SM Mater Chef's Supersized Cook-off
>> Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Ilaputi
>> Saturday, October 22, 2011
M and M Lechon
>> Saturday, October 8, 2011
M and M Lechon knows about this and they know well. Serving in one of the booming districts of the south, M and M Lechon offers one of the best lechons in Cebu. M and M Lechon serves authentic Cebu lechon and makes sure that people of all types will get to enjoy it. If you are eating alone, you can still have lechon with their budget meal of 1/8 kilo of lechon, 2 puso (hanging rice) and your soda of choice for only P57.00.
Like Apple not having Steve Jobs, a lechon stall is comedy if they do not serve dinuguan. The fresh blood pudding is one good partner for lechon. These two are best of friends and you can never go wrong in pairing them both. For only P15.00, you can make a meal out of it already as the meaty dinuguan will always give you that nice fullness in the stomach. Not to be neglected is M and M's lechon paksiw. I love how they shy away the taste of the oil in cooking and the way they soften the lechon meat. Mixed with strong spices and a blast of vinegar, the lechon paksiw will kick start the conversation. The aroma of the dish reminds me of how strong my relationship was before I fell out of love with my ex, Anne Curtis.
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Cafe Cul-De-Sac
>> Wednesday, August 24, 2011
During the early stage of our lives, we spend most of the time playing, chasing our crushes and wishing for that diploma to come. After that stage, we then chase the perfect job. Everyone thought that this stage is better than being a student. Working is good especially if you love the job. If you don't, you will have to look at your boss through the prongs of a fork and imagine him in jail. We work because we want to succeed in life. We all agree that good things in this world require work, unless your name happens to be James "Bimby" Aquino Yap.
Just like our favorite food, it requires work.
Right near the entrance of Sto. Niño Village, a restaurant has been working and is working very well with their craft. Powered by word of mouth, Cafe Cul-De-Sac earned the visits of the people that are lucky enough to know about them. The ambiance of the place is very intimate and is perfect for good talks with good friends.
In Cul-De-Sac, your orders come in sets. You get to choose a soup, a main course and top the meal with a scoop of ice cream. Cul-De-Sac also makes sure that you are well-pampered during your stay and work on the food to ensure the goodness with it.
So you finally got the strength to ask the hottest girl in the office but the awkward silence during your date formed a cartoon bubble between you two — waiting for an ice-breaking joke to be written on it? You don't need to worry. Let Cul-De-Sac do the talking for you by getting her the champion soup and my personal favorite, Pumpkin Soup. The pumpkin soup will surely give you goose bumps during your first taste. The soup is thick with a very good aroma that has the temptation of Cleopatra. The spices and herbs that goes with it are striking and the dash of cinnamon on top will surely leave women smitten. The chef's work does not concentrate on the pumpkin soup only. Cul-De-Sac's Mushroom Soup is by far, the best mushroom soup I have ever tasted. The soup is creamy and the flavors are well-balanced as the salt and pepper really got their groove going on it. On top are tiny bits of cilantro that just compliments the flavor and the creaminess of the soup.
You think the chef has done a good job? Wait until you get to have their Fruit and Shrimp Iceberg Salad. The great work of the chef with this salad is how he manipulates the taste of the ingredients without adding so much dressing. The best way to eat this is to have a bit of everything, from the cucumber down to the iceberg lettuce. I love how the sweetness of the peach, the natural flavor of the shrimp and the crunch of the iceberg lettuce leaves an impression to the mouth. This salad is simply as gentle as returned love letters.
Most of us gets bored with work. But not with the kitchen gods of Cul-De-Sac. The food and the plating is a testament to that. Their Fish Fillet with Lemon is one of their greatest seafood dishes. The fish have a distinctive crunch in the outside while the inside is as soft as a baby's cheek. With vegetables on the side, the fish fillet comes with a light flavor with a stroke of lemon. The fish fillet is fried perfectly and the natural odor of the fish is removed by the lemon. This is a job well done for the guys back in the kitchen.
After all those goodies that are mentioned, the work is not yet over. The bestseller on their meat section of the menu is the Ussobucco. Cul-De-Sac's Ussobucco is serious business, and its taste is just incredible. The sauce that covers the veal shanks alone can already be considered a dish itself. The flavor of the beef is all over the dish and that's what makes it really good. The Ussobucco is also sauteed perfectly as it clearly preserved the texture, moisture and flavor of the meat. With a sprinkle of cilantro on top, the flavor of the Ussobucco plays with your tongue like a melody that's sweetly played in tune. This bestseller is made for the kings.
