Cebu Food Stop: Sunburst Fried Chicken

Every time I tell my friends that I’ll be visiting Cebu, they always tell me to eat lechon for them. But when I’m in Cebu, I eat chicken. Crispy chicken skin.

Hello, Sunburst Fried Chicken!

Conveniently located at SM Cebu, this casual dining place is one of my favorite places in Cebu. They serve simple yet crispy fried chicken but it has this appeal that I find irresistible.

R and I shared a Classic (3pcs) Sunburst Fried Chicken (PHP198) and Chick’n Crackers (PHP198, large). We also ordered a glass of buko juice and buko shake.

First to arrive were our drinks. My buko shake wasn’t that sweet making it a good thirst quencher. It was also perfect as it was really hot that day!

The chicken skin and chips were served next and it was L-O-V-E. 

R loved it and kept eating while telling himself that it’s a sinful dish. The crispy skin dipped in vinegar was delightful! My sister would have loved this dish too.

Love at First Bite: Xtremely Xpresso

A few weeks ago, I went to Anvaya Cove with some college friends and R. The place would have been extra nice if the weather cooperated. Nonetheless, it was a fun trip! And since we're already in Subic, I made sure that we stop by Xtremely Xpresso.

Hello, Xtremely Xpresso!

The place was packed when we arrived but we were lucky to get a table for six right away.

While the staff was clearing our table, we roamed around and the first thing we noticed was that there are different concepts in play. The main dining area of Xtremely Xpresso has an old  American diner feel with its vintage light boxes. 

The other dining area had an English tea salon feel.

Once our table was set up, we ordered Big Ben Xtreme (PHP729) for sharing. R and I also ordered Bacon Cheeseburger (PHP180), Meat Lasagna (PHP200), and Pumpkin Soup (PHP120). For drinks, we opted for Raspberry Avalanche (PHP100) and Caramel Daze (PHP100).

R's drink sure was berrylicious. It was really sweet! Mine had a nice hint of coffee with the sweet taste of caramel. R and I both liked the Caramel Daze more than the Raspberry Avalanche.

The pumpkin soup was creamy and had that sweet taste that I love. The crispy bacon bits added a nice contrast in flavor and texture.

Next served was our lasagna. It was cheesy and meaty! I loved it! It may not be sophisticated or the classy type of lasagna but this comfort dish is a winner! I packed the leftover lasagna for lunch the following day and it was still as good as when it was served at the restaurant.

Promo Alert: 50% off On Your Next 7 Uber Rides

Gone are the days of Friday Traffic Mayhem as it is now happening daily. It’s getting worse and worse. And when you finally reach your destination… SURPRISE, party in the parking lot! But I am so thankful for cab apps like Uber and GrabTaxi for making it more bearable living in the city.

Lately, I noticed that Uber’s fare is cheaper than GrabTaxi’s (or even a normal cab’s). And to make things even better, I got an email from Uber that they are slashing 50% off my next 7 rides until July 26! Yes, SEVEN rides!

I was thrilled and the first thing that came to mind was, “Where should I go?”

But nope… too busy. Then again, it did help me save the company some money when I went out for a meeting.

My fares from Taguig to Makait and back were just PHP55 and PHP51 versus the usual PHP120! Oh yeaaaaah!

I also went to SM Aura to buy some bed sheets (duvet covers are 50% at Living Well!) and with surcharge, I just paid PHP50.

At first, I thought that all Uber users get the same deal but M just got 20% off and K doesn’t even have any discount. So you better check your email first before booking.

P.S. You might also want to try GrabCar. You get PHP100 off your fare when you use the promo code umbrella.

-Gluttonshopper

Love at First Bite: Ooma Japanese Rice Bar

Bruce Ricketts is on a roll. (Not the edible Japanese kind of roll.) After the successful Sensei Sushi and the well-loved Mecha Uma, he opened another restaurant called Ooma. Since I haven’t tried the first two (with first being too far and second having a steep price tag), I just have to try the pocket-friendly Ooma… ASAP.

Hello, Ooma!

The place wasn’t as packed as I thought on weekdays. Half of the restaurant was for those who made reservations and the other half was for walk-in diners.

My mom and sister went there early and got us a table and they ordered the following: Salmon Tartare Aburi Maki (PHP295) and O-Gyoza (PHP235). When I arrived, I added Scallop and Tuna Aburi Maki (PHP295), Uni Sashimi (PHP195), Tuna Tataki (PHP195), Soft Shell Crab Taco-Maki (PHP199) and Half Baked Chocolate Lava Cake (PHP185).

The O-Gyoza was meaty, juicy and delightfully cheesy thanks to the grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese. 

The togarashi and unagi sauce made it even more delicious. It was also served on a metal strainer which dripped out the excess oil.

The Salmon Tartare Aburi Maki was L-O-V-E. The combination of soft and fresh salmon and scallops with the cucumber, uni and shiso leaves was heavenly. There were different textures in every bite.

I also liked the Tuna Tataki. For its price, serving was generous. The sesame crust added texture to the soft tuna slices. The pickled mushrooms, fried shallots and pickled red radish and ginger garlic sauce added flavor.

Weekend Getaway: Anvaya Cove

I still remember the first time I went to the beach. It was hot and I could hardly see anything as the sun was burning my eyes and sunglasses do not help as the rays manage to squeeze in the gaps. It wasn’t exactly what I call fun but it wasn’t bad as well. I remember the fine sand against my feet and the lovely afternoon breeze. But since my family and friends are not really into going to the beach, I became a city girl. But lately, I grew fond of the beach. It started with the wonderful Coron and now with… Anvaya.

