Feasting in Cebu

If there was one place I would rather avoid going to, it would be Cebu.  Blame it on primacy effect.  I had several not-so-pleasant experiences here that I just could not get over with.  Added to that is the fact that Cebu had always felt like Metro Manila to me. 

In recent years, however, I discovered a good reason to look forward to my trips to Cebu: the mushrooming of homegrown food places that bring tremendous joy to the food-lover in me. Sharing here my top three.

La Tegola

I once toyed with the idea that perhaps I was a signorina rather than a miss in my past life.  And when I chance upon Italian restaurants like La Tegola, I find myself tinkering with the signorina idea again if only to justify the inclination to indulge a bit more. 

Aside from being very satisfied with most of what I eat here, one thing I really like about dining at La Tegola is that I experience a positive crisis of choice here.  My dietary preferences often lead me to a crisis of choice when dining out in non-vegetarian restaurants as most offer very limited options for vegetarians.  At La Tegola, I feel like a little child in candy-land.  There are so many choices, all seemingly as good as the other.

 Cream of broccoli soup

Today’s feast comprised of their salsa on chips, cream of broccoli soup, Spaghetti alla Tegola, Pizza Vegetariana, and pana cotta.  I honestly don’t know how to call the chips.  It’s not nachos, not melba toast, not bruschetta. It’s somewhat like nachos but isn’t made of corn and is much lighter and tastier.  I hope you get the picture.  It was perfect with the salsa on olive oil.   

Spaghetti alla Tegola is tomato based with a generous amount of mushrooms, basil leaves, oregano (?), and green bell pepper and lathered with a generous serving of mozzarela cheese.  Unlike regular pasta dishes, this one’s oven-baked and served wrapped in aluminum foil.  The food server unwraps the treat before one’s eyes – hot and mouthwatering.   

We were equally happy with the pizza - crust that is nicely thin and crunchy, lavish vegetable toppings in a bed of good quality mozzarella cheese.  The pana cotta was fine though not the kind of pana cotta that makes me salivate.

I don’t see myself going to Cebu anytime soon but I am already looking forward to my next La Tegola experience and to trying their ravioli con ricotta spinache with their own homemade pasta on either tomato or four-cheese sauce.

Lemongrass

My mouth waters each time I think of the phad thai and citrus cooler of Lemongrass.  Perfect summer treats!

Following doctors’ advice, I don’t normally drink with my meals, and especially not cold drinks, but the citrus cooler is something I just couldn’t resist.  Sometimes, I imagine going to Lemongrass only to order a pitcher of this cooler.  And I am sure I can down that pitcher in no time at all. The phad thai, which I always order vegetarian version, is how I want phad thai to be – al dente noodles, lavishly topped with crunchy beansprouts, and the perfect combination of spiciness, sweetness, and saltiness. 

In my recent visit, we tried the steamed grouper.  I must admit I didn’t really expect to be thrilled.  After all, steamed fish will always be steamed fish and one can’t really expect one steamed fish to be significantly different from the other.  But I was delighted at what I discovered.  The fish (thank God, there are still restos that don’t serve cream dory for steamed fish) was lightly seasoned with herbs and garlic. The natural taste of the fish blended perfectly with the herb and garlic and with the banana leaf in which it was wrapped and steamed.

If not for the other restaurants that I look forward to visiting, I wouldn’t mind eating a second time in Lemongrass each visit to Cebu.  

Hukad sa Golden Cowrie

Unlike the first two, Golden Cowrie had been around for decades.  I remember being treated here by hosts each time I would go to Cebu.  It was almost like saying that my Cebu experience would not be complete without a meal at Golden Cowrie which is now more popularly known as Hukad sa Golden Cowrie or simply Hukad.  According to a dear friend who claims to be a Bis-dak, Hukad roughly translates to "serving food straight from cooking" or something like that.  It's one of those words that loses its essence when translated to another language.

Golden Cowrie is an all-time favorite. Food has remained consistently good through the years. Pescatarians like myself have a lot of options to choose from. The Pinoy eater in me takes delight in their tinunuang nangca (unripe jackfruit cooked in coconut milk), tinolang isda (fish cooked in a broth of gjnger onions), and grilled tuna belly. The grilled tuna jaw is also a favorite but takes a while to cook. I confesss with neither guilt nor shame that Golden Cowrie's crispy dinuguan is one pork dish I am happy to violate my pescatarian diet for.

Golden Cowrie is a sure winner with its great tasting Filipino food at very affordable prices. 

As always, eating in nice restos like La Tegola, Lemongrass, and Hukad sa Golden Cowrie always awakens my sensuality.  It's not just functional eating nor social eating.  It's eating with all of my senses.  And I feel truly grateful not only for the privilege of a good meal but also for the gift of good health that allows me to savor the taste and sight of the meals and to indulge my gluttonous side once in a while.