Love your job like the cooks and crew of Cafe Cul-De-Sac and people will notice. As for me, I love my job. It fascinates me. I sit and stare at it for hours.
Cafe Cul-De-Sac is located at 29th Maya St. Sto. Niño Village Banilad Cebu City. They are open everyday at 6:00PM - 12:00PM. The menu is at P100.00 - P300.00 (subject to change without notice)
It would be better if you call for reservations at 346-1676 or 343-7230. They also have a function room that is at P4,500 (consumable). Prices might change without notice.
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All pictures are taken by Roui Faelnar. For more of his works, you may go to http://rouifaelnar.com
Event: Krispy Kreme In Cebu!
>> Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Krispy Kreme. This doughnut does not need any introduction. Just by a glance of the brand, you know it's the best doughnut in the world. It's been years of wait that it has become Manila's delicacy as people coming back home are obliged to bring it as a pasalubong. That will end pretty soon as Krispy Kreme will finally set foot in Cebu and is here to stay!
Official press release:
Five years after Krispy Kreme set foot in the Philippines, the confectionary company immediately garnered its own niche leading to an extensive expansion across Metro Manila.
Krispy Kreme opened its 1st store at Bonifacio Global City in November 2006. At present, Krispy Kreme boasts of 23 stores that serve renowned melt-in-your mouth doughnuts and coffee.
“We achieved what the Americans have been feasting on since 1930’s—the famous Krispy Kreme doughnut line, best served after the hot light outside the store flashes on,” says Jim Fuentebella, Chairman of Krispy Kreme Philippines . “And we also experienced the long lines that people in the US do, every time a new store opens for business.”
In fact, what the Filipinos did was more than just a line. True to Krispy Kreme's passion for fun and excitement, the first customers get a month or even a year long supply of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Thus, some camped near the branch hours and even days before the new store’s opening.
And this is probably the scene that Cebuanos should expect now that Krispy Kreme is about to land on the celebrated Queen City of the South.
“Bringing Krispy Kreme in one of the country’s most vibrant cities is just one of the results of our continuous expansion outside Metro Manila,” says Fuentebella.
Meanwhile, Mark Gamboa, Marketing Manager of Krispy Kreme Philippines says that the Krispy Kreme branch in Cebu will also offer wide varieties of doughnuts and beverages that made Krispy Kreme famous across the globe.
“We want to share the Krispy Kreme experience in our Cebu market thus we are bringing what the brand has to offer all the way down to the south,” says Gamboa. “From the world’s famous Original Glazed, yeast-raised and cake doughnut varieties, to our Signature Coffee and its different hot and cold variants—they can experience them all.”
Soon to be located in Ayala Center ’s The Terraces, Krispy Kreme Cebu is poised to be a sweet-destination-treat in the thriving Cebu Business District. Surrounded with sophisticated establishments, green landscapes and orchestrated water features, Krispy Kreme’s future location promises a relaxing yet refined surroundings of Cebu.
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Event: Fantastic Filipino Flavors @ UNO
>> Sunday, July 17, 2011
Waterfront Hotel's UNO restaurant has recently launched the Fantastic Filipino Flavors for the whole month of July!
This food festival will be in the limelight at UNO for the entire month, and will be available for lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. Buffet spread will include sisig, danggit, bulalo, kinilaw, crispy pata, lechon manok, lechon kawali, liempo, bagoong rice, pinakbet and kare - kare, among others.
Along with the festival, Waterfront Cebu and their Marketing Communications Manager, the stunning Ms. Mae Varron officially introduced their new and classy Food & Beverage Director, Mr. Alastair Granger.
UNO restaurant is known for their extravagant cuisines from different parts of the world. But it does not mean that they can't cook Filipino dishes. The very Filipino dish, Pinakbet caused a buzz every time someone gets a spoonful. The fresh vegetables and the classic and strong mix of flavors from it will surely shoot up your delicious meter. I love how the way it was prepared. Vegetables are not totally dead and not boring like your boyfriend who spends most of his time on the internet. You know your pinakbet is best when you still get that crunch from the vegetables.
Filipinos are not fond of rice. We can live without it and is not really that important in all of our meals. Those are the statements of denial from a person in a middle of a no-carb diet. But I do not think you can get away from their binagoong rice. Usually, most restaurants fail at this dish with the excessive amount of bagoong in the mix. UNO made it perfect by just flirting with the bagoong's taste. It is what binagoong rice should be.
