I had the pleasure of being one of the people invited for Shabu Shabu Ichiban’s food tasting. To be honest, I was really hesitant in attending since I am not fond of Japanese or any oriental cuisine. So, I was sort of terrified. Haha I decided to go because why not? Okay, I did give out a reason why not. Hey! I really need to give this place a chance with my taste buds. I have to try out new things and that is why I decided to go. Guess what? It was one of the best decisions I made! Shabu Shabu Ichiban really caught me by surprise. Not did I only like what I ate, I could not stop eating there. I have been craving for Shabu Shabu Ichiban since then and my girlfriend finds it weird because I never crave oriental asian food. It is that good!

When I got there, first thing I noticed is the interior design of the restaurant. Well, of course, the food was still being prepared. I really liked how the designer was able to balance out the classic traditional Japanese style and combined it with modern industrial look. It was really well thought and with clean lines. Well done!

It was really good! No lies here. I would post this if I did not like it. The process really was part of the experience. The cooking and how the taste of the soup changes when you put in more of the stuff from the table. It was literally gastronomic for me! I enjoy cooking at home but this was fun. I also do not like my food touching but mixing the different kinds of meat to my base soup was fine. In fact, it made everything taste better. By the way, they have 24 soup bases for you to choose from! Yes! You heard that right! 24 soup bases! =)

Ofourse, I dug in to their tempura which actually complements well with the soup. That’s one thing I like from them. I always hate it when I eat at other Japanese restaurants and they serve us with tempura where it is like 50% breading. You get excited then you take a bite just to know that you have just bitten on the breading part because the prawn is in there somewhere. Haha Well, this on is different because the prawn is actually the same size as what you see in front of you. You get to bite off both the prawn and the breading at the same time! Now that is a bang for your buck!

The Skewered Bean-Paste Flavored Cutlet was also pretty good. It was fried just right and the sauce had that strong savory flavor which gives that cutlet that additional oomph! =)

Now the best has come! Their Alaskan King Crab was refreshingly full of flavor! These crabs were imported from Alaska to Cebu and I was surprised by how fresh it tasted. It was odd because I know it was imported but they managed to keep it really fresh while maintaining its flavor as well. It was one hell of a taste bud joyride! I really enjoyed it that I could not stop talking about it to Sophia. We will definitely be back there soon. I really want her to try the crabs! It’s really worth it! Shabu Shabu Ichiban Sets starts at Php 488 on weekdays and Php 688 on weekends. That is fairly affordable for the quality of shabu shabu you will get. Check them out right now at the Skypark in SM Seaside City Cebu.

I still remember way back in college when I would crave for chocolates, I would definitely buy a Magnum. If I crave for ice cream, I would also buy a Magnum! Guess what? I have a sweet tooth and I always crave for both! Haha Magnum ice cream was always the best choice in satisfying the best of both worlds. Years have passed and the brand synonymous to Belgian chocolate indulgence have grown with a variety of decadent flavors such a the Magnum Infinity. This time Magnum ice cream takes their signature ice cream bars to the next level… and they are bringing it to Cebu!

Magnum Cebu opens at SM Seaside City! It will be one of the brand’s global concept which is The Magnum Pleasure Store. There’s currently one in SM Mall of Asia. Starting November 17, 2016, Magnum Cebu will open its doors to pleasure seekers with Belgian chocolate, ice cream, and exciting premium toppings to create truly unique Magnum bars. You get to create your own Magnum bar just the way you like it!

This is one of the two that I made! It’s rich chocolate ice cream coated with white chocolate; topped with sun dried rose petals (Yes! Rose petals!), crushed pistachios, and milk chocolate crunch balls; then drizzled with Belgian milk chocolate! 

