Cebu Restaurants

[Wicked Roger]

Any recommendations for / against Olio? Its been one I've been wanting to try but my last trip was too short to make it there.

Monga.

Is OK, nice seafood, ambience was nice, prices around 1500 pesos for 2 persons, and as located in the Crossroads not too far from Ayala and the hotels around there. Pinays love seafood as you know so give it a go, the lady will impressed and eat to her heart's content. Oysters are nice. I have mine cooked only and is great.

Used to have a 7 course menu for 2000 pesos a head, a tad expensive IMHO but depends who you are with and want to impress. Just stick to basics with the ladies is my advice and enjoy Olios

[Mongrinastrlnd]

Any recommendations for / against Olio? Its been one I've been wanting to try but my last trip was too short to make it there.

[Wicked Roger]

I have taken one of my Cebu favorites to Siam twice now because she loves it. I introduced her to Thai food on our first "date" and she wanted a repeat.

Lemon Grass across from Siam has it's "mother" restaurant in Serendra in The Fort in Manila but the Cebu branch is not as good as the Manila one (IMHO). However, as WR says earlier, well worth a visit for range of ethnic dishes.

RK.

Is that my Cebu favourite and your one LOL.

Siam is OK, typical Thai food etc, nothing great, girls liked it as the rice came heart shaped!

Try the Greek (food gentleman) next to gustavia, again food not great but not bad, hearty cuisine, nice flavours and change for the usual.

And as David33 says, Yellow Cab is great for pizzas.

Gerrys Grill (Ayala Terraces close to Bos Coffee Shop). Have FR before but does a nice blue marlin steak while the girls can indulge in chop suey, sisig and all the other delightful 'flavours' of Filipino food. A good compromise and fairly inexpensive, the blue marlin is only 350 pesos and the Filipino dishes 100-200 pesos. Service can be slow and wierd at times but am used to that so I enjoy the fish and the company. Good if you a few cuties with you as the food bill will be realtively small per head.

Or Milligans the floor above for a variety of reasonably priced foor, but the band can be noisy at times, evern though the lady singer is on DIA and can be cute

[Red Kilt]

WR mentioned Siam located at Ayala Terraces, and I had forgotten that I had eaten there as well. It's a fairly standard Thai restaurant with the typical assortment of well known Thai dishes. I can't even remember what I ate, but I do remember thinking that the quality was acceptable but certainly not memorable. The prices were moderate. I think for two of us the bill was somewhere around Php1, 200 but, as the Singha beer was " out of stock" surprise surprise, we didn't consume any alcohol. The Thai ice tea was a bit weak as I recall, and the ambience was more or less standard mall theécor. All in all, it's surely not worth a special trip, but if you're in the mood for Thai, and in reasonable proximity to Ayala Mall, it's not bad.

GE

I have taken one of my Cebu favorites to Siam twice now because she loves it. I introduced her to Thai food on our first "date" and she wanted a repeat.

GE's comments are essentially correct re decor but I have learned to disregard this factor if the food is good (think Ah Fat's in Davao; cafe decor, noisy and bustling but truly high class, excellent Chinese food).

Singha beer seems to be perpetually "out of stock", and I remarked about this to the manager on my last trip. She smiled sweetly and just said "Yes Sir" when I suggested they either take it off the menu or put a sticker beside it. The Thai Iced tea (with lychees) is very good if you like incredibly sweet drinks. My gf for the night loves it.

All in all, if you like Thai food then you will enjoy Siam but remember that the standard Thai dishes have all been tampered with to satisfy the local clientele who are, after all, their major source of business.

Lemon Grass across from Siam has it's "mother" restaurant in Serendra in The Fort in Manila but the Cebu branch is not as good as the Manila one (IMHO). However, as WR says earlier, well worth a visit for range of ethnic dishes.

[GoodEnough]

WR mentioned Siam located at Ayala Terraces, and I had forgotten that I had eaten there as well. It's a fairly standard Thai restaurant with the typical assortment of well known Thai dishes. I can't even remember what I ate, but I do remember thinking that the quality was acceptable but certainly not memorable. The prices were moderate. I think for two of us the bill was somewhere around Php1, 200 but, as the Singha beer was " out of stock" surprise surprise, we didn't consume any alcohol. The Thai ice tea was a bit weak as I recall, and the ambience was more or less standard mall décor. All in all, it's surely not worth a special trip, but if you're in the mood for Thai, and in reasonable proximity to Ayala Mall, it's not bad.

