Bantayan Island (February 2012)

After almost three months of absence, I'm back to blogging. The past few months have been a mixture of surprises, adjustments and beautiful beginnings-- more on adjustments really-- my body adjusting to hormones, to physical changes. But allow me to go a few months back and share this wonderful trip I had with a few of my closest friends. 

I've lived in Cebu all my life, yet it's only just this year that I've set foot on the beautiful island of Bantayan. Such a shame, I know. Cebu has much to offer. I'm glad we had this trip. Thanks to my friend, Maimai and to her fun-loving husband, Jarred, for making this trip possible. I won't bore you with words. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

On our first night, we stayed at Kota Beach Resort in Sta. Fe. Bantayan is often likened to Boracay because of its fine white sand. If Boracay is far within your reach and you need to have that quick getaway from the stress of city-life, Bantayan is your next best option.

Mid-afternoon, we headed out to the sea for a short island-hopping, which was not entirely materialized for the island that we were supposed to visit had an exorbitant entrance fee as per the"owner's" policy. There's no point of making our presence felt as men and women of the law. We were there to enjoy, not to engage in a legal debate as to whether an island can be owned by a private individual.

Aside from its beaches, Bantayan is also known for the wide array of seafood, it being essentially a fishing island. I've never eaten that many seafood in my entire life. Haha. But I have no regrets.

 
Looking back, I realized that our time was spent more on eating than actual swimming or enjoying the beach. We went to as far as Madridejos (one of Bantayan's municipalities) just to eat halo-halo.

And the eating escapade continues...

This pizza place is just a few steps away from the inn/apartment where we stayed on our second night.

Before heading back to the city, we dropped by (twice actually, during the entire trip) Le Petit Bonheur to quench our thirst with milkshakes.

The place is quite attractive to me. They have this sort-of cabanas strategically placed around the area-- good spots from some photo session actually. Hehe.

But my favorite part of the trip was the bond among greatest of friends (char!)... Seriously, even if you are in the most beautiful part of the world, but you're not in the company of good people, the trip--no matter how luxurious, won't be as memorable.

Ipar's

Craving for authentic spanish cuisine? Then Ipar's Restaurante y Bar de Tapas is for you. Ipar is actually the name of the Chef and Owner of the restaurant--- Ipar O. Miranda.

Everything in the restaurant is Spanish-- from the food, to the whole concept and set-up, to the lighting fixtures (which, for some reason, reminds me of the movie, The Mask of Zorro) and decorations and to every minute detail there is.

To us, Ipar's became the venue for the get together of my high school friends, as our dear Abby, was in town at that time. And because we were so busy catching up with each other's lives, I forgot to take photos of the food. I'm not really a fan of Spanish cuisine, but I love their lengua estofada and gambas al ajillo. Their house specialties include bacalao, paella, chuletas al ajillo, U.S. ribeye, and roasted leg of lamb. I heard that their leche flan is also a must-try. The price range is from 180-400. It can go as high as 2,000+ for the lambs.

15 years of friendship. Our body figure may have changed (lol) but the bond remains the same.

Ipar's

157 F. Ramos Street,

Cebu City

+ 63 32 410 7727

Maitre Chocolatier

Since February is the month of love, why not spend Valentines in a sweet place, as in chocolate sweet--make that premium European chocolate sweet--place. I'm talking about Maitre Chocolatier.

Maitre Chocolatier offers a tasteful array of premium European chocolate brands-- Ferrero (Italy), Ritter Sport (Germany), Lindt (Switzerland), Revillion (France) and many more. They offer not just chocolates, but the usual dish that we have, it's just that the taste is enhanced by these chocolates.

A chocolate boutique won't be a chocolate boutique if there's no rack full of chocolates.

For Valentines, they have this cute Ferrero bouquet.