You can also make your own Magnum ice cream bar come November 17! At the counter, Pleasure Seekers select a “naked” Magnum bar of silky Vanilla or rich Chocolate ice cream, as well as a Belgian chocolate coat amongst white, milk or dark chocolate. Next, the now-coated Magnum bar is sprinkled with toppings that range from the classics like marshmallows or crunch balls; special, luxurious toppings like freeze-dried raspberries or pistachios; or adventurous toppings like chili or sea salt flakes. Finally, the creation is drizzled with a choice of white, milk or dark chocolate, and the store’s Pleasure Maker will top it off with an M coin. The finished product, a customized Belgian chocolate masterpiece of your own dreaming, is yours to enjoy for only 120 pesos!

I can’t thank Magnum Cebu enough for having me at their exclusive preview of the store. It literally is the ultimate haven of chocolate and ice cream indulgence! This made my day immensely happy. My craving was more than satisfied that I still want more. I can’t wait for everyone to try making their very own Magnum ice cream bars!

Also, Pleasure seekers have exciting events and activities to look forward to. From November 17 to November 27, 2016, the first 50 customers to show up daily with a Magnum Cebu photo will have the chance to indulge in a free Make Your Own Magnum bar.  All they need to do is visit Magnum Cebu and share the promo photo found on Magnum PH’s Facebook page to claim their prize.  Pleasure Seekers can also look forward to catching a glimpse of their favorite Magnum Cebu ambassadors during the store opening.  On top of all these, Magnum Cebu is set to launch new limited edition toppings consumers can add to their favorite Make Your Own Magnum bar.

Magnum Cebu is located at the upper ground floor of the Mountain Wing of SM Seaside City Cebu, right across Starbucks. Keeping true to the pop-up concept of every store, Magnum Cebu will be open for a limited time only, so hurry and treat yourself to a blissfully delicious signature Magnum bar.

I just recently discovered an awesome promotion from KPub BBQ in Ayala Center Cebu! The Bibimbap Lunch Set! All along, I thought KPub BBQ is all about their meat-all-you-can packages but they also offer other promotions such as this lunch set. If the meat-all-you-can is too much for you then this lunch set is definitely a must try!

The KPub Bibimbap Lunch Set on costs Php 299 and it comes with appetizers already. We had kimchi, sweet potato, leafy vegetables, and miso soup.

The lunch set actually comes with a free Bibimbap with every single order of your favorite Korean dish. You can choose between Dak Bulgogi, So Bulgogi, Jeyouk Bokkum, Sundubu Jjigae, Doen Jang Jjigae, or Godunghu Gui! That’s a lot of choice for you to try out! 

My girlfriend loves Asian food so much and by ‘Asian’ I mean ‘Korean’ food. This is saves me from all the hassles of choosing where to eat specially when she gets a little too indecisive. She gets to eat Korean food and I get to eat a lot! Haha That’s a win-win for everyone. The Bibimbap Lunch Set is available from Monday to Friday. Ofcourse, it’s during lunch time only. So go out an try it for yourselves! =) 

Right about a week ago, I got the chance to try and check out Circa 1900’s newest addition. Casa Dos! In case you are a bit confused, Circa 1900 is a cluster of residences in a quiet but distinguished neighborhood turned into a lifestyle and leisure destination. Casa Uno and Casa Dos are the houses that stand inside Circa 1900. With Casa Dos now open, Circa 1900 is literally bigger and better!

The moment I knew that Circa 1900 was opening another house for their customers, I got excited! I got excited because it has it’s own swimming pool! It’s a totally unique concept for Cebu. A restaurant with a pool. Okay, there are restaurants with pools but they are housed inside a hotel or a resort. 

They have a function space right beside the swimming pool called the Belvedere. It’s perfect for poolside parties and children’s parties. They have also intended the Belvedere to be a venue for Yoga, Zumba, Pilates, and/or Tai Chi. They also have a dip and dine offer if you want to swim in the pool!

Inside Casa Dos is the Cicada which is a tapas bar and alfresco casual dining. Adjacent to Cicada is The Noshery which is a gelato station and pastry work shop as well. It is also an venue where artists, musicians, and craft persons can showcase their skills and completed products! Indeed, Circa 1900 is becoming a destination for dining, leisure, and lifestyle!

What I like about Circa 1900 is how they preserved the architecture, the ambiance, and the identity of the houses. They have definitely transformed both houses into the city’s most sought after restaurants!

