Willer's : Not your everyday sit-down dinner

Willer's Special Lechon Location :Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City Tel # : Cuisine : Filipino Menu Price Range : Php 100-150 Service Charge: none Rating : ★★★★

If you're in Cebu and you're one of the braver souls, go venture into the world of street food. Cebu has plenty of those to offer with an ambiance charming as a bus station. If you dare, come dine in the streets where the Jeepneys rush pass and blow smoke in all their glory. Seat in the likes of wooden tables and mismatched stools, next to people in office uniforms eating dinner after a long day's work, or people who are just around the streets in their ratty shirts, shorts and slippers, eating with either their plastic-wrapped or cleanly soaped or not-so-clean hands.

This is the cheerful and yes, very real atmosphere of Willer's Special Lechon. Situated in the corner of Gorordo, Lahug. It may be in uptown but it caters to everybody. Introduced by my officemates who have ventured to Cebu before, I was brought here a year ago with skepticism of my eating-out habits.

Anyway, I was open to any food served to me as long as it is not exotic in my vocabulary, and this wasn't even exotic. This was real food. Real, glorious food.

No menu available since the items are WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get), you'd see barbequed pork on sticks, chicken roasting on the winding grill and liempo (spareribs) crackling and spitting in the fire. Even the sign was crude and very, very simple. I was just there for the food, so let's not dwell on the other aspects shall we? :P

Willer's Roast Chicken
Price : Php 120
Rating : ★★★★★

Served hot, chopped, and on a cheerful plate, the chicken had a smell that could liven the senses, as deep inside the center is the core of the flavor, stuffed generously with lemongrass, onions, and all the secret spices and herbs that makes it a Willer's original. The meat was tender, and oh-so-juicy, even the breast part (which I detest for being dry) was soft and easy to chew. The herbs stay intact with the chicken, so you can also get them on your plate to savor the flavors even better. Match this with puso (see next item) with a dip of their pinakurat (see next item) and you'd be in heaven (from the taste and cholesterol) in no time.

Willer's Liempo
Price : Php 100
Rating : ★★★★★

Before you drink your apple-cider vinegar and high-blood pills, better save some more for Willer's Special Liempo. Seasoned spareribs cooked into a crackling crisp of flavors and fat. Please don't mind the dripping oil on the plate, because once you taste the the crispy skin together with the soft meat drenched in yet again, pinakurat or maybe not, you'll be reaching for your next chunk of liempo without realizing it. (and maybe ordering another puso).

Puso
Price : Php 5-10 (will have to verify)
Rating : ★★★

You will only see this in Cebu. So I would suggest you to try it. It's everywhere on the streets, and is the only type of rice served in Willer's. Woven leaves cover the sticky rice and is usually tied up in a bunch. It's not steaming hot, so it'd be best if the food together with it is. People who are new to eating puso would normally peel the wrapper which would give you some curious and amused looks, so search for the thin opening and break it open and eat it like bread. This is a nifty and ingenious way to stuff chicken with one hand and to stuff rice with the other. How can you go wrong with optimized eating? :D

Pinakurat
Price : Free
Rating : ★★★★

Only found in the Visayan province is the Pinakurat. The general dipping sauce for all foodstuffs in Willer's. A vinegar based concoction + all the secret ingredients + chillies. This is the key for stabilizing all the cholesterol induced foods and adding a little bit of extra to the flavor. Best mixed with soy sauce.



It's not everyday you get to experience dining like this, so it's a must-try. Nothing beats eating out in the open albeit dusty air. But if this type of place doesn't suit your fancy, but you're curious about the food, there's always the safer option : GO TAKEOUT :P.

© 2007 wastefulspace

Lemon Grass : Vietnamese &Thai Culinary Treasures

Lemon Grass Location :1/f Entertainment Center, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City Tel # : Cuisine : Vietnamese & Thai Menu Price Range : Php 30+-175+ Service Charge: none Rating : ★★★★

If you are really getting tired of the usual suckling pig and chicken,
the grill foods and all the native Filipino food in Cebu, here's a good alternative for some healthy (plus some not so healthy) and delicious eating.

