Krua Thai (Authentic Thai Cuisine)

By Bert Mendoza

When you talk about authentic Thai cuisine, the first thing that comes to your mind is Krua Thai. Probably one of the most famous Thai restaurants not only here in Cebu but all throughout the Philippines. This restaurant has so many branches. Here in Cebu, you can see Krua Thai almost everywhere. It has a branch at SM City Cebu, Banilad Town Center and at the Mactan Marina Mall. The mushrooming of so many Krua Thai branches here in Cebu is a proof of its success in the culinary industry.

What sets them apart from all the other Oriental restaurants here in Cebu City is the price of their foods. They are of high standards but yet very affordable and ordinary people can dine here anytime just like dining in a fast food chain. You will not have to be surprised when you look at their menu because the foods listed there are affordable and familiar. The taste of their foods is similar to the taste of Filipino dishes except for the spices. Thai foods have more spices than Filipino foods. The restaurant ambiance is classy and yet very comfortable and will easily make you feel at home.

Their staff is also very friendly and warm. Upon entering the restaurant’s premises, you will be greeted by their staff with the word, “Sawadee”. This is a Thai word, which means welcome. You will truly feel welcome inside because you will see the kind of customers who are dining there and you could easily identify yourself with them. Traditional Thai decorations adorn the restaurant’s façade. They are very colorful and nice to look at. It will remind you of Thai temples. I like their umbrellas, which are hung on the ceiling. I like those in their Banilad Town Center branch. These umbrellas are very colorful and their designs are very unique. It is also a work of art.

Among their menus, I would like to mention my favorite “bagoong rice.” It is already a meal by itself. You do not have to order more food if you will order this menu. Indulge yourself also with their “Pandan Chicken.” It is deep fried and cooked just right for your discriminating taste. Their seafood rice is also very delicious. For your dessert, you can choose from a wide variety of choices. They serve fruits, cakes and ice cream. You will really enjoy every minute of your stay at Krua Thai. I am sure that your stay there won’t be your last.

Tin Gow Chinese Restaurant

By Bert Mendoza

When you talk about “siopao”, “siomai”, or steamed rice, they are Chinese foods that are the most common and affordable. Almost all restaurants in the malls have these food in their menus. No wonder, they are also very famous and well liked. There is this one restaurant at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, which serves Chinese food that are cooked with mastery and great style. I am talking about Tin Gow. The Chinese restaurant, which caters to mostly the rich and can-afford guests of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. If you are the type of customer, who is particular of good service and nice ambiance, then this is the place for you to go. They also have private rooms if you want exclusiveness because of some confidential topics to discuss.

Upon entering the restaurant’s premises, you will be greeted by their friendly and accommodating staff in traditional Chinese costumes. You can also hear Chinese music in the background, which can make you feel more relaxed. Hearing this music and seeing their staff in their colorful costumes will make you feel that you are inside China’s best restaurants. The dominant color of the restaurant is red, which is also a very important color in Chinese culture. Images of dragons and other Chinese characters are also predominant inside the restaurant’s premises. You can’t wait until the first menu you have ordered is served.

I like their shark’s fin soup. The best I have tasted so far. They serve it before the main course to open up your appetite. When served very hot, the soup tastes excellently. Of course they also serve other soups like the bird’s nest soup with quail egg. The vegetable soup, which is also very healthy tastes good too. Don’t forget to order also their “Peking Duck.” I really like it roasted and you should taste it yourself too. They serve the best of that kind in the city. Indulge yourself to their “Pata Tim” which is perfect in combination with their Chinese bread. Of course their special “Yang Chow” fried rice is already a main course itself. Tasting it will already satisfy your hunger and you will no longer look for other menus.

After a hearty meal, don’t forget to order a Chinese tea to clean all toxins in your stomach. It is important that there should be a tea for you to be able to prepare yourself for another meal without too much load in your stomach. Consider the idea of visiting Tin Gow Chinese Restaurant and see for yourself what this restaurant has to offer. However, be sure to bring extra budget with you for you might order more if you will see the foods listed in their menu. They are simply irresistible!

Saang

by Bingo Gonzalez


It’s a little hard to find. You’d have to go up to the hills, around half a kilometer from the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, and turn left on a dirt road leading to the Holy Family Retreat House.
But when the craving for fresh sea food cooked to perfection gnaws at your being, there just isn’t anywhere to go but to Saang.
Fresh crabs, fish, clams, shrimps, squid and seaweed are hauled in everyday from Bantayan Island, where it seems the ocean bounty is at its best. Even the common “calamare” or squid rings dipped in batter and deep fried, takes on an extraordinary flair, a mixture of tastes and textures absolutely divine. The sweet –salty meld that only comes from fresh seafood combines with the crispiness of the batter giving a full bite. The chef certainly knows his squid, none of that rubbery chewing gum texture.

