Great Finds in Cebu City's Dining Scene
Tasting Cebu, one plate at a time.
Cebu City blends its rich history and scenic spots with a culinary landscape as diverse as its people.
Its dining scene has quietly emerged as a standout feature, drawing food lovers from across Asia. And while there will always be place for its traditional culinary heritage such as the Lechon, chicharon, the hanging rice (puso) and countless others, it also embraces modern innovation as evidenced by the numerous restaurants that have sprouted all over the city.
Below are some of the best dishes I have tried which are worth checking out.
1. Dragonfruit Kinilaw at Cur8, Banilad Town Center.
We had high hopes for this dish as it was prominently featured on their Facebook page. We were quite lucky to have been served its last order for the day. It was creamy, and had a herbaceous vinaigrette. The dragonfruit complemented the seafood well which was a medley of scallops and shrimps interspersed with ponzu jelly and edible flowers. The plate was a pretty as a picture.
2. Spicy Inun-unan nga Bangus (Spicy Bangus Stew) at Eddie's Hotel, F. Manalo St., Cebu City.
This humble dish can be found in almost every Visayan home any day of the week. But the Inun-unan at Eddie's is like a quiet poem of the sea. Steeped in the spicy tanginess of the vinegar, the Bangus is paired with a medley of veggies, slivers of eggplant and ampalaya with green finger peppers and ginger. It is an alchemy of flavors. Best paired with fried eggs on the side and garlic rice.
3. Souvlak Kebabs Estiatorio Cebu, Stacia Hotel, Gov. M. Cuenco, Cebu City
Excited to partake of Greek cuisine in the city, we ordered the beef, but since it was unavailable, we tried the pork kebabs instead. They turned out to be pleasantly quite flavorful and it was served with pita bread, topped with lettuce, tomato and onions. It wasn't as spicy as we expected but the kebabs were tender and roasted just right.
4. Chicken Under a Brick at Brickwood Busay, Busay Hills.
Crispy on the outside, with a hint of chimichurri sauce on top of mashed potatoes and some baked veggies. A winner all the way. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, and a well-thought out presentation.
5. Basque Cheesecake at Brickwood Busay
Am not normally a dessert person, but this cheesecake was oh, so heavenly. Golden crisp crust, with velvety smooth and creamy cheese filling. Each bite was balance of creamy decadence and gentle crunch.
6. Steak Bites at Olive and Fig, The Esplanade, Salinas Drive
Wok-fried tender cubes of beef, in olive oil, garlic confit and button mushrooms was indeed rich and succulent and seasoned just right.
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Beyond its traditional roots, Cebu City's dining scene has indeed evolved to cater to urbane, cosmopolitan tastes. There is also a burgeoning café culture that caters to the Instagram crowd who love artisanal brews.
Every now and then, we will feature more undiscovered culinary treasures here in the Queen City of the South.