Lihim Ni Maria in Baguio City: Inquisitive Filipino Food by Artisan Chef Dyna Gonzales

Tucked away from the busy streets of Session Road is Lihim ni Maria — one of Baguio City’s culinary gems that expresses what creative Filipino cuisine looks, feels, and tastes like. Everything on the menu is a fusion of the Philippines’ best locally sourced ingredients crafted by inquisitive artisan chef, Dyna Gonzales. When asked to describe what she does in the kitchen, she simply says, “You’re an artist through the plate, you paint through it. You make melody through the food.”

Chef Dyna is curious about food simply because she is a mom. Her kids are the reason she cooks. At first, she did not have the initiative to set up a cafe and restaurant, but she did anyway and “it’s all for the kids.” She loves experimenting and coming up with new twists on recipes, being naturally resourceful. She cooks dishes with whatever ingredients there are to work with and has been doing so for about eight years now, six years at Lihim ni Maria.

As a lady chef, she is passionate about discovering unique ways to give her own twist on certified classic dishes inspired by the question, “Bakit hindi?” (Why not?)  Asking this question when whipping up recipes has resulted in a number of bestsellers like Ube Champorado, Ube Pasta, Kesong Puti Sandwich, Gabi Ice Cream, Rose Petal Ice Cream, and Putobungbong Cheesecake, among others. Innovation is key in the culinary world, and that is the very thing that fires up her passion.

Chef Dyna Gonzales: Putting Filipino Ingredients in the Spotlight

Naming her restaurant “Lihim ni Maria” is not random at all. “Maria” is sort of like a code that every Filipino knows. Not only is this one of the most common names in the country, but it is also one of the most relatable names at that. Anyone who knows what being Filipino means can certainly say, “Oh, I know Maria.” This is the sentiment behind Lihim ni Maria — that everything in this cultural hashery showcases nothing but the best of Filipino ingredients in every item on Chef Dyna’s menu.

“Ang mga Pilipino mahilig kumopya when in fact, you can make your own recipe. How will you market your own products if you patronize (the products of) other countries? Madami ipagyayabang na food ng Pinoy,” Chef Dyna expresses. This is why she is very particular with putting Filipino ingredients out there, in the spotlight, especially those from Baguio and the Cordilleras. At Lihim ni Maria, the food is made with freshest, all-natural ingredients. They do not use preservatives at all.

Lihim ni Maria: A Fusion of Italian, Mediterranean, Asian Cuisine, Made Familiar through the Filipino Sense of Taste

Perhaps one of the most creative and authentic of Filipino dishes Lihim ni Maria is known for is their Ube Champorado. The main ingredients are, of course, ube and some limited heirloom red rice from Kalinga that is loved for its chewy and chunky texture. It also has some kasuy that gives that nutty taste. This is great as a day-starter or during days when you are craving some Filipino comfort food.

Chef Dyna decided to make ube champorado because, “Well, why not?” she once again asks. “Don’t we get tired of chocolate champorado?” (This, dear friends, is only the tip of the iceberg as to how Chef Dyna thinks about food and recipes.) On a side note, ube is one of Chef Dyna’s favorite ingredient. Aside from the color and taste, ube is a versatile ingredient. It can be turned into a dessert a savory dish.

Next up is their Kesong Puti Sandwich. The queen of this dessert is the homemade, all-natural Kesong Puti Ice Cream. This sandwich will definitely leave you feeling all giddy like a kid again because once served, you will get a kick out of the scoops of Kesong Puti Ice Cream sitting comfortably on some Pinoy bread and drizzled with a salted caramel sauce. It is such a treat!

The ice cream is handmade using fresh dairy products from the Baguio Dairy Farm. Chef Dyna’s 6 cubic feet fridge is filled with this. One other thing that is special about this ice cream is that she makes them without using an ice cream maker. So, when she makes her ice cream, she mixes it by hand every two hours. She also prefers small-scale ice cream preparation because if you attempt to make ice cream in larger batches, the taste is compromised.

Chef Dyna comes up with some pretty unique ice cream flavors, too. Her Kiniing Ice Cream, for example, won in the Baguio Gong Festival. Other flavors she makes include Gabi Ice Cream, Rose Petal Ice Cream, and Adobo Flakes Ice Cream because, again, she thinks “Why not? What would Adobo taste like as a dessert?”

Lihim ni Maria’s Putobungbong Cheesecake is another culinary wonder. It has muscovado sugar, ube, butter, and glutinous rice. Now, normally, putobungbong is served hot. Yet again, Chef asks, “What if we serve it cold? Ano kaya ang lasa niya?” And voila– Putobungbong Cheesecake!

Similar to that are her desserts Avocado Cheesecake Tapioca and Mango Cheesecake Tapioca. These sweet delights use Kesong Puti ice cream and some vegetable cream that has no added seasoning. The sweetener used here is coconut sugar. The “cheesecake” in these desserts is the foamy element of the dish having Kesong Puti ice cream as its base. This base also called “cheesecake foam.”

Heading over to main dishes, we start with the Walnut Pesto with Tinapa. Its flavors are balanced and are made refreshing with some freshly chopped herbs. Chef Dyna loves pasta and has taught pasta making in local communities. Being one of her most favorite things to make, she experimented quite a lot. Among her unfamiliar yet intriguing pasta variations are gabi pasta, red beet pasta, ube pasta, and rose pasta.

Their Chicken Parmigiana, on the other hand, packs a punch as a 5-flavor dish. In one bite, you get that spicy, sweet, and sour taste that is full of flavor. Another chicken dish is “Maria’s Chicken,” better known as “Chicks ni Mario.” This is Lihim ni Maria’s version of fried chicken and mushroom sauce.

Moving over to something that almost all Filipino homes love is sinigang. Chef Dyna took it a notch higher and created a dish she calls Sinigang Glaze Ribs. It is deconstructed sinigang with roasted peppers, onion leeks, and the tangy tamarind glaze. Natural reduced sampaloc was used for this glaze and once sprinkled onto the ribs, you get a fiesta in your mouth.

Lihim ni Maria also has its famous beverages. First is their Ube Latte. It is subtly sweet, creamy and light all at the same time, which is best enjoyed for brunch, on a lazy afternoon or a rainy day. Finally, is the healthy drink, Green Life. This beverage is made with all the good stuff, six to be exact. For sure, you have basil, lemon and cucumber in there but of course, the other things they put in their are trade secrets. Green Life has been featured by Vicky Morales because of its health benefits and its vibrant taste.

With all these dishes, we have a pretty good idea as to how much Chef Dyna loves cooking. At one time she said, “As someone who eats, you will feel if the passion of the one who cooks is to earn or to cook. Ako, ginagawa ko ang passion ko. I get inspiration from ordinary things. Whenever something pops up, I make it different. If it is usual or normal, I look for something more.” It is this very reason why Lihim ni Maria has been featured many times by various national television shows and hosts like Byahe ni Drew, Taste Buddies, TV Patrol, Vicky Morales. We can expect that more will be added to that list, that’s for sure.

So, from the early times she started making pasta, to her most-featured creative dishes today, Lihim ni Maria has made a name for itself as an artist cafe for vegetarian, non-vegetarian, Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian Food with a touch of the Filipino and Filipino art. Definitely, all original and authentic in taste. In 10 years, she sees herself ready for franchising in order to expand. According to her, “it is the best way to promote the Filipino in Baguio.”

To satisfy your Filipino cravings, visit Lihim ni Maria at the Samson Building, Upper Session Road, Baguio City. You may also visit their Facebook page, Lihim Ni Maria.