Saturday 10 November 2012

DOLCE BELLE FLEUR

La DOLCE Vita



Life is sweeter when shared with true friends because they fill us with happiness and joy. It goes without saying that friends are like great food when savored it brings out satisfaction.



Usually what makes a food great is the mood of the place where it is displayed, sheltered in an atmosphere of pure consummation and of course the people we get to share it with.


                                                                                Mango Brulee @ P110/slice




a wide selection of yummy cakes but i must say mango brulee and red velvet cheesecake top the list. 




the place is perfect for family gatherings or even an avenue for friends chitchats


Even with a myriad of local restaurants, deli houses and pastry shops, Dolce Belle Fleur stands out from the rest because of the overlooking ambiance that tells of a busy street and city.


They also have their own version of milk teas called TEAsers which can be bought at their al fresco outlet. They offer several possibiliTEAs like the Cheesy Blue Milk Tea and the Taro Milk Tea.




red velvet cheesecake and japanese green tea

cheesy blue milk tea and taro milk tea with red velvet cheesecake

Contact Information:

DOLCE
coffee/ sweets / light bites
D' Address
Panorama Heights
Nivel Hills, Lahug
Cebu City, Philippines 6000
Tel. No.: 2313973 local 107 / 5127263
Mobile No.: 09209510108
Email Address: cafe.dolce@yahoo.com




Friday 9 November 2012

u. kitchen

An Edible U-Turn at U. Kitchen

It was indeed a delicious U turn for us friends while sharing a good laugh and great food. The food is given per course from appetizers to soups down to the main menu. 
                                      
If you are fond of Filipino cuisines served in premium style, then u. kitchen is your option. Although the restaurant serves a fusion of oriental and western dishes, they aim to please the palate of locals.




And while you are waiting for the food to be served, a complimentary pandan tea is supplied for the paying guests and patrons.


complimentary pandan tea

The place is best describe as a dainty restaurant.

It is spacious and even has a separate venue for meetings and seminars

The ambiance is favorable and pleasing to the eye.


Their decors speak of kitchen utensils but the "u" is derived from the first letter of the owner's surname which is Urbina.


You have to try their lumpiang ubod in crispy cups. a distinctive taste and a different touch of the usual lumpia wrapper.

lumpiang ubod in crispy cups @ P195

also a must try is their laksa berde which is inherent to a singaporean/malay dish

laksa berde @ P245

The Paella de Verdura was not how I expected it to be but still it was tasty. It has shells, chorizo bilbao, veggies and other toppings.

Paella de Verdura @ P350

The fried pugo which can serve up to 3 persons was delectable but because of the small bones of the bird, you really have to be careful while eating.

Fried Pugo@ P285

For dessert, indulge on their guinomis sorbet. Although it's quiet expensive for a meager serving.

Guinomis Sorbet @ P175


How to get there:

The restaurant is conveniently located before the gate of Camp Lapu-Lapu in Lahug, Cebu City. It is at the Ground Floor of Laguna Culinary Center.

Via Taxi:

So, if you are going there via taxi, just tell the driver to bring you to the gate of Camp Lapu-Lapu and you will already see it once you enter the Veterans Drive. Approximate Fare from the Uptown Area P80-P100.

Via Jeepney:

Just ride a jeepney headed for Camp Lapu-Lapu and pay a fare of P8.00 only.



u. kitchen
Ground Floor LAGUNA CULINARY CENTER
Veterans Drive corner Torralba Streets,
Lahug, Cebu City (near Camp Lapu-Lapu)
Tel: (+6332) 2683627 Cel: (0929) 2197425
Schedule: 10am – 10pm daily except Mondays

Tuesday 23 October 2012

10 Dove Street Restaurant


Most of the time, these unplanned gatherings are the one that comes off. Spontaneity is the key to this food spree. What serves as the driving force is the desire to come together, share good food and great laughs. 


A very good friend is said to be overly fond of this restaurant which happened to be located on an exclusive village in Talamban, Cebu City. She has been raving over this eating place for so long now that she has been bringing friends and families to enjoy the food. It has been awhile that she is looking for a place selling gourmet sandwiches that are authentic and will surely satisfy her craving. Suffice it to say, she found it!


10 Dove Restaurant is named after the owner's house street no. The place has a homely atmosphere despite its limited space and area. This however did not stop riveted patrons from coming over. It is best though to call them for a reservation before going there to save time and of course to ensure that you have a table to sit on once you enter their cafe.


For P200 you have the option to choose from their menus that include house specials which is divided into 3 categories of sandwiches (a choice of wheat and white bread), 2 categories of salads plus soups and cakes. The drink though is separately billed.
 

If you want a no-nonsense tummy-filled gourmet sandwich dining experience, head to this restaurant. Surely you will come back for more.

