a bite of brownie

Big Mao

After deciding between Chinese food and Thai, we finally chose something that we haven't eaten from before. Big Mao has been in Ayala terraces for as long as I remember, though we were practically avoiding it like a plague since there were other Chinese restaurants that appealed to us more. at lunch time, the place was packed and the attendants were busy like ants, zooming here and there to attend to their customer' needs. When we were finally attended to, we asked to have a plate of lemon chicken, an entree of jellyfish with century egg, radish cake, braised bean curd. We also had fried pork served with plum sauce and assorted dim sum.



I like the crispiness of the jellyfish, above anything else. The softness of the tofu is something to be loved too (crispy on the outside and soft on the inside). Shame the sauce that comes with it isn't even on the same page. The radish cake wasn't as spectacular as we thought it would be, too. But the belly slices (we had two orders of belly, to prove it) and the dim sum are more than enough to compensate for it.



So overall, it's a split decision whether or not we'll come back to the place. Select dishes are delicious while some others are just plain weird with mismatched sauces.

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Big Mao
Ayala Terraces



Verdict:
A: 3/5

Service slow and the food isn't that exceptional.

Don merto's

Don merto's has several branches in cebu that offer delicious meals at affordable prices. But interestingly, their main branch near vacation hotel offers all you can eat tenderloin steak for the meat lovers looking for a new place to satisfy their cravings.

During Mondays, you can avail of the local short ribs meal for 300 pesos per person. It was a good deal, since it was inclusive of a basket of freshly toasted bread, a bowl of soup and small plates of side dishes of your choosing. Each bite was heavenly and heart stopping, and it is highly recommended to order an after meal tea to help digest your food (and unclog your arteries). Mom opted for cannelloni instead, since she was sure that she couldn't finish even a one plate of this rich meal at her age.

This branch of don merto's is a must visit every steak days. You can't imply say no to their mouth watering short ribs!
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One of the best places to relax on a sunny afternoon is at Casa Verde's where you can enjoy their mouth watering rib racks and their sumptuous feasts-on-a-plate. For starters, we had karlamari, shrimp pesto cream and watermelon salad.

The appetizers were followed closely by Surf and Turf, David Dean's Tenderloin and the famous Brian's ribs for the main course. The watermelon salad had a weird butter marmalade that comes with it that's satisfying all the same. The pesto noodles were a bit soggy but it makes up for the abundance of basil leaves included in the dish. Our main course dishes were spectacular, however. The meat was just right and the juices were still intact. Nothing deserves more praise than a steak well cooked just to your preference!

From the outside, Harubang is a peaceful place that offers a number of korean dishes anyone can sample. It doesn't disappoint though, not to mention the affordability and the satisfaction you can get from your dining experience. We arrived around 6:30 in the evening and was seated in one of the few available tables since several other spaces were occupied by groups of merrymaking Koreans.

Other than the noise that they made, we were satisfied by the all you can eat beef short plate that all three of us (my sister, my brother and myself) enjoyed. Surprisingly, it is much cheaper than the cost of the food in Chosun Galbi, the korean resto house we frequent. Perhaps we just visited at a wrong time.

They didn't have that cold noodle that I enjoy quite a lot however. :(


Harubang
IT Park Lahug

Verdict:
A: 3/5

The food is great, but I can't dine in peace with that much noise. It brings down the ambiance that you're paying for, especially if you're used to little noise when you're eating.