The Suite Room: Old Favorites, New Favorites

            The restaurant that charms people with its plush ambience and equally alluring food is dishing out new items that will surely give you more reasons to keep coming back. 

            The Suite Room continues to create a unique experience for you as you step into a cozy yet classy ambience that makes you forget the busyness and noise of the real world while enjoying heartwarming quality meals. I still can't forget my first dining experience in this restaurant that has left an imprint on my palate. You can read about it in the link below:

Cebu Secret Chows: The Suite Room -- Cebu's Newest Boutique Restaurant by Casa Verde

            This restaurant has become a favorite to many with their quality meals and service that satisfy one's perception of value for money. With that, I'll gladly share some of my old favorites as well as the new ones from their new additions on the menu. 

              Let's start off with the old favorites...

Skewered Shrimps in a Blanket  P158

               This is one of my favorite appetizers. Well, because I love shrimps and cajun-spiced anything. I also love how the crostini adds to the texture of this dish. And c'mon, anything wrapped with bacon is a winner. The Suite Room somehow consistently cooks their shrimps perfectly juicy and plump. 

KPub BBQ: KPop Meat-All-You-Can + GIVEAWAY!

Hello, world! I’m alive! Haha! Since I’ve been away from the blog for some time now, I want to make up for it with a GIVEAWAY for my first blog post! I’m giving away a P1,000 gift certificate for the newest and coolest Korean restaurant in town. Read on to find out what it has to offer!            

Samgyupsal is my favorite Korean food and I often have terrible cravings for this. I love grilled food and I find that Korean samgyupsal is one of the tastiest grilled dishes I’ve tasted, and its interactive D-I-Y nature makes it really fun, too. As if samgyupsal couldn’t get any cooler, KPub BBQ has just brought it to a whole new level. You can’t miss this new huge restaurant at Ayala Terraces, with its psychedelic-themed façade and interior.

         It may not look like a restaurant from the outside but that’s because it’s no ordinary restaurant. This 600-square meter dining space features a main dining hall, six VIP rooms, a smoking area, an al fresco area that can seat up to 350 people, PLUS, it’s equipped with a stage and band set-up, state-of-the-art lights and sound system, and three large LED screens. That makes it a perfect venue for just about any corporate gathering and special event such as product launches, concerts, birthday parties, acquaintance parties, graduation parties, and the likes.

Kpub BBQ first opened in The Fort, Bonifacio Global City in Manila in 2013. This is the first branch outside Metro Manila, bringing in a downtown Seoul vibe with a Kpop theme. But, rest assured, you certainly don’t have to be a Kpop fan to dine here.

The restaurant offers 4 packages to choose from—Eat & Run, Eat & Run Level Up, No Limits, and To the Max—all featuring selected barbecue main dishes to be cooked on the smokeless grill top on each table, along with accompanying side dishes and special sauces.

Island Grill, Officially A Restaurant

       Food courts are charmers. Whenever I step into one, my hands itch to go around and buy all the guilty indulgences my eyes get glued to (IF I have the money, of course). So, if you find yourself an easy victim of food courts like me, you'd know it doesn't always mean "cheaper" meals. But the best advantage is having a buffet-like spread with a pretty wide variety to choose from. Variety and quick meals are the key words here. From Filipino food, to Japanese, to Dimsum, to Mexican, to lechon, fries, shakes, etc., you can have a variety of these at a considerably good budget. 

Speaking of food courts, one established food court brand that has been around since 1994 has just broken into the restaurant scene. Island Grill has proved to withstand the test of time and has finally joined the restaurant bandwagon. 

         It's never hard to admire humble beginnings. Island Grill opened their first branch at SM City Cebu food court and became one of the restaurants to bring the carenderia dining experience to a higher level. From there, they branched out to Ayala Food Choices and two more branches in Davao, making home-cooked food readily available to customers in malls. Twenty years in the scene, they have gotten a stream of regular customers for their all-time Visayan favorites like Tinowang Isda, Sinugbang Baboy, Piniritong Lambay sa Bayanan, Batchoy and Binignit.  

A Filipino meal would normally be the last thing on our list of choices whenever we dine in the mall. But whenever that craving for downright homey cuisine hits us, Island Grill is probably the most affordable one with a decent dining space that allows just enough room for some privacy in comparison to noisy, crowded food courts. For more or less P100, you can have your fill! 

          Island Grill was originally owned by the parents of the current proprietors, siblings Nino and Hedy Bascon, who are of Ilonggo roots. Thus, it's not a surprise to find some hints of Ilonggo flavor in their dishes. Some recipes are even from their grandmother. 

Here are some of the dishes they have that we all know by heart:

            I definitely tasted traces of Bacolod in this chicken. Mm-mm. 

          Their La Paz Batchoy contains their homemade noodles and is taken from the original La Paz recipe. 

           This biko is one of their family recipes. I loved this. It's a blonde version of the ones we usually have and it wasn't too sweet. The balance of the coconut milk and the latik or caramel sauce made my hand mechanically keep slicing off a chunk and stuff it in my mouth. Uggghh. So good. 