Meat and vegetable dishes are common in a Filipino cookbook. UNO's kare-kare is simply amazing. It reminded me of my relationship with ex-girlfriend, Emma Watson. It was a time that it felt that everything was right and nothing could go wrong. UNO's kare-kare is just like that. But this time, it has a happy ending. There is absolutely no wrong in the ingredients for this one. The peanut butter did not take away the spotlight from the meat and the vegetables. Tender meat, fresh vegetables and pure flavors all in one? That's a classic Filipino dish. That's UNO's kare-kare.
The only bad thing about the kare-kare is that I could not take the whole serving to my plate.
In a Filipino buffet, it should have at least one type of pancit. UNO's pancit habhab is a mix of flavors from the earth and the ocean. I love the shrimp's flavor being complimented by the pancit and the eggs. Their sweet and sour fish also captivates the stomach as it is not soaked with the sauce entirely. I love how the fish stays dry with just a little amount or a hint of the sweet and sour sauce.
Their ginataang adobong manok is one of my favorites. The mere fact that it is adobo, Filipinos will love it. But the coconut milk on it is simply putting elegance on the dish. The coconut milk is a very smart addition as it is used to fuse the flavors from the adobo. As we all know, fusion is good. It almost killed Majin Boo.
For the festival, the dessert corner will also showcase different Filipino desserts. But also make sure that you get to taste their cheesecake. Trust me, their cheesecake is one of the best food that I've put in my mouth.
With all the good Filipino dishes, there will be more to it as those are just part of the Filipino buffet spread of UNO!
UNO is located at the Gourmet Walk of Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino Lahug Cebu City. Buffet is at P850.00 per head. Operating hours: 5:30 AM - 10:30 PM A la carte menu available 5:30 AM – 10: 30 AM (Breakfast Buffet) 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Lunch Buffet) 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM (Dinner Buffet)
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All pictures are taken by Roui Faelnar. For more of his works, you may go to http://rouifaelnar.com
Ryan's Pizzarelli House
>> Saturday, June 11, 2011
There are a lot of differences between men and women. Women have wonderful instincts about things. They can discover everything except the obvious. Men on the other hand were made at the end of the week's work, when God was tired. When it comes to the gender war, we always put our arguments on who is more dominant. We disagree in a lot of things and forget that men and women are somehow the same. We all get hungry, right? Well not if you are a ballet dancer. I heard they can go for 6 months without eating and slowly turn into a swan.
According to my imaginary survey statistics, men and women love Ryan's Pizzarelli House. This is because Ryan's Pizzarelli House offers classic pizzas and calzones. Not only that, the guys at Ryan's Pizzarelli House made sure that their pizzas and calzones are affordable.
Men and women both can gain and lose weight. No need to argue because we all know that girls want to have Kim Kardashian's body and men want to have Dingdong Dantes' physique (commonly known as MY body). When it comes to food, no one wants to have a pinch of a serving. We want a whole pot of the food. Served just like for kings and queens, Ryan's Heavyweight Calzone lives up to its name. The calzone is so big, you can re-create the solar system on it. On one serving, you will find a generous amount of ham, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. All these with a big splash of cheese.
If you think that's just a piece of cake, their Tapout Calzone will surely put your lights out! With a one-two combination of sausages and mushrooms, you better bring on your game because this calzone is not kidding around. I like how they bring the flavors of this calzone. Not too many stuffing but you will be able to taste each ingredient.
Men and women have their own taste in everything. From clothes to beauty, it is a never-ending battle. If you are more of a pizza person, you should try their Harisman's Special. This pizza will dazzle you with great flavors. Blanketed with tomato sauce and topped with garlic, ground beef, ham, bacon, sausage, bell pepper, onion, tomato and mushroom, this pizza will surely leave a taste on your tongue.
We are all special. Some men are dominant and some women are. A lot of guys think the larger a woman's breasts are, the less intelligent she is. I think the larger a woman's breasts are, the less intelligent the men become. Ryan's Pizzarelli Special comes close to a woman's breasts. This pizza is so good, it’s guaranteed that someone will get crazy just by looking at it. It has the most impressive arsenal of beef, bologna, pepperoni, chorizo, green bell pepper, onion, mushroom and potato strings.
Ryan's Pizzarelli House offers different kinds of pizzas and calzones. This pizza house is surely not your regular pizza house. Ryan's Pizzarelli House has bagged its dominance over other pizza houses around Cebu. This restaurant belongs to the elite class for sure, because in the gastronomic world, there is no equal. Restaurants try to raise the bar when it comes to greatness.
But men and women are not restaurants. We are above all things here in this earth.
Always remember that you are unique - just like everybody else.
Ryan's Pizzarelli House is located at 181-D Maria Christina Ext. Cebu City. (Near Sacred Heart School for Girls)
Pizzas are at P260, P300 and P380 while the Calzones are at P220 and P250. All servings are good for 4 persons.
