Borussia

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , , , , , ,
,

Borussia


We visited this place after our trip from Bantayan island, with the help of my sister's officemate who brought us there with her van. It was like a continuation of our island vacation; bright skies, pleasant weather, lots of trees. It was like a paradise in the middle of nowhere with its own exclusive pathway, owned by a German-Filipina couple who managed to convert it into a restaurant/vacation place. The overall ambiance is very pleasant and easy on the eyes, because it makes you feel like you're living in a remote "hacienda" with the wide open space and garden all around.

What i like about this restaurant is that they make their own bread from scratch as well as other dishes. Most of their meat, such as the pork and duck, are raised locally and are guaranteed drug free. Their food are top notch and quite exquisite to taste. I had the priviledge to taste their beef roll (rouladen) and their pork loin, both of which are simmered just right in their creamy sauce. Their duck was also extravagant; tender and juicy with just the right amount of fat and meat.
Their desserts are nothing to laugh at, mind you! They bake their own pastries and churn their own ice cream. And they don't even sacrifice the taste. It was most delectable when we finally opened our loaf of lemon cake. At first i thought lightly of it, not even looking a bit appetizing. But when i placed a bite in my mouth, i was sure, that this they make GREAT desserts. 
The good thing is that they also deliver to people who want to sample their food. Specialty bread, meat, jams, you name it. Believe me, you won't regret eating here and going over your diet.

I sure didn't. 




Borussia



Sogod, Cebu



Verdict:
A: 5/5

Finally, one of the new places to eat where i won't hesitate to give a full star rating. The price, the ambiance, and the service is very much worth it.

0 comments

Ipar's

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , ,
,

After the countless times we passed by this rustic Spanish restaurant standing in the midst of Ramos street, we finally decided one day to visit Ipar's. This restaurant stands beside several other business establishments but none of them can compare to this traditional Spanish restaurant.
The ambiance of the place is truly enchanting; I saw several paintings and flags hanging from the walls and ceiling while slow paced melodies of romantic articulations in Spain's native tongue wafted in the background. The designs were more of a mixture of traditional and contemporary: there was a tinge of familiarity and strangeness inside, as if one were stuck in between two different eras.

Upon claiming our reservation for lunch under my name, we were made to sit in of their massive furnishings made from sturdy tree trunks. Several of these were made to fit the dining area for their eager patrons. By the back of the entrance to the dining room, there was a rack of bottled goods, most of which were homemade sardines in corn oil and tomato. Both of which are sold at an affordable price of 100 pesos per bottle. They also sell a thick glass of pure honey for 350php. 

I was quite impressed by their wide selection of food here, ranging from staples such as bacalao (cod) to callos (ox tripe simmered in thick sauce). I was only disappointed by the fact that there are some dishes that are not available because the ingredients are out of stock.


We had an assortment of tapas for appetizer, all of which were delicious in their own right. The gambas was by far my sister's favorite whereas the chorizo was mine because it reminded me of the longganisa you can get from lucban. The Croquettas de pollo reminded me of a cheesy cordon bleú, but cheesier and piping hot.

The main dishes were their signature paella dela casa, an assortment of shrimp, squid, chicken, chorizo and pork. Their pollo asado al horno was baked just right with their juices still intact. We also ordered a serving bacalao, which basically salted cod fish stewed with tomatoes. We also had lengua estofada (ox tongue) and callos madrileños. 


To end the meal, all four of us shared a small round flan. Definitely the best flan i've tasted in my whole life. Better than max's!



Ipar's 
F. Ramos Street


Verdict:
A: 4.25/5
Unique and authentic taste with several of their ingredients imported directly from Spain. There were dishes that are a bit salty, but you can never go wrong with his restaurant.












0 comments

Rodeo Grill

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , , , ,
,

Fairly new in SM City Cebu, Rodeo Grill is located on the second floor just beside the Bingo hall. This restaurant takes its inspiration from the wild west, particularly in areas predominated by cowboys and cattle. Aside from the eye catching display of uniforms worn by the staff, the ambiance of the place is tailored to fit the intended theme.

We were ushered into the spacious dining hall that featured brightly lit tables, where the hanging lights were fixed with metal buckets to give the whole restaurant a country look. I noticed that there were large posters of picture quotes decorate the walls. Meanwhile, their personalised radio station streams tunes in the background. After we pried the menu for our orders, we finally decided to have the following: a large rack of arkansas tender ribs,  a plate of Geronimos sizzling buffalo steak, half a kilo of rodeo grill lechon, a heaping serving of black stallion crispy pata
, a serving of lone ranger talong, a medium plate of delicious crispy hay noodles, a bowl of flavorful cactus kangkong, and a hot serving of their deputy short sizzlers.

The food itself was okay, many of them are comparable to main stayers in the food industry. My sister mentioned that Rodeo Grill is a possible counterpart of TexRex, minus the smoky goodness of the grilled meat there. The ribs were tender and delicious, while their own version of lechon was surely delectable with hints of lemon grass and spring onions. Their crispy pata was also exceptional, having been tasted a great number of crispy patas out there, I could certainly say that this is one of the best.

To end the meal, we ordered 38 caliber brownie almond, which was technically just like La Marea's warm brownie cup, only smaller.



Rodeo Grill
SM City Cebu



Verdict:
A: 3.5/5

While most of the most served here are repeats from other restaurants, i believe that that strongpoint of this place is their price. Where else can you find a 300peso worth lamb chop?

0 comments

Carnivore

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , , ,
,

We came to Carnivore after our curiosity got the better of us one windy afternoon. The setup reminded me vaguely of a somewhat similarly arranged vietnamese restaurant located at crossroads, where we shared and enjoyed meals together with friends and family alike. Anyhow, the place was amply lit, and the cool air from the air-conditioning unit is one to be thankful for on one of the hotter afternoons in the city.

What drew my attention is that they have a constantly changing menu that varies every week, aside from the chef special that they offer to their customers. My sister decided to sample that (lamb shank) while i got for myself a slab of beef from bukidnon. We had the option to choose which of the three sides (rice, fries, salad) we'd like for our dishes.

The waitress and chefs were courteous enough to answer our queries when it came to their food. For appetizers, we had a platter of "maskara" poutine, fries topped with chunks/melted mozarella cheese and bits of seasoned pork mask. Our main course arrived soon after we finished our poutine, with our chosen salad and rice sides on the respective plates.

What i liked about this restaurant is that there is a set amount of time before their menu is revised completely. I find it arguably so because the variety is what makes it refreshing to their patrons. So if you have a particular dish that you like on the week you visited, it might not be there anymore when you return for the next.



Carnivore



Mabolo


Verdict:
A: 3.75/5
The lamb shank was a better order of the two, because it was in several layers more flavorful than the beef shank. Plus the strong aftertaste of lamb has completely vanished, making it clearly a superior choice compared to the tasteless beef that solely depends on the toppings.

0 comments

Manggahan

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , , ,
,

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?




0 comments

Big Tom's

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , ,
,

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.


0 comments

Burger Joint

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , , ,
,


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.

0 comments

Manang Fe's

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , , ,
,

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.

0 comments

Bigby's

Posted by ReiMart , Labels: , , , , , ,
,

 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.


0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)