Island Grill

4th floor, Ayala Center Cebu
Sm City Cebu
Abreeza Mall, Davao
SM Davao

Facebook: Island Grill

Yummy in Cebu: Pass the Plate

         Yummy magazine, the top food magazine in the Philippines, comes to Cebu with Knorr for a cooking demo this Saturday! Guest chefs are Chef Katherine Jao, contributor of Yummy, and Knorr chefs!

      I'm excited for this because I want to watch Chef Katherine Jao working it. I only know about her because she is part of the team of the kick ass food blog, pepper.ph, as a food stylist and recipe developer.  

       There will also be a special raffle to win over P2,500 worth of prizes from Knorr and Yummy! To join, just bring a copy of the latest issue of Yummy and at least P50 of Knorr products. 

      Come check out the action on Nov. 24, Saturday at the Ayala Activity Center, 3-5 p.m. See you there! :D

To know more about it, like them on Facebook: 

facebook.com/KnorrPhilippines
facebook.com/yummymagazine

Siam -- Sophisticated Authentic Thai Cuisine

             Thai cuisine is one of the cuisines that is friendly to the Pinoy palate because it touches quite close to homebase with infusions of lemongrass and dishes that match perfectly with white rice.

           Siam is the only authentic Thai resto in Ayala and has been awarded the "Most Promising Retailer Award" by Ayala Malls. It's authenticity is assured by their Thai Select award from the Thai ministry of commerce. It is a sister company of Krua Thai, Blue Elephant and Golden Spoon Catering. 

           Siam has been around since the early years of The Terraces at Ayala. The first impression I had of the resto was the modern interior -- high back couches and indirect lighting from the wall above the head of the chair. 

           Of the few times I've dined there, the only unique dish I fondly remember is the Chicken and Mango which is not available in the menu anymore. Fortunately, I was invited to the launching of their new dishes. I was so excited because Thai cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines and I also needed to be reacquainted with the menu here.          

           We were welcomed with a Calamansi Soda that was truly refreshing. We were also warned that there was going to be a lot of dishes so we should save some belly space for each one. The refreshment for the meal was their homemade fresh four seasons juice. I love fresh juice! :D

Four seasons juice, Calamansi Soda


THE NEW DISHES:

-- APPETIZERS --

Spicy Glazed Chicken Wings

Thai Fish Cakes

-- simple but well prepared; it's not the typical kick of lemongrass but it's a balanced medley of spices and herbs that make this dish uniquely flavorful without overpowering the fish as the main act

Crispy Noodles with Mango Salad

Spicy Thai Beef Salad

Tom Yum Soup

It's not new to the menu but this indispensable Thai soup was served to refresh and prep our palate for the main course. 

-- MAIN COURSE --

Siam String Beans in Red Curry

Green Curry Fried Rice with Chicken

Grilled Premium Ribs in Herb and Honey Sauce 

Pineapple Fried Rice

Bangkok Express

Siam's Thai version of the local Bicol Express -- rich and creamy yet balanced; the string beans were still crisp.

Seafood and Vegetables Medley in Taro Nest

Chili Crab (THE BEST!)

THE STAR OF THE MEAL. This blew me away! Tender, succulent meat, evidently very fresh and steamed to perfection. They also have a curry version of this but I still go for the chili crab! Guaranteed fresh from Zamboanga, delivered live to the kitchen. 

               Boy, was that a feast! From the new additions to the menu, my picks would be the Thai fish cakes, Spicy Beef Salad, Grilled Premium Ribs and of course, the Chili Crab! The extensive menu of Siam offers dishes that could please even the most discriminating palate. Vegetarians are very much welcome here as well, as they offer a considerably wide and tasty selection for them. 

             And yes, I was invigorated by the flavors and the precise execution of the dishes. The service here is also that of fine dining where the course of the meals are served in the right order and not altogether. Since Siam offers authentic Thai cuisine, that means they have a Thai chef heading the kitchen and all their ingredients are imported from Thailand. For the price of the dishes, sophisticated ambience, quality dishes and excellent service, you are guaranteed value for your money. This is THE destination for sophisticated Thai dining.

Price range: P200-400

Siam Thai Cuisine
Ground Floor, The Terraces
Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu Business Park
Cebu City 6000

Contact: (032) 417 1318

Other branches:

Mactan Marina Mall
Mepz, Lapu-Lapu City
(032) 494 0281/341 0533

Limketkai Center
Cagayan De Oro City
(088) 852 4718

No. 88 JMD Bldg.
B. Aquino Ave. Mandarriao, Ilo-Ilo City
(033) 321 3784 to 85


Like them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SiamCebu


"To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D"

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)

Water? Ice? Or Both?