Saang is one of the rare places where the Bantayan delicacy called “labtingaw” is available. This is fresh fish, softly sun-dried with only sea water providing the salt. It is a delicate process where the natural juices of the fish are preserved, retaining the softness of the flesh, with the delecate saltiness of the sea.
On can choose from live alimango, or fresh water crabs or deep-sea crabs. You can have these simply steamed or cooked in a spicy sauce of garlic, ginger and tomatoes.
The restaurant is named after the big ocean clams locally known as saang. Here you can get clams and mussels cooked in several delicious ways. The baked scallops are especially good and the clam in oyster and pepper sauce is heavenly.
Cebu has a way of making a fish soup called “tinuwa.” It’s a no-nonsense soup which largely depends on the freshness of the fish for its flavor. While Tagalogs put “sampalok” or tamarind fruit to provide the tang, it is mostly tomatoes, spring onions, ginger and lemongrass that spice up the “tinuwa.” The simplicity of this soup is what emphasizes that distinctive fresh fish flavor. It is clean and light to the tastebuds.
For the meat eaters, there is a good choice of Filipino specialties like adobo, which is pork meat gently cooked to tender perfection in soy and vinegar or crispy pata, which is ham boiled, air-dried then deep=fried for crispy skin and tender meat.
Saang not only provides the most delicious seafood dishes in town, it also offers a fantastic view of the city. Nestled at a hillside, the twinkling city lights and the gentle breezes that waft in and out of the terrace-like setting whets the appetite and relaxes the spirit.

Chez Lucie French Restaurant

By Bert Mendoza

I have been writing about Asian restaurants and cuisines in my previous blogs. Except for La Gondola and Lemon Grass, most of my blogs were about Japanese and Chinese culinary masterpieces. It is because most of the restaurants I visited were Oriental and not to mention that they are also my all time favorite. For the past eight years of my career as a pharmaceutical executive, I have been holding functions with healthcare professionals in different venues around Cebu City, so I was quite exposed to most of the city’s best restaurants. The doctors are one of the most particular groups of customers when it comes to restaurant choices. They are well traveled themselves and have been to the world’s best restaurants. The pressure is upon me to choose the restaurants to suit their distinctive tastes. This is the reason why I am constantly updating myself with the best restaurants in town.



There is one French restaurant in Cebu City and probably the only one of its kind here. The name of the restaurant is Chez Lucie. It is located right across the Gaisano Country Mall in Banilad Cebu City. It is only a small restaurant. Only a few people are dining there because they are catering mostly to can afford class A and B crowd. Although their prices are quite expensive, their services compensate for it. The restaurant’s ambiance and service is good. You get your money’s worth for their foods and services. They serve European dishes particularly French. I am not really familiar with French dishes but I can associate it with Italian dishes. I have tasted their pasta dishes and they taste good. They also serve steaks cooked in French style. I highly recommend that you order one if you happen to visit Chez Lucie.



Another fine attraction of the restaurant is their acoustic band, which entertains customer dining there. You can also sing with them if you are game and talented enough to join them onstage. They play good music and very relaxing ones. Each dining experience at Chez Lucie is truly a memorable one. However, I am not sure if their acoustic band plays nightly. We were there on a Friday so they might be playing only during weekends. But whether there’s a band or not, the atmosphere of Chez Lucie is already enough to make you feel more comfortable and at home.

Turning Japanese at Rai Rai Ken (Ayala & IT Park)

By : Neal Jason Cabahug

Out of plan, I had the opportunity of eating at Rai Rai Ken in Ayala. I stared blankly at the menu, not knowing what to order. My friend noticed my confusion and suggested that I tried their Gyoza and chicken tepan bento. Of course, I always like chicken which my friend knew, thus the suggestion. I got curious with their ramen line-up, and so I asked for garlic and chili ramen, anticipating it to be deliciously hot and spicy. My friend ordered a buta niku misono bento with bottomless iced tea. Many are really addicted to iced tea... and so was I. Bottomless iced tea for me also.

Then I caught sight of what the waiter delivered to the couple in the next table. A tray of sushi and maki, which now is among my favorites particularly California maki.

Our orders came, and I hesitantly nibbled on the food on my plate. Little by little I found myself wanting for more and more and geez, my plate was empty already! It was good! Though alienated at first, I had a lovely meal and a can of beer. They also have fresh fruits shakes and juices, as well as the common softdrinks but beer seemed to be the best finale.