Lemon Grass is all about Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. They offer an ample selection of both food genres to give you great dining from both worlds (or countries).

Located at the 1st floor of Ayala Center Cebu's Food Entertainment Center, the restaurant carries warm tones of green and yellow, comfy chairs and smooth wooden tables, and comfy couches and my favorite place, the tall bar chairs with equally tall tables to match.

And now for the most important part, the food. they serve a full course menu offering lots of Thai and Vietnamese delights for you to choose from and to share with a small group or with a date.

Drinks : citrus and herb lemonade
Price : Php130 (a pitcher)
Rating : ★★★★★
I can really say, this is the restaurant's best selling drink, it would be odd to see it not perched on every table occupied in the restaurant. Good for sharing, this is a tall pitcher of freshly squeezed citrus juice mixed with orange, lemon, lime, and cucumber slices drizzled with basil and mint leaves and lots of ice. This is a good drink to pair up with eating because it has a light and refreshing taste, plus the flavor doesn't hang in the mouth to overpower the food you will be eating. You can also request for chopsticks if you like to scoop out the slices.

Starters : Crabstick and Pomelo Salad
Price : Php 1XX
Rating : ★★★★
I am always up for a good salad, and by my definition of a good salad, the greens are crisp, the variety of the garnish complements each other, and it shouldn't be drowned in the usual 1000 island dressing.

This is a nice twist from the usual shrimp and pomelo salad. Instead, they used crabstick. Fresh greens with shredded radishes and carrots at the bottom sweet pomelos circling the veggies, generous strips of crabstick and a dash of nuts and fried onion shavings on top. It comes with a clear, sweet vinegar dressing where a dash or two suffices for a single serving. (This serves well for around 2-3 people)

Noodles: Pad Thai
Price : Php 155
Rating : ★★★★★

This famous noodle dish is one of my personal favorites. Mildly spiced authentic Thai noodles tossed with chicken and shrimp sprinkled with nuts, bean sprouts and herbs on top. A slice of lemon is also included to add a bit of zest on the noodles.

I would suggest to spoon the following for a bite: noodles, a piece of shrimp, some chicken, the bean sprouts the nuts and a little squeeze of lemon which will result to a surprising taste and texture from the crunch from the fresh sprouts, the citrus taste of the lemon, the chicken and shrimp meat, and the various herbs.


Noodles : Vietnamese Seafood Noodle Soup
Price : Php155
Rating : ★★★★
Not a fan of dry noodles? They also have noodles with steaming hot soup. This bowl came from a bowl that can be shared with 2 or 3 people. Slippery, thin noodles with mixed vegetables in a seafood medley in a clear broth soup. The soup was served hot, they way it's supposed to be, the noodles were soft but firm, although the taste of the herbs in the soup can be a bit overpowering.

Poultry: Chicken Pandan
Price : Php165
Rating : ★★★★
One of Thai's most loved and most ordered meal is the pandan chicken. Not only is it familiar to our taste buds, this dish is really very tasty. Marinated chicken pieces wrapped in pandan leaves left to cook in their own oil and juices (the plate had this little pool of chicken juice). served with an exotic tamarind chili sauce, it was a perfect accompaniment to the hot jasmine rice (php30).

Seafood: Shrimp Pancakes
Price : Php175
Rating : ★★★★
Because we wanted to go for a bit of seafood minus the fishy taste, we added this shrimp pancake on our menu, whole shrimp pieces stuffed into a seafood patty and strips of green veggies fried and served with the same sweet tamarind chili sauce. It was hot and each mouthful was a mix of shrimp,squid, and fish and the big pieces of shrimps was an added bonus. Because of the rich seafood flavor, it can be overpowering (like the noodles)

Conclusion
Craving for both Thai/Vietnamese while in Cebu City? This is a good place to dine. Be reminded that the variety for both foods may not be as diverse as an actual Vietnamese or Thai restaurant. But if you enjoy the usual Vietnam and Thai delights, be sure to drop by Lemon Grass.

