Montebello Villa Hotel introduces their new themed dinner buffet, Seafood Fiesta. Enjoy your favorite seafood every Friday from 6:00PM to 9:00PM for 799 per person.
I should get an award for this plating. :p
A good spread of seafood kinilaw and other famous seafood dishes are waiting for you at La Terraza in Montebello Villa Hotel.
Your selections include:
Celebrate Cebu this Sinulog in the most immersive way possible through a culinary journey that explores the best and most popular heritage and contemporary food from Cebu.
All these food are served under one roof without the hassle of heavy traffic jams. In one buffet spread, one can enjoy different kinds of kinilaw, Cebuano entrees including lechon, kalderetang kambing, and humba and for dessert, masareal and tagaktak. These are the Cebuano food offered in the latest edition of Marco Polo Plaza Hotel’s Culinary Journey, Sugbusog Gihapon along with the staple international offerings of the restaurant.
In time for Sinulog, Marco Polo Plaza Hotel celebrates the grand festival with a feast of classica cebuano favorites at Cebu’s Best Premium Buffet Restaurant, Cafe Marco, from January 15 to 21, 2019.
Let me share to you my appetizer, main course, and dessert plate.
Pit Senyor!
#CebuFoodCrawl is the first bloggers’ exploration of the best food and restaurants in Cebu. On its first, second, and third, installments in November 27-30, 2015, August 26-29, 2016, and November 30-December 3, 2017 respectively, twenty-five (25) bloggers from around the country were served with internationally known local specialties and must-try recipes by well-loved Cebuano restaurants. Due to the massive success and overwhelming reception of the Cebu Food Crawl on these occasions, the Cebu Bloggers Society is happy to announce that #CebuFoodCrawl2018 is happening on November 30-December 3, 2018.
Cebu is considered as one of the best island destinations in Asia-Pacific region not just for its stunning roster of powdery beaches and islands but also for its unique gastronomic delights, which can be found nowhere else is the country. It is the culinary melting pot of the South, a perfect blend of various influences resulting into a culinary destination uniquely Cebuano, a culinary gem that keeps on evolving, and getting better and tastier over the years.
Cebu Food Crawl will take the participants and their blog and social media followers into a gastronomic journey of the exquisite and addictive taste of Cebu hinting everyone with new destinations in the progressive dining scene of Cebu and new ideas on what establishments to visit on their return.
The 4-day food tour will start with a sweet treat for participants on November 30, 2018 and will end with merienda on the hills on December 3, 2018.
Organizer and Presenters
Cebu Food Crawl is organized by the Cebu Bloggers Society, co-presented by SUN LTE (official network), Cebu Pacific Air (official airline), and TravelBee Business Inn (official residence). CFC is also supported by PayMaya and Grab. The four-day event supports the Zero Food Waste advocacy in-line with our theme this year on “Sustainable Dining”.
Participating Establishments
Cebu Food Crawl is excited to have Gibbs’ Hot Wings, an establishment which has supported us since Day One, aboard once more. We are thrilled to have our participants try out the “Best hot wings in town” as well as their new offerings!
Also on our roster for the third consecutive year is 10 Dove Street Confectionery! We’re excited to have our participants try out their cakes, pastries and other tasty treats!
In 2015, we featured this establishment as our “Cebuano success story”. This year, The Chocolate Chamber marks a return to the Cebu Food Crawl lineup and our visit will coincide with the launch of their Christmas campaign.
In 2016, our participants were overwhelmed by the variety of great food selections at Sugbo Mercado. This year, we are visiting The Market by Sugbo Mercado, the first containerized food market in Mandaue City!
Also in the same year, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu brought the Cebu Food Crawl (CFC) team to a Sizzling Night. As Cebu City’s finest marks a comeback to this year’s CFC roster, we can’t wait to experience what they will be offering!
After debuting in last year’s edition, we are thrilled to welcome back, The Detox Bar – Cebu to this year’s roster. Within a span of a year, this brand has grown so much and has recently been relaunched as a Vegan Café and Integrative Nutrition Center. The Detox Bar is known for its signature health drinks and plant-based food offerings. As we start to lean towards healthy options, I’m sure our participants will love this stop.
We are happy to have, for the first time ever, a proudly Cebuano brand that has grown through the years, Harbour City Dimsum House. They are a Cebuano favorite for their sumptuous Dimsum treats and wide array of steamed and fried dishes.
Rounding up our lineup for this year are first-timers in the Cebu Food Crawl!
Guion serves really interesting cocktails with Filipino flair.
Handuraw is a pizza place and events cafe popular for their thin crust.
The Cove is Bluewater Maribago’s Live Seafood Restaurant which promotes sustainable use of coastal and marine resources, supporting local fishermen and ocean protection.