Rai Rai Ken also has snack meals - the oishi saver snack which I tried out and found yummy when I tried their branch at IT park. They have chicken ramen, beef yakiniku ramen and a lot more. I don't know if it is offered for a certain period of time but I noticed it written on their table menu that free iced tea is given when you order a combination of any ramen and appetizers.

With their food that pleased my taste buds so much, I'm sure to be back at Rai Rai Ken before the week ends. Hope their freebies will still be available.

La Gondola

by : Bert Mendoza

Taken from the name of a famous boat in Venice, Italy, “Gondola,” this restaurant is one of the best Italian restaurants here in Cebu, as far as taste and service is concerned. It does not only serve pasta alone but its array of delectable dishes also includes steaks and desserts that can only be found in La Gondola. Conveniently located at Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, famous local personalities and Italian food enthusiasts love to dine here.

I was able to dine here and the experience was truly unforgettable because of the kind of service that I got from their friendly and accommodating staff. Foods are also served on time and you do not have to wait that much in order to have a taste of their delicious menus. Your orders are already prepared and freshly cooked the way you want them to be. Although they are catering to the class A and B crowd, there are also food choices that are affordable. I would like to mention their baked lasagna and spaghetti that is cooked the Italian way and very much different from the traditional ones we see in fast food chains. I am not really fond of eating pasta but because of my dining experience here, I am already a pasta lover.

Another best thing here is the seafood cuisine. They have lobsters, shrimps that you can indulge yourself with and choose the way you would like to have them cooked. La Gondola is truly one of a kind and worth coming back for.

Right after every meal, you can also indulge in La Gondola’s array of drinks from wines, juices and soft drinks. Fresh fruit juices and shakes are also available. I would like to single out their Italian ice cream, which I really loved so dearly.

My experience at La Gondola although short was truly worth remembering. I promised myself to go back there sometime and once again have a taste of their delectable dishes. I am thankful to my friend, who is in London now for introducing La Gondola to me. Now I am sharing this experience to you so that you too will know how wonderful it is to dine at La Gondola. Enjoy!!!

AA BBQ (Guadalupe & Banilad)

By Neal Jason Cabahug

Seafoods cooked to one's specification is a trend nowadays. People like it when they choose a fresh fish or prawn, or squid among others and then have it cooked the way they fancy it. Many restaurants have taken on this style knowing how people chose this over the traditional set-up of choosing from what's already cooked and ready.

Indeed, this is IN and not unusual. What makes AA different?

AA's BBQ is sooooo light to the pocket. However we like the food to be cooked, we can be assured of a sumptuous meal at an affordable cost. Dining out can be a regular
thing without feeling guilty for extravagance.

So, if you fancy sizzling bangus, spicy squid, sinigang shrimps or lapulapu, grilled kitong or anduhao, sa-ang, and other seafood-based preparations, AA BBQ is greatly
recommended. They also have the usual barbecued chicken, hotdog, chorizo, and dried squid among others. Green mango with bagoong is a sure appetizer and side dish, too.
One more thing, they have a great tasting iced tea served by the pitcher and 1-liter softdinks which makes it more economical if you dine there in groups.

Finally the ambiance, the setting, it's a perfect place to feel at home while enjoying a great meal that is veery budget friendly.

Going Up to MR. A

By Bingo Gonzalez

Mr. A is a resto-bar, which offers a fantastic view of the city. Located at a hilltop in Busay, Cebu City, Mr. A offers a romantic ambiance for dating couples as well as a quiet atmosphere for informal business talks or a night out with friends.

Somehow, dinner and drinks taken under a star-filled night sky and a view of the twinkling multicolored city lights, becomes so relaxing and special .

The restaurant offers a variety of dishes ranging from grilled fish to pasta. Sisig, a delicacy from Pampanga in the northern Philippines, made of grilled pork laced with vinegar and spices, is especially delicious.

It also offers good lengua, a Spanish dish popular in the Philippines, which is ox tongue with gravy.

There’s a good choice of wines, beer and non-alcoholic drinks .

Getting to Mr. A is winding uphill road in Nivel Hills, which is the start of the transcentral highway. Decorative streetlamps line the way until you make a right turn going up another hill. It is located atop a hill, overlooking the city.

At the foot of the hill, just before reaching the restaurant, there are billiard tables under a canopy where a game can be enjoyed with gentle breezes wafting. A near-by bar also offers drinks.

