Chocolate Lava Cake at Café By The Ruins

After a sumptuous dinner, glutton crew and I headed over to the famous Café by the Ruins to try their much talked about chocolate lava cake. Friends who have tried it have pinky-sworn to its goodness and  the reviews that I've checked have solidified the attestation. I don't know. Hype harbors skepticism in me and intrigue equally.

The area where the restaurant now stands has a fascinating history. During the time when he was still the American Civil Governor of Benguet, Phelps Whitmarsh built a home for him and his Ibaloi wife on the area where the restaurant now stands. The governor's house was destroyed during World War II and the remaining structure (ruins) was later converted into the now famous café.

I love places like this. History and food belongs to my top ten favorite things in life. Put those two words in a establishment's description and my curiosity goes wild!

Café By The Ruins was established by Christine Arvisu along with our national artist, Ben Cabrera (BenCab)  and seven others. The Café is currently under the management of  Christine Arvisu's daughter.

The whole place screams Filipino design ingenuity. Like! It looked like a big bahay-kubo (nipa hut) to me. The high-beam exposed anahaw and bamboo ceiling makes the dining area appear serene and cool. Wood dominates the whole restaurant which makes the place cozy.

They sell a wide variety of delicious breads. Two bites was all it took for me to clean out their Kamote (sweet potato) bread stock for that evening. Good, good, good! I was supposed to give it out as pasalubong (cross my heart and hope to die) but I'm weak. Enough said.

This hot chocolate wonder is worthy to be named after our national hero, Jose Rizal (for those who are still unaware). A velvety smooth cup of pure cocoa mixed with delicious carabao's milk! Intense!

Rizal's Tsokolate-e PhP 120

Now for the big reveal. So, the chocolate lava cake is placed in front of me. I cracked open the side of the cake and all those dark, creamy chocolate filling started to ooze out. I took a spoonful of the cake first sans the ice cream.......Ok, what the hell is this?! Oh dear heavens, what is this? It was so good, I almost cried. I was in a cloud of choco lava cake delirium! 

The cake's warm, extra moist, and dense. The chocolate filling is made from the same special cocoa and carabao's milk that they use for the Rizal Tsokolate-e but sweeter. The vanilla ice cream doesn't overpower the taste of the chocolate lava cake so when you take a spoonful of both, the flavors merge into your mouth perfectly. *sigh* I guess hype's a-ok when it's this good!

Chocolate Lava Cake PhP 180

Here's another shot of that flowing chocolaty goodness 

The chocolate lave cake takes awhile (15 minutes) to be served. If you're not heavily gifted with patience, you might want to order in advance so as to avoid the wait. I can't believe I'm going to type these words while referring to a cake but what the hell, here it goes...it is worth the wait.

Special mention to the wonderful waiters of Café By The Ruins! Thank you for being so courteous, polite, and attentive. Great job guys!

Café By The Ruins

23 Chuntug St., 2600 Baguio City, Philippines

(074)  442-40-10

Facebook: Café By The Ruins

Thanks for viewing! ☺