© 2007 wastefulspace

Bigby's : Take A Food Trip (part 2)

Bigby's Cafe Location :2/f Entertainment Center, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City Tel # : (032) - 2342495/ (032) - 2342395 Cuisine : International/Filipino Menu Price Range : Php 160+ - 300+ Service Charge: none Rating : ★★★★

(This is part 2 of the special 2 part review of Bigby's Cafe. Part 1 here.)

Round 5 : tapa bai!
Price : Php165
Rating : ★★★★
This is a variation of the classic Pinoy Beef Tapa. Beef tenderlion tips sizzling in spicy sauce and vegetables. Also served with rice. The beef was not melt-in-the-mouth soft, but the usual tapa variation, tender but with a sort of firmness to it. The sweet, salty and spicy blend of the sauce mixed well with the meat. The veggies for the added crunch and color. Also served with a generous cup of rice.


Round 6 : Asian Ostrich Skewers
Price : Php210
Rating : ★★★★
This gets a star just for originality. If you feel adventurous, go try something new in the poultry section. Ostrich. This little number has ostrich meat laced with herbs and spices on a kebob stick, drizzled in peanut sauce, raw mango strips on a bed of java rice.
The marinade of the meat is a bit spicy to my liking, but you can still taste the actual flavor of the ostrich. For the many who will be guessing it will taste like chicken, but surprisingly, ostrich is a dark meat variety, and to my taste buds, I think the closest flavor it is either pork/beef tenderloin.


Round 7 : Chicken Samurai
Price : Php179
Rating : ★★
Let's go back to the regular selection of poultry, the Chicken Samurai. Grilled Chicken smothered in Teriyaki sauce over a bed of sauteed greens. The chicken was tasty already on it's own but the sauce overpowered the whole chicken flavor. Leaving me to eat something like a Teriyaki sauce samurai, not the chicken. I didn't need the extra sauce served on the side.


Round 8 : Mango Chantilley Crepe
Price : Php XXX (to be determined later)
Rating : ★★★★
I am not much of a dessert fan but I'm sure is a crepe fan. Their mango crepe is served not your usual way but mango slices on the outside, ice cream flavor of your choice from the selection on the inside (we chose mango) and a pool of caramel sauce of the side. The mangoes were sweet and it seems to match well with the mango ice cream, which resulted into a fixture of creamy and citrus flavors with caramel sauce spooned generously to your likeness. It was a damn shame I was having a coughing fit that day.


Round 9: The Birthday Surprise
Price : Free
Rating : ★★★★★
Like all the themed restaurants with the curious knick-knacks, waiters in creative costumes and whatnots, everybody has their own birthday gimmick. Here at Bigby's I was the victim of the birthday surprise since I treated a bunch of people for my birthday dinner, and up to now, I still don't know who secretly told the restaurant to get a group of enthusiastic waiters to sing me a Bigby's birthday jingle served together with this brownie ala mode cake. When they shouted at the doorway towards where we're seated, I was crawling under the table, literally. Nevertheless, it is an equally wonderful and embarrassing surprise.

Conclusion
A good place to go for good eats with great people. Compared to manila restaurants offering the same stint, its prices are relatively cheaper. So do swing by if you happen to be visiting Ayala Center Cebu, and, like their menu said, take a food trip.

© 2007 wastefulspace

Bigby's : Take A Food Trip (part 1)

Bigby's Cafe Location :2/f Entertainment Center, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City Tel # : (032) - 2342495/ (032) - 2342395 Cuisine : International/Filipino Menu Price Range : Php160+ - 300+ Service Charge: none Rating : ★★★★

Bigby's is one of the known restaurants in Cebu City. If you aren't one of the backpacker types that brave to venture the run-downed places or the pongko-ponko offerings in the streets, then this is the right place for you.