Bigby’s is a popular restaurant in Cagayan de Oro which has spread its wings in Cebu. They serve premium travel-inspired food in BIG servings.
Bigby’s sister resto, Boy Zugba, also ventured to Cebu this year. They boast of an array of home-cooked grilled food and boodle sets.
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, a brand centered on passion, supports the Cebu Food Crawl by providing our participants a venue to pursue their passions and upload their photos and stories during the whole weekend!
Follow us as we explore Cebu’s culinary hotspots with the hashtags:
#CebuFoodCrawl2018
#SUNParaNimoCebu
#MakeFirstMomentsHappen
#TravelBeePH
*PR Material from Cebu Bloggers Society
Make Your Own Havaianas 2018, the biggest flip-flop customization event, is departing from its usual summer schedule because it is happening today until November 20, 2018 at All Flip Flops Store at Level 1 Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
This year, Havaianas is bringing only good vibes amidst crazy times. The brand will take you to a place where positivity reigns. In this wilderness, leave all your troubles behind. Happiness abounds with hundreds of options to customize your own pair. Finish your unique sole and strap combination with a variety of pins that will make you smile. A slice of pizza, a palm tree, a smiley face, and the commemorative rainbow pin, – where part of the proceeds goes to Save the Children – a non-profit organization that provides relief and support to children in developing countries, are just some of the prize picks for 2018.
You know me, I always wear black. Elegant but never too loud.
A black pair embellished with some more things I like. Hints of colors will always put fun in a very classy back. Take it as my suggestion, go make your own kind of fun!
This year’s commemorative sole features a re-imagined version of the camo pattern with banana leaves against a deep blue background. Fun and dramatic all in one! This event also debuts a commemorative slim strap. Covered in the same print as the sole, it can be matched with a multitude of colors for an eclectic chic look.
For more information, follow @havaianasphilippines on Facebook and @havaianasphils on Instagram and Twitter. Share your photos by using this hashtag #MYOHCebu2018.
A few days ago I tried the latest offering of Movenpick, the latest culinary craze, chocolates on savory dishes.
The quality of Swiss craftsmanship is world-famous and even the country’s chocolate is produced with legendary precision. Who else can give us better chocolates but Mövenpick. Their own brand of chocolate is made in keeping with the tradition, as well as its own culinary values that date back 70 years, and is produced in Switzerland using 100% cocoa butter.
As I landed from Manila, I rushed to Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu’s The Sails restaurant anticipating what would be a refreshing dinner and also a “happy meal.” (Fact: Chocolates are antidepressants.)
We started with salmon fillets enlivened with dark chocolate. Salmon fillets were marinated for long hours like a mackerel sushi. Shime Saba is my favorite among the sashimis and I think I found its salmon counterpart.
The savoury tarte tartin with a white chocolate was a palate cleanser. It sets the mood for chocolates that night.
The seven chocolate-inspired creations include: marinated ‘beetroot salmon’ with root vegetables and 72% dark chocolate to enhance the meal’s rich earthiness; ‘tomato tarte tartin’ where ‘white lemon’ chocolate complements the goat’s cheese, pine nuts and coffee beans; ‘sea bass and green tea’ – a light foam of green tea, almonds, nuts and Mövenpick ‘Maple Walnut’ is the star; ‘minute beef goulash’, with a traditionally-made Hungarian goulash sauce, enriched with dark chocolate; ‘lamb shank and pesto’, slow-roasted and then refined with pistachio and hazelnut chocolate pesto; and ‘duck breast and potato pie’, with white chocolate, lime and pepper giving the pink-roasted meat a delicate yet spicy freshness.
I should say, my 2 favorites which I think were the standout dishes were the lamb shank pesto and the duck breast and potato pie. The lamb shank was slow cooked and off-the-bone but the meat was firm and never saggy. It was very good. The duck breast was at its perfect color, pink. It was smokey and flavorful. It has a good amount of skin on it. With ducks, you’ve got to have the skin.
We finished our dinner with ‘chocolate pavés au chocolat’, combining milk chocolate, crispy cocoa bean fragments, sizzling pecan nuts and slightly bitter matcha powder, all with a hint of green tea and paired with an espresso. I am not really into sweet treats but these are just on the right amount sweetness.
Mövenpick chocolate the hero of seven dishes in its latest global campaign, which runs from 10 October to 20 November 2018.
Last Saturday, after super typhoon Ompong left the Phillipines, life carried on and everyone was grateful that it brought no harm to the country. The disaster preparation and response were remarkable. Despite the ferocity of Ompong, only a few reported unfavorable incidents were reported. The Philippines must have been on its right way to resiliency. While still feeling the tail of the storm, the weather calls for some good wines for thanksgiving and of course, to warm the spirit in air.
