The Farm at San Benito

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August 20, 2005 Saturday

The Farm at San Benito

A friend texted me saying I should save the weekend for a pleasant surprise. Hmmm...I like surprises.

I was taken to Batangas to an area I was totally unfamiliar with. It felt so remote and rural. However, upon entering the guarded gate, it seemed like a whole new manicured world emanated from out of nowhere. Everything looked...well, for lack of a better word, perfect...in fact, too perfect. Attention to details was everywhere. Landscape architecture was impeccable. Appointments were totally tasteful and polished. Attendant help was polite, courteous and automated. The whole place must have been doused with antiseptic. Everything looked, for a man of meager means like me, expensive - as in, prices are quoted in US$ . Welcome. I was inside The Farm at San Benito. Even the name of the place seemed like a title for a macabre movie.

According to their brochure,

The Farm at San Benito is one of the few truly medical spas or alternative medical health resorts in the world. The Farm therapies through detoxification and includes the whole person, body, mind and soul � so to speak � because when one hurts, all suffer. Reinstall harmony, balance and improved lifestyle through rejuvenation and relaxation into a persons life and you are likely to see disease disappear.

85/15 Gourmet Cuisine Restaurant
Okay, enough about the place. I'm here to talk about food.
The Farm extends its wholistic philosophy by subscribing to the idea that true nutrition only comes from �living� food. The name represents the ratio of raw food to cooked food - 85:15. Raw food contain enzymes that cooked foods do not.

Chef Felix was able to 'hone his already considerable talents at a number of 5-star establishments in Germany, Belgium, France and Switzerland. All these hotels and restaurants had been awarded 2 and 3 Guide Michelin Stars. Two are classified as among the 10 best restaurants in the World.'

The Full Course Meal
Cucumber canapés with Mediterranean cheese
Creamy celery soup with basil and green juice
Moroccan eggplant salad with yogurt sauce
Herb crusted tofu with mashed sweet potatoes, green asparagus and mushroom sauce
Live falafel with bell pepper hummus
Chocolate tiramisu with seasonal fruits

Ending Thoughts
The restaurant has 3 objectives and I believe they have all been achieved:

to satisfy your eyes - you've seen the pictures
to educate about the benefits of eating a plant-based, primarily raw-food diet - this is interesting. The resident doctor (while giving us a live blood analysis) explained that raw food contains more enzymes and nutrients that sustain the body's need for a longer time. I found this to be surprisingly true. The portions I ate wasn't that much. I knew I'll be hungry again after 3 hours. I wasn't...until the next meal. Raw food held its own.
to prove that eating for health need never be boring - no argument on this one. Food wasn't only appetizing and nutritious, it was GOOD!

--- TheLoneRider