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