Aqua in Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa hosted a timely Italian Wine Dinner. It was exquisite. It masterfully curated and paired the lovely dishes prepared by Chef Andrea Burziu of Aqua with the perfect Italian wines from Wine Depot.
We started with a rather unconventional appetizer of deep fried ox tongue, saffron mayonnaise and some greens paired with my favorite wine of the night, the 2015 Col di Sasso from Banfi, Tuscany. The tongue was braised/simmered and deep fried to produce that prized tenderness coated with batter for deeper flavor and crunch. The saffron mayonnaise was a good compliment to the tender-bouncy-textured tongue.
Chef Andrea Burziu told us that for our second dish he has a little surprise for us. On our plate was an oversized Ravioli stuffed with spinach and handmade ricotta giant topped with sweet cheese fondue paired with 2016 Moda from Talamonti, Abruzzo. The surprise was that as soon as we break the ravioli a runny and creamy egg yolk oozes out. It was rich, delicious and crazy beautiful. If chinese dumplings have Xiao Long Bao, this one is for the Raviolis. It got me asking how did they do that?
Our main was a steamed grouper in Potato and Parsley Mousseline crust with Eggplant and sun-dried tomato ratatouille paired with 2016 Trebbiano from Talamonti, Abruzzo. It’s funny how this dish is reminiscent of our well-loved escabeche. I must learn how to cook that ratatoulle. It was divine!
To cap the dinner was a Strawberry Mascarpone Tiramisu it was so gorgeous I didn’t touch it for a long time that I just had to ravel its beauty; that alone, is already enough. But of course, I gave in. I had to eat it paired with 2014 Collepino from Banfi, Tuscany.
That was a lovely dinner with varied table topics from wines, the filipino food on making its way to the world, the hospitality industry and even about wellness in dining.
Thank God, Ompong was already out of the country.
An irresolute crying clouds covered the whole city but my stomach is firmly convinced by its whining that it is hungry. Rainy days and hungry always get me hound for soulful food which today led me to Seoul. I mean to korean food.
Don’t you just love korean food on rainy days? The samgyupsal and bulgogi combo is a serious rainy day treat. Hot, spicy, filling, and healthy.
In Cebu, more and more Korean restuarants are opening their doors to Cebuanos. The latest I tried is Bacolod’s favorite Kimstaurant located at The Greenery in Pope John Paul II Avenue in Mabolo.
Here are some of my personal favorite arranged in order.
1. The Beef Galbi Jiim — braised beef short ribs — are fall-off-the-bone tender and rich in flavor. It is a stickier version of Korean Beef Stew.
2. Their Bulgogi is one of the best here in Cebu. Serve hot off from the pan, it is sweet, tasty, with hints of spice. The beef is conspicuously fresh.
3. Japchae, a mixed dish at boiled bean threads, stir-tried vegetables, and shredded meat.
4. The double fried soy glazed chicken is divine. I’m definitely sure you will love it.
5. Yakiniku offerings of Samgyupsal and Galbi are of course must.
While at Kimstaurant, I highly recommend that you try the refreshing Aloe Vera Juice. Speaking of fresh, the raw beef meat with egg (Korean Steak Tartare) is also something worth exploring.
Kimstaurant is open from 11:00 am. to 11:00 pm. Make your reservations by by calling +63 945 988 5541.
Not so long time ago a group of technologically advanced opinionated and young oversharers decided to boost their voice online by singing in choral the beautiful things happening in Cebu. It was February 14, 2008, not to say that nothing beautiful is going on in their lovelife, when they formed an organization of cebuano and cebu based bloggers who have a distinctly beautiful heart for Cebu.
As CBS marked its 10th anniversary last February 14, we will be celebrating such a wonderful feat this Saturday, March 3 at the Cebu Bloggers Society 10th Anniversary Gala Night. The most glamorous event ever hosted by CBS as members will come in their most elegant shining gowns and tuxedos.
CBS for past ten years is nothing short of invincible. There were great hellos as there were heartbreaking goodbyes but what is important are the memories and lessons that will always stay in us, the blossoming that allows us to break glass ceilings, the bond that keeps us get by, the spark that fans the ember of passion of every members.
The Cebu Bloggers Society 10th Anniversary Gala Night is co-presented by Cebu Parklane International Hotel, our official venue partner, AirAsia, our official airline partner, SkyWaterpark Cebu, our official waterpark partner, and Oppo, our official smartphone partner. Have some cravings? You can now order your food and groceries online with https://www.honestbee.ph/en/. Just download the app and have them delivered at your doorstep.
