Manggahan

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Manggahan is one of those cozy friday night out places you should definitely visit if you're looking to chill, relax and enjoy some local band music. Located a few hundred meters away from the entrance of Camp Lapu-Lapu, this place offers cheap food and district fare for locals and foreigners alike.


I was quite pleased with this place not only because of the affordable food but also for the cleanliness of the establishment. We were even seated comfortably by the window, free of smoke from the barbecue being cooked outside. What's even more surprising is that the place is fully air-conditioned for its guests.



  
We ordered a platter of garlic fried rice to pair with the isaw, chicharong bulaklak, chicken skin, and bicol express and fish kinilaw that we ordered. The grilled meat were delicious while the others were not too shabby. The chicharong bulaklak was a little too salty and the bicol express was a bit strange (the sauce tasted like gravy with a tiny hint of coconut milk) for my tastes.


Overall, I think I was satisfied when we visited this place. I heard they have live bands every friday nights. I can't wait to check the place out again!




Manggahan
Lahug


Verdict:
A: 3.75/5

Price is great, food is delicious. What's not to like?




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Big Tom's

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Located within walking distance from BPI Escario, Big Tom's is one of the places where you can get cheap affordable burgers made fresh from 100% beef sirloin. Patrons can get the guarantee that the patties are prepared daily and never frozen, which can ruin the taste of the meat. If i could point how they got their 2013 best burger in town award, this way of preparation is probably the culprit of it all.

We managed to find this restaurant by accident after buying food from chicken tagala, that famous fried chicken place where many Cebu Doctor's Hospital staff eat during their lunch break. Big Tom's restaurant is ample sized with enough room for several tables and couches for their patrons. The ambiance of the place is pleasant and cozy, with several couches ready for use. Lighting fixtures are modified to incorporate empty bottles into the overall appeal of this modernist pub.

I ordered a mushroom bacon burger and an extra serve of fries to share while my siblings got for themselves a serve of deluxe mash burger. A few minutes later, we were handed our own orders all served in individual wooden chopping boards complete with our own utensils.
Food, check. Ambiance, check. Taste?

Because of the option to change the weight of the patty, this can be a good thing for those on a diet or for people who cannot finish a 6oz patty. This may, however, influence the taste that is in the beef. I'll give this place another try when the time allows it. But for now, let me finish the last few bites of my meal with their special hot sauce. Yum!


Big Tom's
Juana Osmeña st.




Verdict:

A: 3/5


Who gets the Best burger award? I'll vote for army navy over this restaurant anytime, if you ask me. The advantage of this place is that it's cheap and affordable and secluded, just the right place when you're looking to idle your day while you write your next book project. Big tom's burger is bland compared to army navy, but is definitely better than jollibee's hands down. It's taste is probably around flame it level, a little less than burger joint but above burger king and jollibee.


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Burger Joint

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Aside from bigby's, burger joint is one of the few places where one could get fresh fried onion rings here in cebu. The place is Located within The Gallery in Mabolo and stands as burger machine's successor in selling affordable gourmet burgers for the masses. I visited this place with my mom and my sister, both of which were drawn in by rumors that say that this place sells the best onion rings. 

This restaurant is set upon a spacious parking lot shared by several other restaurants. Several patrons come here hailing from far away places just for the taste that they offer!

Anyhow, We ordered two large sized onion rings that were served in a medium sized basket while i had for myself a piece of bacon mushroom burger. My sister had a hungarian sausage overloaded with more bacon and caramelized onions.

The food itself was not bad; decently priced and fresh. There were other items that were expensive, but the others seem okay. Ambiance wise, there is not much to expect. What i like about this place is that you can opt to overload your sandwiches with more toppings for a small amount. 


Burger joint
The Gallery, Mabolo



Verdict:

A: 3.5/5

There seems to be something missing in their sandwiches that prevents me from giving it a bigger score. Maybe i was looking for something new, something exciting that sets them different from other burger stores.

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Manang Fe's

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Manang Fe's is located beside University of Southern Philippines in the middle of IT park and within walking distance to JY square. What surprises me about this restaurant is that they had the courage to go against the forerunner of grilled food here in Cebu by taking over Route Stop's spot. Granted, competing against AA's bbq is an uphill battle, I give them credit for doing so.
Manang Fe's is just like your ordinary grill shop with the exception them serving beer for those interested parties. It's location is convenient because it is one of the few places near a gas station and a car wash facility. Aside from the traditional pork belly, chicken backbone, they also sell isaw, chorizo and chicken skin. 
This restaurant has a large space for groups of diners looking to sample their dishes. What i liked about this restaurant is that they have a unique marinade where they let the raw meat settle for some time before the actual grilling.

On the downside, parking space here is scarce and the grill vents where the food is supposed to be cooked is non existent, making dining here a challenge due to the smoke wafting back inside.



Manang Fe's
Lahug






Verdict: 
A:2/5

Hygiene and cleanliness is an issue here because there were a lot of flies flying near the food when we visited this place.

