Best forest mushroom soup

I discovered Cafe by the Ruins in Baguio (Shuntug Street, near the City Hall) when my friend Carlo and his director-friend Floy made me tag along with them for their power breakfast. This was sometime during the late '80s and I had already been in the city for about half a year. However, my eating haunts were limited to Benedict's, Barrio Fiesta, Sizzling Plate, Star Cafe, and Chicken House on Session Road; Rose Bowl on Harrison; and Manila Cafe, where we had unlimited credit. This appetizing clear broth has about four types of mushrooms, crunchy watercress, and soup extracted from a real chicken simmered for hours – not like those awful chockful-o'-MSG broth-cube soups that sadly pass for resturant fare. It also has a pleasant herb-and-butter flavor which could only be described as dreamy.


Unfortunately, they've revised their menu since; most of the dishes have lately not been up to par; and the long wait for seats isn't worth it anymore. This is why I've been desperately trying to make my own version for years.