Nope, Room 601 is not a horror-themed place. It’s not a play on Stephen King’s Room 1408 either. Instead, it’s Baguio City’s first and only high-end VIP bar that offers that prime and luxurious feeling you only see in Quentin Tarantino’s and Martin Scorsese’s mobster movies. Located at Citylight Hotel’s rooftop, the place offers a great view and fresh industrial aesthetics that sure to make anyone indulge in lavish decadence.
Room 601—which opens later this month—is a place that sets itself apart through its classy ambiance and metro vibe. Upon first glance, you wouldn’t think that its a place for hanging out. The big, deceptive blue doors make you think that it’s some kind of a storage room. It’s always closed, with just an elegant plaque saying “Room 601” in front. But once you set foot inside the place, you’re in for a unique bar experience.
For those curious for a deeper meaning behind the name “Room 601,” (like me) you won’t be that surprised. It’s literally room 601—a normal number for a normal hotel room. It’s located on the 6th floor, hence the name.
Now before we go on, I want you to stop and think of a high-end bar in Baguio City.
Yes, there’s absolutely none of them here.
That’s why the Pilipinas Popcorn team was invited over by Room 601’s owner Wrylle Angheng (and repped by Citylight Hotel Bar Manager Ed Pinlac), to try out the initial executive dishes that they will be serving once the menu comes out. And like any other person who’s kind of used to the metro lifestyle, we weren’t disappointed. In fact, our expectations were bested by what Room 601 has to offer.
International fusion dishes by Chef Ailene Carillo
The initial repertoire of dishes was developed by the insanely awesome Chef Ailene. It’s a fusion of Western-Filipino food that’s doubled down to capture the essential taste of the dish partnered with the Filipino flavor. Now, these are not the kind of food that you can get anywhere (well, at least some of them are). It’s meticulously prepared to help you enjoy the high-end feel of the place. After all, you can’t just come up with an executive bar without having the food complement it.
We were served five dishes, each having its own amazing quality. The onion ring tower is an American dish that’s served in a funny stack. Now you might be thinking, “what the hell makes that ‘executive’ or ‘VIP?'” For one thing, this dish comes with the classic ranch dressing matched with a special oil. This oil makes the breading crunchy for a long time, so you won’t have to rush in trying to consume all of it.
The risotto balls are a medley of mushroom risotto and premium Pomodoro sauce. It’s deep-fried very well and comes out looking like a cheeseball. Once you taste it, though, you’ll feel a hefty mix between cheese and rice and mashed potatoes. The sauce makes it all high and mighty, and there’s a certain kind of genuine Italian feel to it as well.
The mini tacos is a unique (and cute) take on the popular Mexican dish. However, it’s expertly matched to the Filipino palate. Mexican food is boosting with tangy flavors (cilantro, oregano) and so this dish is toned down to give us a not-so-strong harmony of flavors. It’s served with carnitas (slow-cooked pork with paprika, cumin, lime and oregano), a dash of sugar and the all-famous Chipotlé ranch dressing. If that in itself can’t convince you of how creative this dish is, you’d have to move to another planet.
The skillet is made up of baked potatoes, pork carnitas twisted to a variation of the Filipino taste as well. It’s a Fil-Mex version of the popular Mexican dish. If you love our very own sisig, you’d love this one too. It also has eggs on top, and the flavors are enhanced by the carnitas.
And now on to my absolute favorite, the summer rolls. Yes, it’s not spring rolls. We don’t have that season here so quit yackin’ and start craving. It has prawns that are poached in wine and has some sort of a tangy flavor. What makes this dish my favorite is how the wine-poached prawns complement the leafy, tangy flavor that you can only taste here in Asia. The peanut sauce is also purely made up of peanuts and a special secret ingredient that makes you want to steal it and end up being locked up in a food coma asylum.
So basically, the initial menu is made up of American, Italian, Mexican (or Fil-Mex), and Asian dishes. I can only imagine what other types of food will be included on it. Once it officially comes out, I’m definitely reserving a place for myself.
Creative alcoholic drinks for the maximum VIP experience
We’ve already established Citylight Hotel’s Room 601 as a place for the classy and elite. I mean, just look at the food offerings, and you’ll understand it well. But you’ve got to hand it to the kitchen and bar staff’s collaborative effort. Because the drinks you’ll be getting are bred from the creative minds of the staff themselves.
Where on Earth have you ever seen a place that offers an alcoholic milkshake?
But before we get to that, let’s have a roundup of their exclusive cocktails first. Sex on the Beach is Room 601’s signature cocktail. It’s a mixture of imported vodka, cranberry juice, orange juice, and peach schnapps. Perfect for imagining a day at the beach while in the comforts of the bar’s expensive leather couch.
Next up is the Long Island Iced Tea which is also a mixture of imported whiskey, rum, tequila, vodka, and gin. It’s a very strong drink (well duh, look at that crazy mixture of liquor) guaranteed to make you woozy right away, so take extra precaution in ordering this if you still want to enjoy the ambiance of the place.
Now here’s where things get a little bit surprising. The bar offers two alcoholic milkshakes—starting off with the Oreo Mud Slide made up of vodka, kahlúa, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sprinkles as garnishing. The Irish Strawberry Shake, on the other hand, is an original Baguio concoction that’s made up of vodka, Bailey’s Irish cream, strawberry cream and milk. These are one of the few things that sets Room 601 apart. I’ve never ever tasted something like this here, especially in my early escapades of bar-hopping and previews restaurant reviews.
That being said, Room 601 also offers expensive selections of imported liquor. You’ve got the Grey Goose Vodka, which clocks in at P18,000-P19,000 per bottle. They also offer a Mariott Hotel-exclusive whiskey that’s only available in three hotels in the world, which makes Room 601 the only place in the Philippines that serves it. The wines range from P1000 and above, while the most expensive hard liquor would be around P18,000 as well.
But the one thing that the staff makes clear is that you get what you pay for. The drinks may be expensive, but the touch of class and exclusivity makes it all the more worthwhile.
Citylight Hotel’s Room 601 is absolutely not the same kind of bar that you’d see anywhere. It aims to cater to the elite, the high and mighty, and the executives. So if you’re sick and tired of the common experience of a hard night out with friends, why not try to tone things down a bit and enjoy a bit of class and exclusivity? Surely, Room 601 will literally satisfy your senses.