bisque for a sauce.
Another dish that utilizes her French-Filipino technique is the Red Snapper Fish Fumet (concentrated stock) Sinigang – Classic French fish stock from red snapper, soured with kamias (bilimbi fruit) and tomatoes served with traditional vegetables and red snapper fish fillet cooked tableside. This is meant to be eaten with fresh alamang guisado (sautéed unfermented small shrimp) and grilled cured Kurobuta pork cheeks.
Another favorite is that delectable Crispy Pork Sisig made from a recipe passed on by their loyal and beloved family employee, Cora Galang.
Something new on the menu is the Free-range Grilled Chicken BBQ – a whole boneless chicken marinated in leeks and lemongrass and grilled over tamarind wood, brushed with homemade banana ketchup BBQ sauce and chicken jus on the side. This is served with various dipping sauces.
Her Beef Rib Bourguignon Caldereta (Filipino stewed beef cooked with tomato sauce and liver spread) also uses the Filipino ingredients of caldereta cooked the French way. Bone in beef short ribs are slow cooked in a rich sauce made with red wine (normally used in Beef Bourguignon), roasted bone broth, tomatoes, liver pâté, ground peanuts, and cheese.
Jen spoils her guests with lots of desserts, including that wonderful Filipino favorite halo halo and other amazing desserts such as panna cotta, chocolate mousse, and mini pies and tarts. Casa Luisa is open for brunch or lunch and merienda cena (a meal taken in the early evening around sunset just before or in place of dinner) only, but dinners can be arranged by reservations only.
Going out of town is worth it but do not go on a Monday when they are closed.
Casa Luisa is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am-2pm for Brunch/Lunch and 2pm -5pm for Merienda Cena. Call +639189631233 for inquiries or reservations.
Photos courtesy of Casa Luisa. Photo of Jen Georias by Pepper Teehankee.