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Bigby's

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 Just like Pino, Bigby's is in its third revival in Ayala Center Cebu. The first one was located in Ayala's active zone, the second being near Persian Palate, and finally in its current location below Dakasi.


I am quite pleased with this new and improved version of Bigby's. Their menu is expanded to include several new items such as a whole rack of ribs, steak, fried chicken served in threes, sandwiches, and a plethora of interesting desserts.


I ordered for myself their platter called "Belly Buster" that's comprised of onion rings, two slabs of pork chops with gravy, and a quarter serve of ribs. The pork chops were absolutely tender and the ribs were cooked just right. The onion rings were delicious and crispy, which I think are the best rings in town. The gravy that came with the chops were delicious, light and slightly buttery which makes it even more addicting. The sauce for the ribs tasted like steak and Worcestershire sauce that compliments it very much. The ample serving of rice under the stack of deliciously cooked meat tasted good as well, truth be told.

I'm looking forward to my next visit here so I could sample the rest of their dishes.


Bigby's
Ayala Center Cebu


Verdict:
A: 4/5
Delicious, cheap, affordable. Can't wait to see what else they offer.


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Maple

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Maple is a fairly new restaurant that opened late 2014, just a few steps away from Laguna Garden Cafe at the Ayala Center Terraces. Hailing from the Pancake house group, this restaurant specializes mostly in all day breakfast meals in addition to their entrees and main course meals.

As soon as we were seated on a booth, we took in the restaurant's ambiance that comprised of a unique elegance you'd find in your usual fancy restaurant. It was disappointing that the small space feels somewhat... limiting. The service was sub par too, given that we had call multiple times to get their attendants' attention. But i guess to make up for it, they gave us a small complimentary basket of bread while we wait.



For the main course, my companion had a huge plate of prime rib tapa while i had a chocolate cookie skillet. The prime rib tapa was HUGE. It looked like it took three quarters of the round plate that they gave us. The chocolate cookie skillet tasted like it was a brownie cup ala mode with a generous amount of dark chocolate below the refreshing vanilla ice cream.





Maple
Ayala terraces





Verdict:

A:3/5

Just like it's mother company, Maple has pricey meals. I'm not entirely convinced if visiting this place is worth it. At the most, the budget for this restaurant is around 300-500 per dish, excluding the drinks which cost an extra hundred.







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Orange Karenderia

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At first I thought of this place as something like the typical food stops beside UP (Royal Cafe and Brown Gate to name a few) but I was proven wrong when we finally visited this place after watching The Hobbit at Ayala Cinemas. The place was small, somewhat dingy from the lack of windows, and a wee bit cramped for space. Even though that was the case, we were fortunate to come here at a good time when there were still a few patrons. In fact, we were the first to enter the diner in hope of sating our appetites.

Their menu is expansive, mostly composed of grilled meat and fried seafood and a few more vegetable dishes like chopsuey and pakbet. Among the restaurants here in Cebu, I believe this is one of the few that serves bagabay and bihod, or fish fat and fish roe respectively.

The ambiance was pleasant enough, with chalkboards hanging from the walls with fancy design drawn on them paired with some random quote about sharing meals with friends and family and the type shadows they added to the letters in their menu. We ordered several dishes here, minus the roe because they ran out of it when we visited. For appetisers, we had kinilaw, fried fish bagabay, and chicharong bulaklak. After that, for the main course, we had garlic chicken and pork sisig.

Once we had our fill, we sampled their famous desserts, two cups of creamy brazo and a serving of leche flan.

In short, the experience was worthwhile, and we'd like to come back one day to sample their fried bihod sometime in the future.


Orange Karenderia
Salinas drive, La Guardia



Verdict:
A: 3/5

The food is a bit pricey for the amount they served to us. The notable mentions here would be the soy garlic chicken, the chicharong bulaklak, and the fish bagabay. The sisig seems to be lackluster and too chunky to be called sisig. It does look like chopped up fat with sweet sauce with an optional fried egg, minus the usual liver in it. The fish kinilaw tasted like it was overcooked from the vinegar that was in the bowl. Their desserts are top notch, though, and I can easily say that these are part of the best sellers.

What bothers me is the lack of space in the restaurant, which, in my case isn't normally a problem. But when you place a garbage can almost level your wash basin, you'd take a trip to the washroom and puke your way too. Of course, if you haven't already from the stinky smell of the bathroom.

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Planet Grapes

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One of the newer restaurants in Ayala is Planet Grapes, located at the 4th floor of the establishment just beyond the automatic sliding doors beyond Burger King. Or if you're entering through the new section, at the top of the waiting escalators. 

Planet Grapes, in a sense is a chill establishment that has good ambiance and a vast selection of wines. As opposed to another liquor hub a few steps away from it, this restaurant has a more relaxed atmosphere with carefully selected tunes that melts into the backdrop of the plaza. Neatly arranged wines are placed according to their individual classifications, from dinner wines to desert wines, all on the glass shelf.