               Every mall has a food court right? Ayala Center Cebu has one called Food Choices, located at the top floor where the cinemas are. A particular food stall that recently opened a few months back amused me when it first appeared. It was a totally different concept from its neighbors because it was a new brand and it had the setting of an American fastfood chain. The owner himself, an American (I guess), was even at the helm of the grill line, manning the operations himself. 

              Ayala is very familiar to everyone in Cebu but I don't think this stall has caught much attention yet. It's called A Taste of Philly - Flavors from East 2 West. The first sight of this made me curious.  First thought: philly cheesesteak sandwiches or maybe the owner's name is Phil? But I inquired to see what else they offered. They have a variety of pita pockets, sandwiches (including philly cheesesteak), deep fried pizza, flavored pan fried chicken, shakes and Uncle Rich's Real WATER ICE for  dessert. 

                The water ice picture on their menu looked like shaved ice or snow cones. I like icy stuff so I wanted to try this. These come in several flavors that change from time to time and in serving sizes at Kids (P35), Big (P40), Bigger (P60) and Biggest (P80). A menu board for this tells you the flavors for the day. For that day, it was:

from upper left (clockwise): bluer blueberry, "pina colada", dippy banana chip, dreamy orange cream

            There was one that wasn't mentioned though. Some kinda pina colada-ish flavor that was recommended by the counter staff. I wanted to try the blueberry but the deep blue color kinda scared me off so I went for the "pina colada" in Kids size. I'm not into heavy artificial coloring. 

pina colada Kids size  P35

             The texture was reminiscent of granita because the ice was pretty fine. The flavor was well balanced with the pineapple and coconut blending like they grew up together. The lady at the counter actually gave me a free taste of the orange one like how gelato shops give out free tastes and I think I prefer the orange over this one. Whatever your preferences are, I'm sure there's a flavor for you. ;)

          So here's one place you can get a quick and cheap cool snack on a hot day. Cebu's hot even if Christmas is here. I wanna try their pita pockets sometime.

Taste of Philly

4th Floor (between Tokyo Joe's and Quickly)

Ayala Center Cebu

Contact: +63 928 763 2887

Facebook: facebook.com/TasteofPhillyCebu

"To know Cebu, eat Cebu!" :D

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)

The Green Refreshment

            I had a spontaneous meeting at UCC Cafe about a partnership for a mobile dining app. I shall share it to you soon but anyway, yeah, so I ordered a Kiwi Juice. I love citrus and tangy fruits and this little green one is a favorite! It's what I usually have with froyo. :D

        This was so refreshing and genuine, I think it's my favorite juice to date! It actually had fresh kiwi bits and I love the delicately crisp seeds that pop in my mouth. Since this was a treat, I didn't know the exact price but definitely between P150-200. 

UCC Cafe Terrace

G/F Ayala Terraces, Cebu City

To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in CEbu dining! :)

Joed's at 93rd and 1st!

              I met up with one of my dearest friends who I haven't spent some quality time with for the longest -- Issa Perez, a fashion blogger at thejeanlouise.wordpress.com. One of the many things we both have in common is... FOOD! She's a gorgeous, tiny lady but her appetite isn't! She decided we hang out at 93rd and 1st, a radio lounge bar at Ayala Terraces. The last time we met, she was having a crispy sushi roll that I tasted and liked. 

                So, with Issa, I discovered that Joed's menu was being served here! Happiness! FYI, Joed's Lutong Hapon is on my Cebu Secret Chows list but I haven't gotten to feature it yet because it's pretty out of way considering where I live (boo, i know). So anyway, it's a Japanese carenderia... Japanese food made affordable! :D

               I looovve Jap food, California maki being my ultimate first love of this cuisine, common as it is. We went for Joed's Special Maki -- 6 rolls filled with watermelon and cheese and topped with Jap mayo and ebiko, with ripe mango slices sandwiched between each roll. This was just P100, believe it or not. 

So, now we can get a quick and affordable Jap fix at Ayala! 




93rd and 1st
4th floor, Ayala Terraces (beside Flame It!), Cebu City 




To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)

Cool Indulgence at Kenny Roger's

              Kenny Roger's Roasters is best known for their roast chicken and muffins. But since they started offering froyo (frozen yogurt; which I lololove!), I had to try it and found that it was the cheapest in town and wasn't bad at all! Still tart the way I like it and the texture and flavor are very satisfactory. I had also brought my friend Denise, a certified froyo addict like me, here to try it and she also approved.


        It can be enjoyed plain or with toppings (fresh kiwi/their own brownie/strawberry)  in small, medium or large servings starting at P40. Just add P15 for each topping. Sorry, I wasn't able to take note of all the prices but I always get the small size with brownie for my topping. I love kiwi but their brownies are too good for me to pass up. 


         The small size is perfect to curb the craving for something cold and sweet (like ice cream!) and it's healthier than your regular ice cream because it's a source of protein and has helpful microorganisms that are good for digestion (nutrionist mode). :)

small P 40 w/ brownie topping P15 = P 55

I just loooovve it! :D

Kenny Roger's Roasters
Ayala Center Cebu 




To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D

xoxo,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)