Of course, Casa Dos serves delectable food. Casa Uno is well know for fine food and wine. However, Cicada at Casa Dos will be know for its casual comfort food for lunch and in between meals, tapas, and drinks before or after dinner. Here are some of my favorites!

Spicy Seafood Sisig Pizza with Thai Basil and Fried Garlic! Yes, finally Circa 1900 offers pizza. I never thought I would ever like seafood on my pizza but this works just fine. If you’re not into spicy food, I think you’ll like this one. It’s not crazy spicy because they made it not to make you sweat and turn red but just enough to make you crave for more! Haha

,

Pasta Aglio Olio with Char-grilled Vegetables. I’ve been making pasta for my girlfriend these past few days and I thought I’d be sick but this photo actually makes me want to go back their and eat it again! Haha You can never get enough of this. I like how it bursts with flavor and it has its own distinct taste which pretty rare for an Aglio Olio. All the others taste the same.

Oh my! Now this one makes me hungry even if I just ate dinner! Haha This, my friends, is the Spice Rubbed Baby Back Pork Ribs with Redstone Potato Wedges! My eyes locked into this dish as soon as it arrived to our table. I made sure I sat right in front of it. Haha I wasn’t disappointed. Its a must try for meat lovers.The wedges perfectly prepare you for the mouthwatering pork tenderloin. It’s grilled just right! Can’t wait to eat it again! Haha

These drinks look delicious and they really are! I had this Berry Smoothie and it was divine. Creamy and it tastes like there are fresh strawberries somewhere in there. Haha

Ah yes! Dessert. These dessert don’t only look picture perfect but they are also perfect for you sweet tooth. They are small but terrible cakes and bars. One bite makes you want more but one slice is all you need to satisfy your sugary craving!

They also serve cocktails and other alcoholic beverages like craft beers! Now, you can have long talks over drinks at Circa 1900.

Overall, Casa Dos is definitely a place for those who want to give in to guilty pleasures and comfort food. All that without sacrificing quality. It’s casual dining at its finest!

Casa Dos at Circa 1900 is located at Sanjercasvil Road, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines. It’s open dailay from 10 in the morning until 12 midnight. The swimming pool is open at 7 in the morning until 10 in the evening. For more details, follow Circa 1900 on Facebook and @circa1900 on Instagram. You can also contact them through info.circa1900@gmail.com or call them (032) 417 3886

 

They also have sandwiches for you to dig in! I’m not a fan of sandwiches, unless I make them myself, but I ate one whole sandwich. It was full of flavor. It would be an insult not to finish the whole piece! Haha

Heads totally turned when one of these guys were served. Trust me, your girlfriend will definitely love this! This is one of their soft served ice cream. It’s served with toppings and fairy floss. It’s super affordable too.

I’m a sucker for lemons! When I checked out their cake selections, my eyes were already locked for the Lemon Curd Cheesecake. I had to try it and  I wasn’t disappointed! Most cheesecakes are all creamy. They almost taste the same. This one taste creamy too but every bite was a surprise because I can still taste that citrus kick! Ugh, now I’m craving for a slice! Haha 

Rainbow cake! I wasn’t able to try this one but rest assured it tastes just a delicious as it looks. Back then, I can only see a rainbow cake on 9gag, Now I just saw a real one! Haha Kids and ladies will surely love this one. Remember when I said the the interiors are instagram worthy? Well, the food is instagram worthy too! Haha

Now I’m seriously drooling! This is their Cookie Dough Cheesecake. Then again, I was never a fan of anything cookie dough because why can you not just make it into cookies?! Haha Now, I understand why! This is heavenly. No! Seriously! This cheesecake will satisfy your sweet sugary cravings! If not? It will leave you wanting for more. They did it once again with this one. A cheesecake with its own distinct taste. You have to try it. It’s worth every penny! =)

‘Room for Dessert’ wasn’t just opened for the sake of having another dessert cafe in Cebu. It was opened to offer you desserts which are carefully thought of and crafted. I can still remember how each dessert I tried tasted differently from each other and not just your usual, “oh, it tastes sweet.” It goes beyond sweet because each dessert is a burst of flavors which you never knew mesh well together. Don’t get intimidated by how fancy the cafe looks, go in and experience Room for Dessert! =)

Room for Dessert is located at the 3rd Level Skypark of SM Seaside City Cebu!

