Sizzling Nights at Greater Heights

          Before anything, I need to give you a heads up because my pictures are TERRIBLE at night. My camera is only a really old but loyal 10-yr-old Sony Cybershot and the flash is busted. My apologies, dear readers. Camera donations are very much welcome (hahaha. just kidding) :3

          Anyway, so I was invited by Ms. Yumny Mariot of Marco Polo for a food tasting with the theme "Sizzling Nights" at the El Viento. I was seated across Jude Bacalso, a prominent media personality whose food reviews I enjoyed mentally digesting when he used to write for City Sports Club Cebu's fine dining outlet Ma-Yi (which I also reviewed once for way back before BFF existed), and with Jessica Avila, the food consultant of Marco Polo and the brainchild of the new menu we were all to taste. 

          The degustation was a parade of 12 dishes, all sizzling. I love sizzling dishes because I love the show it puts on for the food and the aroma that comes with it. It's food served to tickle all your senses.


          I can't help but admire the ingenuity of the menu presentation, etched in wood of the same material as the underliner for the sizzling plate, an impression I'd take as a confident menu sure to last. The menu consisted of a range of meat and seafood as main course or accompaniments to beer. It may appear simple but this is where execution plays the key role. 

            We began with the lighter dishes such as pork sisig, mussels, gambas, and sausage (cheese krainer). Among these, the gambas was my favorite; perfectly cooked juicy shrimps with a buttery sauce and egg. That certainly whet our appetites. 

(blurry photos. sorry)

mise en place, waiting to be sizzled :D
photo by: Marco Polo 

prepared a la minute

pork sisig

Cheese Krainer

mussels

gambas with egg

                Then came the heavier dishes -- squid, pork steak, beef tips, chicken wrapped in bacon and tangigue. Ms. Jessica Avila was excited for us to taste the chicken wrapped in bacon which she suggests is a thrifty way to treat guests to a nice meal if one cannot afford a filet mignon steak. Haha. This is so because it actually looks like a filet mignon, only chicken. I'd fondly call it 'the sosyal nga manok'. It was a marriage of pork and chicken that would leave your taste buds hungry for more.  

one of my top picks: pork steak
photo by: Marco Polo

                  We were also served garlic rice, mashed potato and fries for our starch, all of which were very satiating. We Filipinos like our garlic burnt and this garlic rice had that exactly. The aroma was so alluring. It was perfect with the mushroom gravy of the pork steak. And I also loved the mashed potato which was topped with goat cheese! The fries were homemade, thick and crispy. I'm sure kids would love it. 


                Unfortunately, I did not get to take photos of the main courses because they were all pounced upon as soon as they arrived the table. Sorry! I really wish I had pictures to make you drool. Anyway, everything was really good but my favorites were the pork steak and the chicken wrapped in bacon. The tangigue was also tasty and juicy, a healthier alternative if you will. And then we were offered dessert right off the buffet at Cafe Marco! 

dessert -- always my favorite part of the meal
sorry, my camera has bad eyes! 

                With this new menu comes a new experience that not only hotel guests can enjoy but locals as well. It could be a nice spot for a dinner date, family lunch/dinner or a relaxing night with friends and booze. The prices are very friendly which entices you to a more frequent visit. Imagine getting dishes you can have in the malls at relatively similar prices but with five star ambience, service, and food quality. 




El Viento (poolside), Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
Nivel Hills, Lahug, Cebu City 6000



Price Range: P175 - P350   (inclusive of tax, subject to service charge)


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To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)