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All pictures are taken by Roland Faelnar. For more of his works, you may go to http://rouifaelnar.com
UNO
>> Sunday, February 6, 2011
A break-up is emotionally draining but no matter how much it hurts, it still has its good side because as the cliché goes, everything happens for a reason. Maybe because he/she was not the right one for you or maybe you're bound to grow old living with cats.
If you recently have a break-up, stop crying and eat out. Yes, eating is the best therapy during break-ups because in this world, only good food gives out true love.
The best restaurant to visit for a massive foodfest will be UNO Restaurant at the Waterfront Grand Hotel & Casino in Lahug. Whatever reason it may be, from break-ups to celebrations, UNO Restaurant is guaranteed to offer the best comfort food for you.
These are the popular excuses when you are being dumped and why UNO loves you more than your partner:
Excuse #1: "I just need some space"
In UNO, the chefs will never ask for space as they make sure that you are filled with great food made by the finest culinary experts. Their Texan Pork Spare Ribs is truly mind-blowing. The taste of the pork elopes well with the flavors added and the way it is grilled is beyond expert. This can definitely pass for authentic country-style dish. Meat is very tender and the taste of the dish is so spectacular, you will never have enough space in your stomach.
Excuse #2: "You just don't understand me"
Understanding people is hard because everyone is unique. Even you will not understand UNO. You will never understand the good feeling of eating great food offered. Their Sauerbraten with Spaetzel will leave you in a state of shock as you will never understand how such light flavors mix well with a chunk of meat. Sauerbraten is often paired with boiled potatoes or served with red cabbage but the Spaetzel converted this ensemble into a dish for the kings. With the flavors of the meat and the Spaetzel, the hint of milk and cheese really come out and plays with your tongue. This is one of the best contributions Germany has given out for the world and simply, just my personal favorite.
Excuse #3: "It's not you, it's me"
Liar. Of course it's you. You are the reason why your partner is breaking up with you. Maybe he/she found another person who spends more time in the real world than the internet super stud which is you. UNO does not have a problem with that because you and your happiness are always the priority. UNO's Chicken Cordon Bleu is the best Chicken Cordon Bleu that I ever had. The texture was very good and the melted cheese was not all over the dish. Another delightful dish is their Hainanese Chicken with Condiments. What I love about UNO's Hainanese Chicken is that, it is prepared in traditional Hainanese method which is to boil the chicken in a pork and chicken bone stock. The condiments are also there to give more flavor and helps the chicken attain its tremendous taste.
Excuse #4: "I love you in the way I love Jesus"
Okay, you are being placed back to the dreaded friends' zone. It does not matter though because UNO can accommodate everyone in your new zone. With their wide array and impressive arsenal of great cuisines from the world, you and your love ones will surely receive love in different languages through food. For vegetable lovers, UNO's Lo Han Chai (Buddha's Delight) has the very essence of the tradition of vegetaranism being practiced in Chinese temples. The mild flavor of the dish is really pleasant and heavenly. Another healthy dish is their Braised Beancurd with Shrimp. Tofu lovers will surely love this as the tofu is so soft that you do not even have to chew it. The way it melts in your mouth along with the natural flavor of the shrimp gives you comfort.
Excuse #5: "You've changed"
We all do. If your partner can't deal with that, UNO can. As the only constant thing about this world is change, UNO serves different types of dish everyday. They have a fixed menu but they will of course, change their lineup because no one loves a boring buffet. You can check out the sushi and maki corner, their dimsum section, grill area and a lot more. Their pastries are explosive. Mango crepe is always fresh from the pan and never forget to try their cheesecake. Their cheesecake just spells incredible. You can even tell that the texture of the cheesecake is orgasmic. It's the best cheesecake I have ever tasted as of late.
There are a lot of excuses to break up with someone. Whatever the reason it may be, you will always have your friends to back you up. Not only that, there is also great food ready to help you cope up with the drama.
UNO is one restaurant that you should check out. It would be best if you share the experience with your loved ones and with great food, you will be able to feel that the world does not hate you at all. And before you know it, you will again feel nauseous and tingly all over. Which means, you are either in love or you just have smallpox.
UNO is located at the Gourmet Walk of Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino Lahug Cebu City. Buffet is at P850.00 per head. Operating hours: 5:30 AM - 10:30 PM A la carte menu available 5:30 AM – 10: 30 AM (Breakfast Buffet) 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Lunch Buffet) 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM (Dinner Buffet)
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All pictures are taken by Roland Faelnar. For more of his works, you may go to http://roui.multiply.com
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