KPub BBQ, the hippest, coolest and biggest Korean barbecue and meat-all-you-can restaurant in the country, brings downtown Seoul to Cebu as they open their third branch in the Philippines and first in the region at the 2nd level, Ayala Center Cebu Terraces. Authentic Korean barbecue fused with the exciting vibe & energy of KPop is the idea behind this concept restaurant. The expansive 600-square meter space features a main dining hall, six VIP rooms, a smoking area, and an al fresco area that can seat up to 350 people.

KPub’s Meat-All-You-Can restaurant gives diners four packages to choose from — Eat & Run, Eat & Run Level Up, No Limits, and the To the Max — where selected main dishes are barbecued on the smokeless grill on each table, giving customers the fun and excitement of grilling their own food. A selection of popular Korean appetizers is served on the side to complement the meal. A full-serviced set up with side dishes being served ahead and the time starting only when the meat starts grilling, ensures diners get the full experience within a specified time frame. 

ndulge in the Meat-All-You-Can experience with the No Limits package at P899+. It has all of the 12 signature meat choices including premium beef selections: the KPub So Galbi (marinated beef short rib), L-A Galbi (marinated cross-cut beef short rib), So Bulgogi (marinated beef slice in sweet soy sauce), and Dwaeji Bulgogi (marinated pork slice in sweet soy sauce), dried seaweed roll with kimchi or beef bulgogi and the additions of bibimbap and Korean ice cream plus unlimited grilling time.

Delight the palate with the Eat & Run Level Up at P699+, includes everything on the Eat & Run package with a grilling time of one hour plus the following seafood and meat dishes: garlic butter shrimp, marinated fish fillet, japchae, fish tofu, calamari, lamb chorizo, and pizza (kimchi and cheese, tomato and cheese, bulgogi, or spicy pork). 

For the ultimate Korean barbecue experience, To the Max (package) at P999+ includes all of the above for two hours plus salmon belly, salmon steak, fresh prawns, crab sticks, tempura platter (ebi, crab, and vegetable), seafood pizza, seafood kimbab, seafood japchae, fried dumplings, assorted vegetables, and fried spring roll.

Korean chicken, differentiated by its traditional cooking style of being fried twice for crispier skin that’s less greasy while maintaining its tenderness inside, is fast becoming a local favorite. KPub’s own version, Oppa! Chicken, introduced for the first time in the country in its Cebu branch, comes in original, snowing cheese, soy and garlic, and sweet and spicy with more flavors hatching soon. KPub also offers an ala carte menu of authentic Korean favorites such as bibimbap, japchae, odeng tang, seafood pajeon aside from its Meat-All-You-Can packages plus a selection of cocktails for after hours.

Enjoy the Eat & Run package at P499+, which includes an hour of unlimited servings of seven signature meat dishes: beef sukiyaki, pork belly, Korean-style bacon, marinated pork belly in sweet and spicy sauce, marinated pork chop, marinated chicken in sweet and spicy sauce, and marinated chicken in sweet soy sauce. The package also includes appetizing side dishes (cabbage kimchi, mashed potato with egg, onions with chili, cucumber kimchi, tofu kimchi and anchovies), choice of kimchi fried rice or steamed rice, steamed egg, kimchi panjeon (Korean pancake), house salad, lettuce, and soup of the day. 

The Cebu branch comes fully equipped with a stage and band set-up, state-of-the-art lights and sound system, and three large LED walls, the biggest in the country, which can be readily used by clients and which air Korean music videos on regular nights, completing the ultimate Korean Pop (K-Pop) experience. Its six VIP rooms can seat up to 10 people and come with its own LCD TV, making it ideal for intimate dinners with friends and family. Starting March, local bands will be featured every evening from Tuesday to Saturday. 

