Sushi Ninja
Japanese cuisine has a lot to offer the world and maybe one of my favorites to-date. I haven’t been to Japan to try the food there but I’ve come to realize that there’s a lot of places you could get good Japanese food, if you …
Recent Posts
House of Wagyu Stone Grill
I’m going to come clean and say this out in the open: I’ve recently just started appreciating steak! Yes, I’m one of those people who orders well done steak and have the phrase “Order the chicken you steak hating bastard!” shouted at me. Probably because …
The Blackboard by Chef Michel
Determined to run through all restaurants here in Podium, we decided to take on The Blackboard by Chef Michel, a restaurant with intimate ambience serving international dishes thought of and created by renowned chef Chef Michel. What’s interesting in this restaurant? No printed menus! If you want something, you have to look up. Literally. Their menu is printed on the huge blackboard, which by the way, changes daily! Yep, everyday is a brand new day to whip something amazing from their kitchens. Wow, typing that down (writing this review a few months later) makes me want to go back there! Maybe they’ll have my initial order! Haha
There was a lot on that board from different cuisines, too. I remember ordering something that wasn’t available, uh-oh! So I settled for their Chicken Cordon Bleu with Potato Mash. Looking at my dish, the roll was evenly sliced. The meat looked tender and moist, The ham perfectly wrapped the oozing cheese. The 5 slices were expertly placed on top of a potato mash that looked and tasted good, not like mush, more on the rustic side with little lumps of potato to excite every bite. The gravy drizzled on top of everything, running down on the sides licking the plate. The overall taste and texture did not disappoint and it was very filling. The hosts were on the snobbish side, had a hard time calling their attention to give me something, like a refill of my water or my bill. Haha I know, little things. But no! I was the only customer in the restaurant, you would expect they would give you their superb attention to details.
Verdict: 2.5/5
I don’t know their bestseller, but from research, apparently Chef Michel would sometimes really be the one cooking your food! In the flesh! It would have been exciting to witness that, so that of course will be one of the reasons why we should come back here; apart from trying the rest of their ginormous menu haha
Tsumura Sushi Bar and Restaurant
During this time, I was sent to Makati City to attend some training for a week. The firm that conducted the training offered snacks and lunch to their students. And since there’s just a week that I get to be out of office, I think …
Tori Ichi Yakitori Bar
Festival Mall has a whole new section by the riverside which they’ve been developing for quite some time now and it has recently been opened to the public. And as crazed southerners, my sister and I checked it out and found this restaurant: Tori Ichi …
Anzani
Anzani
Anzani ravioli
Linguine vongole
Arborio with baby mix seafood risotto
Giant octopus
Grilled pork chop
Spinach dough flatbread
Canneloni
Homemade tortelli
Situated in the scenic landscape of nivel hills on the way to marco polo, Anzani is one of the chic Mediterranean restaurants here in Metro Cebu. We made a reservation prior to our arrival just to make sure our group of seven can fit properly without waiting for a table. The place is fairly spacious, with several tables available inside the establishment as well as their outdoor dining area.
My sister and I were the first to arrive and decided to be seated outside instead of the fairly stuffy private section of the place. Not that it smelled bad, but it was just a bit claustrophobic and reminded us of white hospital walls.
For starters, we ordered anzani’s house wine to be paired with a serving of Arborio seafood risotto, spinach dough flatbread, and grilled giant octopus. Our companions had anzani ravioli, linguine vongole, a huge plate of grilled pork chop and homemade tortelli. We also ordered an additional plate of ricotta filled canneloni from the adjacent restobar, Bellini.
What i liked about this place is that the service was prompt and the waiters were attentive to our needs. Our glasses were always filled with wine or water. Also, we were given complimentary baked bread at the start as appetizer, to which we dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Food here is pricey. Serving wise, it looks small and taste wise it fails our expectations. Maybe because we were expecting something that would wow us for that much? Or maybe you’re just paying for the ambiance? I’d never know.
Anzani
Nivel hills
Verdict:
A: 3/5
Not completely pleased, but it was a good experience altogether since we have had a great time with friends.
Zark’s burger
Mom and I finally visited this place after buying a new set of fans for our rooms because several of them decided to overheat and die for the summer. After depositing our purchases in the car, we proceeded to the upper ground floor where the …
Pigafetta
Pigafetta
People relate heavy traffic to a curse.
I do too, especially when I’m in a rush going somewhere on a strict schedule. But when you pass by a restaurant that has just opened, chances are, your opinion on traffic will be different. Situated across the church along Escario street, beside another recently opened branch of a popular coffee shop frequented by folks, the restaurant boasts its modern design and pleasant ambiance despite the construction going on in the vicinity.
We were seated to a table for three and were handed individual menus to check what they have available. We were then given freshly baked bread and home made tomato dip, much to our surprise. For appetizers, we ordered Gamberri alla Padella, a shrimp lettuce salad with two sticks of bread, Insalata dello Chef, a chef salad with lettuce, egg, olives, tomato, olive oil and bacon strips, Vongole, pasta with clams, and a serve of Puttanesca. Our entree was salmon and asparagus pizza together with organic sparkling juice. To end the meal, mom, sis and I shared a serve of Panna Cotta. With preserved cherries and balsamic vinegar.
The service was prompt; the servers were attentive to our needs and were eager to give their customers the best possible experience.
By the time we got out of the restaurant, we’ve had our bellies filled for the journey back home.
Pigafetta
Axis Entertainment Avenue, Escario
Verdict:
A: 3.5/5
Gamberi was somewhat a disappointment because the bottom of the bowl was soaked with oil, making the dish soggy. The Vongole was a tad bit over seasoned, with too much salt in the sauce. The Puttanesca was spot on and the chef salad, though. The salmon asparagus pizza tasted good too. The Panna Cotta could use more acidity because it is simply too sweet. The balsamic vinegar on the plate was too small and could do very little to add tartness to the dish.
Mismukuno
There are things you can’t do when you’re sick with shingles. One of them is not being there when the Mismukuno branch in Ayala opened where the staff danced to the tune of Voltes V.
Soon after i recovered though, my sister and i visited the place and had ourselves seated by the prep area where a train set carrying food makes its trip from the kitchen and back to the customer’s area.
The ambiance of the place felt fine, with the large wall to the side painted with several Japanese anime characters ranging from the pioneers like Astroboy, Mazinger Z, and Voltes V to conteporaries such as Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece.
The food that they serve are mostly short orders, with the exception of their maki rolls. To start the meal we were given a bowl of miso soup to be followed by beef teppanyaki, a plate of sunrise roll, salmon sashimi, ika sashimi, hibachi tofu, kakiage, and a bowl of beef gyudon. To end the meal, we shared scoops of matcha ice cream.
The dishes are fairly cheap with the exception of their short rib and angus beef orders.
Mismukuno
Ayala Cebu
Verdict:
A: 3.25/5
The food itself is delicious and the beef is tender enough. The restaurant’s appeal is to show you your food while it is being cooked.
Not to mention the revolving train moving around the center work area. They happen to have unlimited miso soup, perfect for those who like their hot soups.
The hibachi tofu is to die for, as you can taste the sweet butter sauce on top of the tofu fried in, yes, you guessed it, butter. The sashimi were served in little saucers with ice to keep the temperature of the fish fresh. Overall, i think they did a good job.