My husband is a self-confessed un-romantic guy (yes, he said that. I have proof.) But I beg to disagree. Yes, he does not make gigantic gestures. He can't sing me romantic songs nor move me into a slow and sweet dance. But he can write the most sincere love letter. The one that really goes deep into my bones (asus. hehe.) He doesn't do that on a regular basis, yet when he does, I know he put a lot of effort in writing his thoughts and emotions. This Valentines, instead of giving me a card, he wrote me a very long letter. And I gave him a book (yeah, I'm so novel like that. haha) He loved it, by the way. So that's all good.

Food Quality--3.5; Price--4; Ambiance--5; Service--4; Accessibility--5.

I wasn't entirely happy with my order. Carbonara my go to pasta. And yes, I'm a chocolate addict. But not of white chocolates. Ergo, I found my pasta a little too sweet for my taste buds. Oh but the dessert was to die for!

Maitre Chocolatier

101, Level 1, The Terraces

Ayala Center Cebu

+63 32 2387116

Kuya J (Cebu)

Jerome and I have agreed to continue celebrating our 'monthsaries' to keep the fire burning (char. haha) and at the same time, dine at new restaurants or discover hole-in-the-wall gastronomic places. Expect this blog to morph into a travel/food blog soon. 

I've been wanting  to try Kuya J restaurant, to which I've passed by numerous times because of the worthy competitor across it. 

A restaurant is appealing to me if the place is well-decorated and has an infusion of art. I am no expert in the arts but in some way or another, I know how to appreciate it. Case in point is this fascinating lighting fixture---

Then this wall decor---

Of course, no matter how good the ambiance is, the quality of the food should not be compromised. Here in Kuya J, we were not disappointed.

My all-time favorite dish-- drowned in butter, ah, heaven for me!

I've recently cultivated love for prawns and shrimps. This one exceeded my expectations.

Looks tough on the outside, but the meat is surprisingly tender. Easy to chew. No kidding.

 Our verdict?

Food Quality--4; Price--5; Ambiance--5; Accessibility--2.5.

Parking is not so good especially during peak hours of dining. You have to park on the side of the street. 

Kuya J Restaurant

0394 Orchid Street,

Capitol Site, Cebu City

+ 63 32 2531343

50's Diner (Baguio)

50's Diner-- another resto in Baguio that you shouldn't miss.

It was (literally) a stone's throw away from PNKY.

We went there early, around 6:30PM as I've read in the reviews that the place is always full.

And it was! Even at 6:30PM. We were 5th on the waiting list when we got there.

From the name itself, the whole ambience of the resto was inspired by the 50s.

There were vintage music dics and a gallery of photos of 50s music legends.

According to our trusty guide and dear friend, a few years back, their food servers were on roller skates living up to the full 50s vibe. But I think with the increasing patronage, it would be difficult, more so dangerous, to carry the food on skates and wade their way though the hungry crowd.

That's me and my mickey mouse (the drink). Don't ask me why they name it as such. Lol.

I forgot what we ordered. Bad cheetah, I know! Hehe. Actually, I wasn't paying that much attention because I was so damn hungry that time. After our excruciating 30-minute horseback riding (more like praying for me than riding, as my horse was so playful and wanted to gallop), I can't wait to devour the food we ordered.

Cafe by the Ruins (Baguio)

We had dinner here on our first night in Baguio.

Cafe by the Ruins is one of the must-visit dining places in Baguio. It sits right across the City Hall.

Here's what we ordered:

When in Baguio, don't miss to try their fresh strawberry shake.

During our visit, there was a group of locals sitting around what seemed like a bonfire, minus the bonfire (you get it? Hehe). Actually, it was a place to set-up a bonfire, but on that night, there was none. Some of the locals were playing instruments, some were chanting. Others were dancing to the enchanting music that was produced.

I was curious on why it was named as Cafe by the Ruins. After googling, I found out that the 'ruins' they are referring to are the remains of this garden theater.

Cafe by the Ruins

Chuntug Street,

Baguio City

Philippines

info@cafebytheruins.com