                                                                 Extra Ordinary Carrot
                                                                    Mango Ube Cake
                                                                    Decadence Cake
                                                                         Italian Cake
                  Fruit Medley (cake topped with chunks of kiwi fruit, strawberries, mango and cherries

                                                                  French Onion Soup
                                                                    Fresh Asparagus
                                                               Chicken and Asparagus
                                                                      Crab and Corn
                                                                          Hot Tea
         German Potato Salad (potato, onion, bacon medley, lettuce strips, cooked in light vinegar dressing)
Crab Salad Louie (lettuce, crab kani, cucumber, tomato and creamy French Dressing)
Shrimp Salad (pasta, shrimps, diced cucumber, pineapple chunks in honey mustard mayo dressing)

Awesome Burger Steak (choice of toasted wheat/white bread or rice)
 Chef's Choice (Beef Pastrami, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, sliced pickles, cheese)
Roast Beef Dylan (tender roast beef with sauteed onions and mushrooms topped with melted cheese)
 Sausage and Slaw (Hungarian sausage with coleslaw and choices of rice or bread)

How to get there:

No problem for those with own transportation because you can always ask the guard for the direction in going there. Besides, the restaurant is named after the owner’s house street no. so definitely it is not that hard to find.

If you will ride a taxi from the downtown area, approximate fare is P170 to P180. If you hail from Ayala Center Cebu, the taxi fare is P80 to P100. 

But you can also go there via jeepney, just take the jeep bound for talamban and tell the driver to drop you off at Sto. Nino Village and then ask the guards for direction. It may take a while before you reach the place but the neighboring houses will surely not bore you while walking towards the restaurant because of their beautiful designs inherent to a rich owner.

Contact Information:


10 DOVE RESTAURANT  
10 Dove Street, Sto. Nino Village
Talamban, Cebu City 6000
Tel. No.:3460618
Mobile Nos.: 09223323793, 09167185082
Schedule: Open Daily Except Sundays 11:00am to 9:30pm





Monday 22 October 2012

Little Saigon, Big Bangkok

Viet Thai Dining Experience at Little Saigon, Big Bangkok



I admit. I am a food addict. But with this addiction, I certainly was able to nourish the hungry state of my senses, satisfy the palate longing and fill an empty stomach on a periodic basis.


We all love to travel because we want to have a taste of the world literally by eating the food of other countries. This is the so-called food trips by embarking on a gastronomic adventure. But why travel far when you can have a taste of the world locally. Subsequently, we all have our preferences. Some are into spicy food, others into sweet and tangy. Sometimes we even consider these cuisines as our comfort food, something that makes us happy in the process.


A good friend of mine told me about this new restaurant in Andres Abellana Ext. Guadalupe, Cebu City which is called Little Saigon Big Bangkok. She told me that she and her husband went to this restaurant with an empty stomach and went home completely with a stuffed tummy.


So off I went with my cousin and a great friend who share my regard on great food and best ambiance. Once we were parked, we all notice right away a homey atmosphere especially with the wooden tables and stools setting. You are also welcomed with the smoky whiff of grilled farm produce like chicken and pork upon entering the residence-like restaurant.

As soon as we were seated, we all can’t help but notice the ridiculously large menu held by the staff. It was explain to us that they have a unique way of giving their menus because they have a different set of food choices on a daily basis.


Since it was our first time on that restaurant, I asked their specialty or the restaurant’s best seller. We were introduced to BUN CHA which is a platter of rice noodles, spring rolls, beef strips and meat balls with lettuce and 2 dip sauces. We also tried their Penang Curry which is a spicy beef viand inherent to a Malaysian dish. You can request to have this not too spicy like put in mild spice since some of their food can be overly spicy or mildly spicy depending on the request of the paying patrons. We also tried their Gai Yang, a grilled chicken dish and Seafood Rice which is flavorful (you can even eat this rice without any viand anymore). For the drink, we choose to try their herbal ice tea which is a concoction of ginger, lemon grass, lime and other herbs. A pitcher will do for 3 to 4 persons.


While eating, a staff even shared to us a little info about their Cooks; most of their cooks came from Spice Fusion.  

For desserts, we tried their delicious homemade ice cream – mango peppermint with kaffir lime ice cream. 

                                                               Ridiculously Large Menu

                                                         Seafood Rice @ P250 (mildly spicy)

                                                        Gai Yang (Grilled Chicken) @ P250


                                                                 Penang Curry @ P250


                                                                     Bun Cha @ P275


Bun Cha (a platter of rice noodle, beef strips, spring rolls, meatballs and lettuce with 2 choices of dip sauces)

                               Homemade Ice Cream (Mango Peppermint with Kaffir Lime) @ P75



How to get there:

If you are from Manila and would like to go there from the airport, you may ride a taxi and approximate fare is around P250 – P280. If within Cebu City, like the downtown area taxi fare may be around P80 –P100. If you are in Uptown area (Fuente Osmena), taxi fare is around P70-P80.

You can also go there through riding a jeepney. You just have to ride a jeepney bound for Guadalupe. Just tell the driver to drop you at the Guadalupe Brgy. Hall. The restaurant is beside a Japanese school.

For reservations and other inquiries, you may call them through (032) 4150228.


Contact Information:

Little Saigon Big Bangkok
Owner: Carmel Therese D. Almadrones
2175 Villaon Subd., Andres Abellana Ext.
Guadalupe Cebu City
Contact No.: (032) 415 0228