GE

[Member #4351]

Best pizza I have found in Ayala Mall is at Yellow Cab Pizza. I noticed they had meatballs on the menu (with spaghetti) and asked for them to just sell me the meatballs, slice them and put them on a mushroom and cheese pizza. Really good. The restaurant beats the other pizza alternatives in the mall. They have Philippine "root beer" to drink too. I was the first to order a meatball pizza in the history of the restaurant (or at least in the history of the waiter). If enough guys ask for it, maybe they'll put it on the menu.

[Chicochulo]

Great information! I'm suprised there is Mexican food in Cebu. The only comida espanol I expected to find there is the delicious taco pinay. I will be on the ground on the 25th of March. I'll try the places recommended, and add my own reviews for future consideration. After a decade of eating Cuban beans and rice, the idea of sampling the Asian cuisine seems refreshing to me. Thanks again fellas.

CC

[Wicked Roger]

I agree with GE about Maya – am not a great fan of Mexican food (but more than I am of Filipino 'cuisine') and it is a nice place to go and have a meal. Prices are as GE states having been there a few times my self.

I also like to go to Gustavian and Lemnongrass in the Ayala Terraces. Doing RTFF in the Cebu you see some old FRs.

Gustavian is like and American bar / restaurant, has wonderful steaks and pork chops plus a buffet (GE I know you would never approve). But the buffet is quality and I have tried that and enjoy the ambience and the food. Costs around 1500 pesos for 2 people, buffet can be 500 pesos each plus a glass of house wine. Managed by an American and Gustavian is expanding in Cebu (not to Davao Ayala – as so popular Cebu). Menu is extensive but it does focus on its steaks.

Location is on Ayala Terrace ground floor, near to Siam (Thai) and the Greek restaurant, close to where the taxis stop to collect passenger, opposite side of the Terraces from Lemongrass,

Lemongrass is a Vietnamese restaurant and is one of my favourites. Does a nice rice crepe with pork, shrimp and stir fried vegetables, a good satay and nasi goring also. Again inexpensive and seems popular as whenever I have been there always busy. Cost is 1000-1200 pesos for two people but depends on how many dishes you chose. Has a nice lemon cooler in a jug – try it.

Location is ground floor Ayala Terraces other side of the Terraces from Gustavian, very accessible if coming from the Marriott as walk into Ayala from the hotel, and it is on your left.

Now all Cebu needs is a decent place erving British cuisine LOL

[GoodEnough]

I don't purport to be any kind of expert on restaurants in Cebu. However, I was there for a couple of days earlier in the week, and I did get a chance to try Maya, an upscale Mexican restaurant that's often been recommended by the Dragon Slayer. I'm not sure I'd rate the food as highly as he has dine but it's a place that's well worth going.

First, the ambiance, which is quite nice. The internal architecture and the exterior courtyard where smoking is allowed, are beautifully decorated and done in extremely good taste. It's quite romantic, or at least could have been had I been with my lady, but I found it relaxing and pleasant all the same.

The menu is extensive, with a quite typical range of Mexican favorites and two or three Mexican beers. I had a Tecate beer with enchiladas in mole sauce and, while well presented and nicely served, the taste was just fair. It was a bit undercooked, a bit under-seasoned and could have used a little more spice as it wasn't piquant enough. It also wasn't hot, and it should have been. The guy with whom I was eating had an enormous burrito, and he said it was only fair.

The service was excellent. The waiter was affable, knew the menu very well, and was attentive without be obtrusive. I ordered a double espresso to be served outside, but was told that the restaurant was out of espresso beans, which is not a great sign of good management. However, the French roast I got as an alternative was excellent and served in an immaculate chromed pot.

The price was moderate, and I think the dinner for the two of us cost approximately Php1, 900, which was, I think a reasonable price.

I would, and likely will go back.

GE

[Chicochulo]

Is everyone in the Philippines too busy eating pussy to report on good restaurants? I for one, think good shagging and good food go hand in hand. That's why I always ask my date to make me a sandwich before she leaves hehehehe. Anyway, I'd like to hear from some of your Cebu experts about the best food in the city. I'm sure, I'll be working up an appetite and your advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

CC

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