What people may not believe is that this place also serves a variety of good food that not only is decently priced, but also delicious as well. I was at first hesitant about the quality but after coming back twice, I was convinced that even picky eaters will not be disappointed. My sister and I had the chance to sample their crispy pork bits meal and their interpretation of Pho to go with their trademark wine samplers, which is, six different kinds of wine. You also have the option to get one of their cheese and deli platter with the sampler, which features enough cheese and cold cut slices. To close the meal, we also had the pleasure of trying the Durian Creme Brulee and the sumptuous Ube Turon that really hit the spot.


If you're not convinced, the restaurant changes its menu and its wine selections monthly and holds wine classes for those interested in learning the tips and tricks of the savory liquor.







Planet Grapes: Wine Without The Drama
Ayala Center Cebu


 




Verdict:
A: 4.5/5
Crispy pork bits is a winner, with a bowl full of crisp pork rind with their sweet-sour vinegar. Their crab omelet in balsamic reduction doesn't skimp on crab meat and uses minimal extenders, but it leaves you wanting for more, which may be a bad thing if you've tasted a very flavorful version in the past (hello, Marketman!). Their dry version of Pho is very interesting, in the sense that they managed to retain the essence of what makes the dish Pho with proper use of spices.

Their deserts are nothing to stay clear off, as both Ube Turon and Durian Creme Brulee are excellent choices to close the meal.

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Pino

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Located within walking distance from JY Square mall, Pino is a spacious restaurant in its third incarnation as an all-you-can-eat hub. We visited this place as we were heading home and we were not disappointed by what we saw. The place was refitted with new fixtures to make the old house look better and modern. There were chandeliers and mirrors and light all over the place. Not to mention the comfort rooms were fitted with modern equipment to better serve the needs of their patrons.


I have heard that the previous revivals of this restaurant were disagreeable: the first being too expensive and the second being too cheap. Apparently, this time around is the best of the three. The ambiance was just right and the appeal of the place had a hint of class and a bit of old refinement. Folk songs played in the background of this homey restaurant that gave extra points for the ambiance.


I was surprised when I found out that the buffet here is more affordable than many others in Cebu within its price range. The taste was nothing to scoff at, each dish offering a unique modern taste on a traditional Pinoy fare. There was Lechon, Ham, Fresh Oysters, Lomi, Laing, Siomai, Kare Kare and many more.



They have soup and salad for appetizer and not to mention a good selection of filipino desserts that range from banana-flan tart, Maja Blanca, bibingka, pichi pichi, and puto among others.










Pino
Lahug, Cebu





Verdict:
A: 4.75/5
Pino is great for its price of 399 per person. The food is delicious and interesting, and there will never be a boring moment. They have unlimited rounds of Iced Tea for their patrons to go with the meal. Majority of their food are addicting, all of which will make you come back for more. Their service is top notch too, so I don't think you'll go wrong here.


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The Social

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If you're looking for a place to unwind, socialize with fellow sports enthusiasts, and meet new people, there's only one spot in Ayala where you should frequent. Located at the fourth floor of Ayala Center Cebu, The Social sits right across Seafood Island at The Terraces's new wing. This establishment has several flat screen televisions installed that are tuned to the latest sports events be it football, rugby, ice hockey, or basketball.

The place is spacious, with several tables for their guests and couches on the side. The establishment also has an outdoor bar and additional tables outside. What i fancied about this restaurant is that they have unique lighting fixtures that is different from the ones you see in department stores. The music in the background isn't bad either, most of the ones you hear are up to date and sets the mood of the place.







Most of the food served here are expensive, being a drinking hub with foreigners as their intended audience. For our brunch, we had a plate of hanger steak and a serve of crispy pata. Apparently, they have this secret menu not included in the tagboard they hand out.

Overall, I was a little bit pleased with the service we were given, even though there were a lot of dillydallying staff in the corner, talking amongst themselves.






The Social

Ayala Center terraces



Verdict:
A: 3/5
The food is okay, in my opinion because the crispy pata was crispy outside but its inner parts are soft and juicy. The hangar steak was well done and comes with a side serve of salad.


The only thing that prevents me from giving this restaurant a good score is the price and the availability of food.


  

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Fujinoya

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While we were driving around looking for a place to hangout one night, we accidentally came across this restaurant one evening. This quaint coffee/dessert place is located in a semi quiet environment that shies away from the busier parts of the city. At first glance it looks like a mid range establishment where people visit to find some peace and solace so they can read and study.


Upon further research, we found out that this place is the first branch of a popular cafe in Japan outside their home country. Why that is so, i do not know, but what i do know is that they are popular when it comes to baking sweets. 

We've come back to this place several times since our first visit, and i'm happy to say that i'm quite pleased with the quality of their baked goods. They have cream puffs, cakes, tarts, and cake rolls in addition to their rice meals that range from short ribs to katsudons. Their dishes can be paired with drinks that range from flavored soda to coffee, all reasonably priced for the caffeine consumer. To sweeten the deal further, all hot drinks are given 50% off of their next refill.


Fujinoya
Salinas Drive, Lahug



   




Verdict:
A: 3.5/5
The meals are mediocre at best, and this place shines the most if you're going to get yourself some sweets and a cup of coffee. Definitely a peaceful place to read a book and pass by time.

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