Don’t forget to bring a light jacket as the air can get nippy. But then again, this could be a good excuse to snuggle up and enjoy the moment more.

Bigby's... a place to be.

Bigby's Cafe
Ayala Entertainment Center
Ayala Center, Cebu City


By Neal Jason Cabahug

There are times when our tastebuds look for something uniquely nice. When I get into this, Bigby's is one of the great places that comes to my mind.

Just days ago, I went around the city finding a cool quiet place to pass my time by.
After hours of mindless driving, I stopped by Ayala with the intention of trying out new restaurants. Not that the restaurants I've been to were off my system already...it was just that I seemed to be looking for something. Walking past the food establishments in the Ayala mall with posters of their specialties stirring my confusion and heightening my hunger, I found myself settling in a corner table of the Bigby's restaurant.

The yellow-clothed staff's smiles made me feel at home instantly. And though my eyes were still busy looking through their menu, my voice already spoke out what was in my heart... "Deep sea pasta and grilled veggies panini please. Then a glass of my all-time favorite bottomless iced tea."

True that almost all eating centers offer iced tea as well, some just simply have their iced teas tasting super. And at Bigby's, it's bottomless! The nice thing is that the staff don't wait to be asked for a re-fill...they are there immediately beside you even if your glass is just half-empty.

Of course, what I ordered was just a "paper in a ream"... there are many other dishes to choose from. If you are the type who can't live without rice, they've got a mouth-watering grilled pork belly topped with spiced sauce and vegetable sidings.
Don't like meat? Love pasta? A monster for sandwiches? Can't start without soup? Bigby's is sure to fill you in with satisfaction.

Lemon Grass (Thai & Vietnamese Restaurant)

Lemon Grass (Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant)
Ayala Entertainment Center
Ayala Center, Cebu



By: Bert Mendoza

I have been to this restaurant twice and I just can’t help but appreciate its uniqueness and versatility in terms of taste. Lemon Grass Restaurant offers a combination of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine all rolled into one. Truly one of a kind that is. Although it is not that spacious, the ambiance and service is great. Foods are served on time and their staffs are very friendly and accommodating. Their waitresses look good in their Thai and Vietnamese costumes that are very colorful and eye catching. It will make you feel more comfortable and at home. It is a perfect venue for lunch and dinner dates.

Lemon Grass is very accessible. Located just inside the Ayala Entertainment Center, it is so easy to get there. Because it’s inside a big mall, everything is within your reach. If you ran out of cash, ATM machines are available nearby. After a sumptuous lunch or dinner, coffee shops like Bo’s and Starbucks are just outside. It is really very easy to go to considering the fact that it is right at the heart of Cebu’s financial district. Dining is indeed fun at Lemon Grass Restaurant.

Of course the most important of all are the foods served. If you are fond of Oriental cuisines that are full of spices, this restaurant is the place to go to. They serve a different kind of spring roll, which is very delectable. You should also try their shrimp soup, which is cooked the traditional Thai way full of spices and a good start up for another sumptuous lunch and dinner. Their “bagoong rice” is truly mouth watering which makes it my all time favorite. I never missed to order one whenever I go there. They also serve a variety of fish, beef and chicken menu all garnished with Thai and Vietnamese spices. For your drinks, try their lemonade juice. It is thirst quenching and one of a kind because of a special ingredient only Lemon Grass knows.

The introduction of restaurants such as Lemon Grass in Cebu is a milestone in the City’s culinary industry. It is only in this restaurant where the traditional cuisine of Asia’s two countries Thailand and Vietnam merged. It is just like you are in these countries yourself. You do not have to go that far in order to have a taste of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. At Ayala Center Cebu, everything is already there and Lemon Grass is part of it. Lemon Grass Restaurant is an ideal place to indulge in for a satisfying Thai and Vietnamese culinary experience.

Izakaya Kagura

Izakaya Kagura Japanese Restaurant
AC Cortes Avenue, Brgy. Banilad, Mandaue City

By : Bert Mendoza

Since I am connected with a Japanese pharmaceutical company, most of the restaurants I had been to were mostly Japanese. We want to live up to our name as a Japanese business entity and therefore, patronize business establishments with Japanese nature. However, I would like to stress the fact that I am promoting Philippine business establishments and Cebu’s business establishments in particular so I have to take into consideration the strong business partnership between the Philippines and Japan. I also believe that aside from the Koreans, Japanese tourists also abound in this tropical Philippine Island.

