There’s something beautifully intentional about the name Man Apsol.
In Ibaloi, it means “to meet”, and its variation manaspol still carries that same spirit of gathering.
It’s the perfect name for a place rooted not in Baguio, but just beyond its borders in La Trinidad. A town that’s close enough (literally our neighbor) to feel familiar but far enough to carve its own identity.
Man Apsol leans into that.
It’s built for groups, for long conversations, for showing up hungry and leaving somehow fuller than just fed.
For a place that’s only been in business for a year, Man Apsol already feels grounded. Lived-in. Confident without trying. It’s the kind of spot that acts like it’s been here longer than it has because the spirit behind it is older than any trend.
The furniture seals that feeling: warm wood, mismatched pieces that somehow make perfect sense together, chairs that look like they’ve heard a hundred stories already. Nothing feels staged. Everything feels chosen with intention. It’s comfort without pretense, the kind of cozy that makes you sit down, exhale, and forget you were in a rush.😌
This year, they stepped into the Ibagiw Gastro X Art Creative Crawl, and honestly, La Trinidad showing up with this kind of energy? About time!🤩
The fusion of food and art fits the place so naturally, you’d think the Gastro X Art Creative Crawl was designed around them!😄
Speaking of fusion, the food lineup deserves its own slow clap.👏🏻
Man Apsol doesn’t just serve dishes; they play with tradition like it’s a trusted friend.
The Pinikpikan Onion Rings are the kind of idea you side-eye at first, because who would have even thought of doing that in the first place, right? And then immediately after tasting it, you regret every moment of doubt. Chicken cooked pinikpikan-style, tucked inside an onion ring, and deep fried to a crisp. Yes, please! This was delicious, and something I will not forget about anytime soon.🤤
As I’m writing this, I’ve realized that I’ve never had Pinikpikan before this, so this is my introduction to the dish. I just find the whole process of cooking the chicken this way so intimidating, and honestly, I’ve always just thought it was fancy Tinola.😅 I’m wrong, I know that now. Anyone cooking Pinikpikan anytime soon? I’d love to taste the actual dish, so please give me a holler when you do.😄
Anyway, moving on to the Dokto Balls. Mashed sweet potato rolled into soft little orbs and coated in desiccated coconut, the kind of comfort bite you don’t share unless someone physically pries it from your hand.😄 I love sweet potatoes! I can’t get enough of the stuff, and I’ve never had it in this form. I normally don’t like coconut, but on this, it worked. I didn’t mind the coconut at all.😋
Then there was the Crispy Highland Maki. It’s not called that. I just made it up cause I’ve honestly just forgotten what it’s called.😅
It’s a whole personality all on its own; it’s made with Benguet vegetables, and I’d like to say kiniing, but I’m not sure. It’s probably kiniing given the whole theme of the Gastro X Art Creative Crawl.
Anyway, the Benguet vegetables and kiniing were rolled in rice and lettuce, coated in just enough glutinous flour to give the outside that gentle crisp, then topped with Japanese mayo and black sesame seeds because why not lean into the drama, right?😄
And finally, the sleeper hit: Shrimp wrapped in fried, crispy sweet potato leaves and vermicelli, served with a mayo dip that ties everything together. Unfortunately, I’m allergic to shrimp, so I didn’t have any, but O and our friends those inconsiderate bastards had quite a few, so I imagine it probably tasted amazing or whatever.
And then came the coffee, which honestly could’ve been a whole separate experience because wow.🤩
We tried the Iced Maja Latte, and it was exactly what it promised to be: a drinkable Maja Blanca, corn and cheese included, and then infused with coffee. Sounds insane, tastes incredible.
I also tried their Secret Drink because of course, I see the word secret, and I’m like, “what is in it?!”. I loved that this drink lived up to the mystery because I still don’t know what’s in it.😅 They served it with a rosemary-infused smoker and told me to wait a minute before lifting the smoker, the kind of dramatic reveal I will never say no to. The rosemary scent hits you first before the drink itself even gets a chance.
O went for the Iced Yolo Matcha — yoghurt mixed with matcha, surprisingly bright, refreshing, and way better than it has any right to be!
And for something lighter, we both tried their refreshers: I had the Passion Fruit Cascara Cooler, bright and sunny, and O had the Benguet Berry Cascara Cooler, made with the region’s well-loved berries, the kind of blackberries and strawberries La Trinidad wears like a badge of honor, and is known for.
Then the art steps in.
Clinton Aniversario brings some of his paintings to showcase for this event.
In one of his paintings, I was told that he used a syringe to make it, perhaps a subtle nod to his past life as a medical technologist. The pieces from him that I’ve seen pulse with Igorot heritage, but break rules at the same time.
I bet you can see that there’s a lot of text on the photo card of the artwork, the Silent Warrior one, which reads:
Soil’s Silent Warrior Towards his garden’s call
Silent hands, endless harvest
He fights no battle
Yet feeds the village
In silence, he toils
In abundance we live
Like, that is such a good poem, I feel like the title is a poem, but I don’t know for sure, it’s just a feeling.
Christopher Atiwon, the Ifugao woodcarver from Hapao, balances that boldness with something older, deeper. Using the traditional kitikit technique, he lets the wood’s character lead the way. And if you’ve admired the Man Apsol sign by the landing of the stairs, that’s his handiwork.
The space isn’t just hosting art; it’s literally holding it up.
And then there’s SiLan. Her work is the quiet in the room. Nature-driven, meditative, soft without being fragile; the kind of art that pulls you inward while everything else invites you outward.
Together, these artists turn Man Apsol into something more than a restaurant. They make it a crossroads, where La Trinidad’s creativity stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its flavors and its people. Definitely not overshadowed by Baguio, not competing, just existing with its own steady, stubborn pulse.
Man Apsol’s debut in the Ibagiw Gastro X Art Creative Crawl isn’t just a milestone. It’s a declaration. If this is what they’re pulling off in year one, brace yourself for year 5 or when other branches open. Coinciding with this article’s publication, they have recently opened their second location in Brent Road. Proving that places built on heart, craft, and community don’t just feed you, they gather people, spark stories, and send you home changed for the better…
📷: courtesy of O and A of Eats/It's OA