Hello, Anvaya Cove!

Okay, the weather wasn’t exactly pleasant when we arrived as it was drizzling. And since the red flag was up, it meant we could not enjoy the beach. We enjoyed the shore and pool instead.

We also fed some ducks! (And the mosquitoes had a buffet too.)

That night, we decided to have dinner at the golf club since our consumables are only applicable there and the sports club.

R and I arrived first and decided to order the following: Classic Nachos (PHP235), Chicken Wing (PHP255), Pork Sisig (PHP185), Mongo with with Lechon Kawali (PHP135), Grilled Tuna Steak (PHP275), and Chicken Tenders (PHP165).

We also had some drinks which were refreshing.

First served was the Classic Nachos and it was a great appetizer. The crunchy corn tortilla chips topped with ground beef, sour cream and cheese defined “comfort food’.

Next served was the plate of chicken wings which were spicy. It also had a bit of after taste. It’s probably from the bird’s eye pepper sauce. I munched on the side veggies and cilantro mayo dip instead.

Promo Alert: Max's Chicken All-You-Can stars this July 17!

THIS. IS. IT. The wait is over. (Sort of.) Max’s has announced the start of its well-loved Chicken All-You-Can promo.

The chicken lovers have spoken and they chose Friday as the Chicken All-You-Can day! So mark your calendars now. The feast will start on July 17, 2015 and will continue every Friday until August 14, 2015 from 6 PM to 10 PM.

For only PHP229, you get served a quarter fried chicken with a glass of any Pepsi product. You could request for another fill of quarter fried chicken when you finish the one on your plate.  And just like any eat-all-you-can promos, sharing is not allowed. This is also not available for take-out, deliveries and conjunction with any other existing promos.

See you soon, fellow chicken lovers! I’m targeting to finish 2 whole chickens (8 servings) this time.

-Gluttonshopper

Love at First Bite: Lobster King

I hardly get to explore the Philippines so when R asked me to join him and his friends to Coron, I quickly said yes. (And I have not met his friends then.) It was a fun trip and I got do things for the first time such as jump off a boat, climb a mountain (towards Kayangan Lake), and enjoy Coron. I have to admit though that one of the highlights of our trip was our stop at Lobster King.

Hello, Lobster King!

J, the wonderful local who helped us with everything while we were in Coron, raved about Lobster King and that we should prepare our tummies. It wasn’t hard to do so when all we did for hours before dinner was jump off the boat and swim.

The girls took charge of ordering for the whole group and they went crazy over lobster. We had 8 plates full of lobster! Other dishes that were ordered were oysters (in cheese and in butter garlic), sisig, roasted chicken and clam soup. (I forgot to take photos of the soup, sisig and roasted chicken as these were placed far from me and everyone was hungry.)

The oysters were huge! R was disappointed that the cheese on the oysters did not melt and was just grated cheese on top of grilled oysters. But it was still pretty good as it was fresh!

The butter garlic version was better though as it was more savory.

Now for the star of the night… lobsters.

First Bite: Draft Gastropub Manila

I always frequent Rockwell for food and I discovered another favorite few weeks back. It was quite unexpected. I was thinking of just relaxing at home that night as we just came from Coron. But R’s friends all wanted to have dinner at Draft and since we were hungry too, we decided to join them.

Hello, Draft Gastropub Manila!

I recall that I visited the Draft BGC branch a few years back with some colleagues but since we came from an event, we were stuffed and just had light snacks and a few drinks. This time, R and I ordered the Beef Pot Roast (PHP480) for sharing, Paulaner Dunkel (PHP200, 330ml) and Stella Artois (PHP150, 330ml).

I’m not really a beer person but the Paulaner Dunkel was pretty good! It didn’t have that bitter beer taste unlike the one I ordered at Brotzeit. It had a mildly sweet after taste and I like it.

Table for Two: Ninyo Fusion Cuisine & Wine Lounge

As much as I love eating good food, I hesitate dining in super fancy places especially when I have to splurge… a lot. But I get to score great deals from sites like Deal Grocer and Cash Cash Pinoy at times. A few months back, I did with a 47% off deal for a romantic dinner for two in Ninyo. I bought it in an instant as I wanted to go somewhere romantic with R.

Hello, Ninyo Fusion Cuisine and Wine Lounge!

It was a rainy day when we decided to visit Ninyo. I had a private gazebo reserved (for an extra romantic vibe) and I got worried that the rain will ruin our dinner but I was surprised with the fantastic service of the staff. The servers approached us with umbrellas and made sure that we are dry and comfortable.

The set-up was perfect. There were rose petals everywhere.

First served were a few slices of warm bread and butter and it sure hit the spot. The bread was soft and delicious! Too bad I was too hungry to take a photo of it.

Next served were the Wasabi Fried Oyster Tempura and it was good. Wait, scratch that. It was awesome! R loved it too. The starter sure did set the bar high. I loved the contrast of the soft oysters and the crunchy tempura batter. The balsamic citrus mayo dressing with red lumpfish caviar made it even more interesting.

The Nori Pumpkin Soup was pretty good too. I loved the creamy texture and the sweet yet salty taste.

It was difficult to eat the Yuzu Sorbet. R and I decided to eat it straight from the ceramic spoon/plate. It was very refreshing though.