Last week, I got to hangout with my friends at Circa 1900. See that mouth watering platter in the photo above? Yes! We got to try out their latest offerings in their “Barbecue Nights” menu. We definitely ate more than what we bargained for. Haha

Barbecue Nights at Circa 1900 let’s you enjoy from the choices of US Beef Ribeye, Persian Chicken, Snapper Fillet, Ginger Miso Calamari with Coriander Shoyu Prawns or try the Korean Style Extra Spicy Pork Ribs.

You can also experience the whole barbecue experience in a family platter suitable for groups of six. It comes with a complimentary bottle of Morande Pionero Cabernet Sauvignon – Rose which is just perfect for the US Beef Ribeye.

Each dish on the menu comes with Circa Garden Salad and a Garlic Mash or Thai Vegetable Fried Rice. Barbecue nights is available today until June 8, 2016. 

Meet up with family and friends at Circa 1900 and pair up your conversations with their selection of succulent meats and fresh seafood, grilled to perfection! Head on over now and create another moment to remember. =)

Or indulge in a lavish international dinner buffet, for PhP 1,850 net per person, complete with carving stations of lechon, prime beef cuts and more, with a glass of wine at Feria. Treat yourself to all things pink and heart shaped; express your love with delightful pastries and goodies at the Cakes to Go counter at Feria.

If you want to do something a little different, spend an afternoon of intimate conversations over Dilmah t-Bar’s Signature Afternoon High Tea with warm cups of rose with French vanilla tea brewing with love for the whole month of February.

After six years in Ayala Terraces, Canvas Bistro Bar & Gallery is now at its new location at Paseo One, Along Maria Luisa Road Banilad. New place, new menu but same delectable taste. If you want food that will satisfy your taste buds then Canvas is the place you are looking for.

Known for serving modern Australian cuisine, Canvas Bistro Bar and Gallery continues to serve quality food using local and the freshest ingredients available and prepared in a way that contributes to the health and well being of the guests.

The new menu features traditional favorites like Shrimp & Beansprout “Ukoy” Fritters, Meltique Beef Sirloin Steak with Roesti Wedge and Slow Braised Beef Osso Bucco with Mash Potato & Vegetables.

Among the new dishes in the menu are the Thai Fish Cakes with Cucumber Dipping Sauce, Whole Wheat Triple Decker with Ham, Egg, Chicken, Cheese & Salad, and Tangigue Simmered in Coconut Vinegar, Soy, Citrus & Ginger on Asian Vegetable Rice. Gluten free dishes have also been included.

The Chefs are happy that Canvas is no longer positioned as a ‘mall restaurant’ and will work on blackboard specials to add variety in the selection and to challenge their creativity.

The one in the photo above is my favorite! Haha It’s their Mixed Grill Combo! It’s like a guys meal. I mean it says “to share” but I can totally consume the whole thing myself. Haha

Canvas Bistro Bar and Gallery will also strengthen the catering service which is suitable for small groups and corporate events. For inquiries, call 417 1978 or contact +63 922 516 2835. You can also email them at info.canvasbbg@gmail.com

Radisson Blu Cebu welcomes the year of the Fire Monkey! Taste
the good fortune and welcome the year of the Fire Monkey with a traditional
Chinese New Year celebration at Radisson Blu Cebu. Savor time-honored cuisines
with fiery dishes crafted by Chinese Master Chef Aik Liang Tan at Feria.

On
February 7 and 8, enjoy a dinner buffet at PhP 1,650 net per person. Usher the
auspicious year with a traditional “Yu-Sheng” toss on February 7. Indulge in
the extensive Chinese buffet featuring favorites such as steamed grouper fish
with silver golden garlic, steamed chicken with Chinese herb, poached drunken
prawn with ginger and black fungus, fried blue crab with coconut cream and
fragrant yam rice with dried chicken and Chinese sausage wrapped in lotus
leaves. Along with the varied spread is the Chinese noodle station, roasted
suckling pig, Peking duck, assorted dim sum, among many others.