We thank our patron sponsor, BigSEED PR and Events for introducing the Cebu Bloggers Society to their partner brands.
Megaworld, the country’s leading real estate developer and No. 1 business process and outsourcing (BPO) office developer and landlord in the Philippines,
PLDT Home, home’s most powerful broadband,
Ayala Center Cebu, the premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination in the South.
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
This event is powered by Smart.
For more updates on the CBS 10th Anniversary Gala Night, check out our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram , using the official hashtag, #CBSat10.
By now you probably have already planned your great Sinulog Weekend 2018. Looking at the week weather forecast it seems that it will be another wet Sinulog this year.
Anyhow, it’s always fun in Sinulog, rain or shine.
The party with Steve Aoki last year continued, rain or shine!
There is one Sinulog Party that has been getting rave reviews from its patrons, that is Plus63 Music & Arts Festival. In fact, I wrote about my anticipation of it (read here) last year. There is one thing very glaring the sets apart Plus63 Music and Arts Festival from the rest of the parties and concerts in Cebu and the City Hall seems to agree with me —The security was tight and very well managed. It was like entering to a themed park. The crowd moved freely and was wild (in a good way).
Plus63 Music & Arts Festival 2018 Map
Plus63 is also able to get a prime venue apt for the celebration. Ayala Business Park is in the center of all the festivities with ample parking spaces, huge space where people can move around, and most importantly it is very accessible to everyone. Perfect for fireworks too. Watch for it!
So did you buy your tickets already? Get it before the the day and save stash for your snacks.
They have great food options inside too. Pina Coolada, Donya Wagyu, and Tipsy Pops are just two of the several local startup food vendors that will be there.
Be ready to party with an eclectic mix of international and local musical acts. Some of the country’s best talents Marc Marasigan, X Factor, Gino V, and Victor Pring on the mic, will be making sure the whole party is lit!
To top it off. Plus63 brought in Steve Angello, and Steve Aoki, in 2016 and 2017, respectively, to headline the event. This year, they are bringing in Showtek!!!
For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Spanish cuisine is something that is not very strange to the Filipino palate. Its traces are evident in our feasts on celebrations and special occasions. From tapas to roasted whole pigs, Spanish cuisine is regarded as a luxurious indulgence.
I was curious about the Spanish Night in Montebello Villa Hotel after reading some facebook posts of my friends raving about it. I immediately chatted two friends, Carlo and Ted, who are also aspiring chefs themselves, to accompany me and check on the Spanish buffet. I wanted to learn more about Spanish cuisine, and these two will be able to provide fresh perspectives and inputs about it.
Ted, Ethy, and Carlo.
Reservation is always appropriate. A call to the hotel to reserve a table for three was in order especially that the Spanish Buffet is only available every Saturday night.
The moment we were seated, we were approached by the waitress in red and black flamenco dress for our drinks. I had Sangria of course. It was served in full glass with a prominent scent of mixed fruits.
Swirl. Smell. Sip.
At first sip, I already know that it could be a good contender for the best Sangria in town to date. Sweet, effervescent, and innocuously potent. It was reminiscent of my own Sangria concoction I had during every fiesta. A mix of 3:1:1 red wine, white wine, and Sprite, with slices of my favorite fruits. It was a Spanish Holiday in a wine glass.
It wouldn’t be a Spanish buffet without the staple callos and lengua. I honestly had kept my expectations low considering the price of the buffet at P649.00 per person. Surprisingly, they are sensational! A product of laborious food preparation, the meat is tender and the spices are balanced, nothing overpowers the other. It was very good that I became so curious about the chef behind them. I asked a little background of the chef. I was told from a grapevine that the chef was from a restaurant which used to be on the top spot in Cebu Spanish food dining. No wonder these food do not only taste familiar, they were actually exceptional.
This Lengua is TDF!
Callos is an acquired taste. Glad, I acquired it.
Another favorite that I should mention was the Pescado En Salsa Verde (Hake in Green Sauce). The aroma of the spices and butter not only teased your sense it lingered in your mouth. Although the piece of fish that I had was a bit dry, the sauce still made it noteworthy. It was indeed an unforgettable dish that goes along with the memorable spanish songs like the timeless Bolare played by the band on the background.
Pardon me for skipping the dessert. I am not really a dessert kind of eater. I am trying to cut down my sugar intake so that I can still have my coke and favorite coffee. The dessert spread on the buffet were promising though. I saw some churros and flans.
Why not have the dinner by the pool?
The Spanish Buffet is available every Saturday Night. It opens at 6:00PM. Candle lit dining by the pool with some Spanish vibe on the air could be a very good option.
#NindotKaayo 