Izakaya Kagura Japanese Restaurant is a newly opened Japanese restaurant along AC Cortes Avenue in Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City. Located just beside AA Barbecue and Grill along the business stretch of Banilad in Mandaue City, this Japanese restaurant is carving a name in Cebu’s restaurant industry. A Filipina entrepreneur married to a Japanese national owns it. What sets it apart from all the other Japanese restaurants is its set up, which is very accessible. You don’t have to go up the stairs in order to dine. Upon entering the establishment, traditional Japanese tables without chairs are arranged orderly in the dining room. Guests are only sitting on the floor cross-legged. This is the traditional Japanese sitting position when dining. However, there are also rooms with long tables and chairs for those who wish to really sit down when eating or those who would like to have privacy. These rooms are ideal for meetings and other social gatherings consisting of a not so large group.

They serve Japanese menus like the usual California maki, tuna sashimi, and chicken and beef teriyaki, ebi tempura cooked the Izakaya Kagura way. You can also cook your fish and meet dinner should you wish to do so. They have all the choices you want in a Japanese cuisine. Their appetizers are also mouth watering. It was the first time I tasted some and I really liked them. Foods are also served on time and you don’t have to wait long enough to the extent of loosing your appetite. It is service at its best. Furthermore, after dining out, their receptionists will give you candies as a sweet way of saying, “please come back!”

My boss will never leave this restaurant without a pack of Moringa tea. This tea is a natural way of protecting our immune system from harmful free radicals that can cause sickness and ailments. You should try it too. One pack costs around P500.00. Not bad for somebody who wants to have a healthier body and long life. Go to Izakaya Kagura Restaurant and experience it yourself.

CAFE HAVANA

By Neal Jason Cabahug

With some friends we went to this place which I very often heard being
mentioned. Classy though it was, but instantly I settled in comfortably in
one of their outdoor tables.


I loved the food, especially the pizza topped with quail eggs. It was
Guantanamera I think. Beer poured in and then I realized I have had 6 slices of pizza. The outdoor ambiance was relaxing, but when I noticed someone singing from inside, I swayed the group to transfer inside. A small band was playing with a fuschia pink-red dressed lady belting out a Latin song.

Having had enough of beer, I tried out their iced tea which my friend told
me to be different from the iced teas served in other restos. And truly it
was!

One thing I liked in Cafe Havana the most is the warm reception and
friendliness of the waiters/waitresses. I remember the guy named Jones, who charmingly introduced the unique food preparations they have. Truly, the people, food and place that Cafe Havana had is something worth going back to.

Mizu, a Jap resto you'll miss...

Mizu
Waterfront Cebu City Hotel
Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City


By : Bert Mendoza

This Japanese restaurant offers a different kind of ambiance apart from all the other restaurants here in Cebu City. Its façade is a combination of both the ancient and modern Japanese architecture. Upon entering the wide entrance of the restaurant, you will be greeted by its friendly and good-looking staff. Their smiles will assure you that you have made the right choice in dining there. There is some kind of magic in this establishment that will make you go back there every now and then. It is just like you are dining in one of Tokyo’s best restaurants. I should know because I have been to Tokyo already and I was able to dine in some of its best restaurants. I am also connected with a Japanese company and most of my guests prefer to eat in a Japanese restaurant specifically Mizu Japanese Restaurant at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. They are serving one of the best Japanese cuisines in Cebu City and perhaps the whole Philippines.

Since they are catering to the class A and B crowd, their price is reasonable enough. Most of their target customers are hotel guests and tourists who are looking for authentic Japanese cuisines right at the heart of Cebu City. From the Waterfront Hotel, Mizu is just 10 minutes away from Cebu’s large shopping centers Ayala Center and SM City Cebu. Transportation is also very accessible considering that there are 24-hour hotel taxi services, which can bring you anywhere in Cebu City and in any point of Cebu province.

There is a set menu, which consists of our all time favorites tuna sashimi, California maki, and shrimp tempura etc. that are put in a small boat complete with all spices which would suit every person’s distinctive taste. I also love their ice tea, which is different from all the other ordinary ice teas, which I tasted before. They also serve fresh fruit shakes, which are not served in any other Japanese restaurants here in Cebu City. I would like to single out their cantaloupe shake, which I really loved so dearly. One glass of it is never enough for me. I recommend that you should try it too.

Like all the other Japanese restaurants, they also serve Japanese green tea upon requests. I also love it because after indulging yourself to a sumptuous dinner, you will feel light and it’s just like your stomach didn’t have to be that full. It feels so good to have a Japanese green tea after every meal and Mizu knows just how to make your meal satisfying but not really that overloading.

Looking for a nice Japanese restaurant right at the very heart of Cebu City? Try Mizu Japanese Restaurant at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.