Think of it as Burgoo or T.G.I Friday's in Manila (but, cheaper). The ambiance is casual, fun, and very quirky. The walls are emblazoned with a bunch of traveler's memorabilia, ranging from souvenir plates, buttons, pins, mardi gras masks and a pair of skis. Couches are available for a cozy date or for a small group of family or friends and the usual tables and chairs for large parties.

If you glance up on the ceiling, you'll see the crazy spiral lamps and other little surprises which you can check out when you get there yourself.

Bigby's offers a wide range of foodstuffs ranging from appetizers to desserts. So there's really something for everyone.

Now on with the food trip! :D
Round 1 : Appetizer Sampler
Price : Php2XX (to be confirmed)
Rating : ★★★★
I was expecting a hungry crowd over so I knew they will be famished once they arrived, so I had a 2 sampler plates ordered (1 plate is good for 4-5 people) w/ all their popular appetizers: Chicken Fingers, Buffalo Wings, Flavored Fries and the Cheese and Garlic Quesadilla. Honey Mustard Dip and Salsa are also served for the extra kick of flavor. The Chicken Fingers were crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. But as all chicken fingers served in these sort of establishments, they are a bit bland so the honey mustard is the perfect combination to add a sweet and tangy taste to it. The Flavored Fries are the usual julienned slices of potatoes powdered with barbeque seasoning, best eaten hot or it will be a soggy, oily, mess. The Cheese and Garlic Quesadillas are little bite sized tortillas with a cheese and garlic spread, to be topped generously in salsa so the cheese won't be tiring your tastebuds for the yummy food ahead of you. But for me, the Buffalo wings are the winner of this platter. Smothered in a sweet chili concoction but still having the satisfying crunch on each bite. the flavor sears into the meat, so you know it's marinated well.

Round 2 : Belly Sizzlers
Price : Php185
Rating : ★★★
Here's Bigby's variation of Cebu's pork belly. Served on a sizzling plate drenched in special barbeque sauce with buttered veggies on the side. It comes with a generous cup of rice.
If you love the fat, then you gotta love the dish. Each portion of meat has a generous amount of fat which methinks gives this dish it's very succulent flavor. I'm not a 'fat' person myself, but the meat parts are really very tasty.

Round 3 : Deep Sea Pasta
Price : Php160-180(to be confirmed)
Rating : ★★★★★
Soon to be a regular on my menu is this shrimp pasta dish. Generous crab fat and baby shrimps on topped on a bed of sizzling spaghetti with some green onions as garnish. The sauce is not the usual tomato or cream, but a wonderful blend of spices that reminds you of the sea. the pasta is served al dente but expect the bottom pasta parts to be a bit chewy if it's gonna be seated on the hot plate for quite sometime.


Round 3 : Chix Ahoy
Price : Php189
Rating : ★★★★★
Also one of Bigby's favorites is the Chix Ahoy. If you're crazy about chicken and gravy, then this dish is for you. A fillet of boneless chicken fried and smothered in gravy and potato wedges on the side. It may sound like the average chicken and gravy, but once you tasted it, the zing of the garlic flavor will surely get you to ask for another cup of rice.

Round 4 : Passion Fish
Price : Php189
Rating : ★★★
Breaded blue marlin (look ma, no bones!) deep fried served with garlic dip and rice. I am very particular with the methods of cooking fish and I don't like it when I get a fishy aftertaste.
Anyway, this number definitely doesn't have the aftertaste. In fact, it was so crunchy and juicy that I say, it could definitely pass for chicken. (Mmm, taste like chicken).

Stay tuned for the next food trip!

This is part one of a special two-part review of Bigby's Cafe.

© 2007 wastefulspace