a bite of brownie

"The Gustavian Celebrates the decadence and glamour brought to Sweden in 1750’s by Crown Prince Gustav III from France where he studied. When Gustav was crowned King of Sweden he rapidly changed the whole country in to a Cultural movement that included fine cuisine. Sweden has since then been one of the most delightful parts of the French cuisine family tree. Scandinavian cuisine is a melting pot of the Haute Cuisine of the Baltic, Russian, Polish, Finnish and of course Swedish/ French find dining heritage from the past 300 years."

-The Gustavian
gustavian.ph/about-us

Dining inside this uniquely elegantly designed restaurant in Ayala Terraces is truly a breath taking experience on a hot lazy afternoon or a romantic evening with a date. The establishment lets patrons have the option to sit on one of the many carefully prepped tables a few steps away from the front entrance, with a relaxing view of the ayala gardens. To the left side of the door, buffet tables, carefully prepared against the glass wall, are filled with rows of salads, pita, bread and a few signature dishes like salpicao, sole and steak. Ahead, guests intent of watching an exciting game series unfold can relax with their friends while ordering bottles of liquor or a shot of imported wine. Ambiance-wise, this has got to be one of the best restaurants in Terraces.

To begin the meal, I had the privilege of sampling most of their appetizers of pita and Greek dressing, paired with a steaming broth of chicken. Their scrumptious salpicao, a dish composed of cubed beef sirloin or tenderloin, lots of minced garlic, olive oil and various seasonings was next to be tasted. Soft, heavenly, and heart pounding! It tasted just like meat simmered in coconut milk and tomato sauce, only better.

What made the trip to this restaurant worth it is the fact that they also serve tender sirloin steak to match the plethora of salad and sidings (Mussel salad was among the best, followed by the farmer's salad). Thinly sliced meat that oozed with flavor in your mouth is just too hard not to pass by.


The Gustavian
Stall F103, Level 1,
Terraces Area Ayala Center
Cebu Cebu Business Park, Cebu City


Verdict:
A: 4.9/5
Pricey restaurant is pricey! I recommend bringing your credit card to pay for the bill. Food and ambiance makes up for it, though.