OT: Lantaw in Cordova

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On a cold Sunday afternoon (after my cousin's garden wedding) while watching Discovery Channel in Kasadya Cordova, I suddenly got hungry and decided to take my cousin (and her boyfriend) to Lantaw which was just a few minutes away from Kasadya.

You can find Lantaw at Day-as Wharf in Cordova. We discovered Lantaw when the boyfriend and I went shooting at Day-as during sunset (for my photography class' homework). We just looked at Lantaw though, and took pictures of the place. The restaurant is made entirely of bamboo and cogon. It reminds me of our little hut in Negros.

Their service is really nice. When you enter the restaurant you'll be greeted warmly by their receptionist in Cebuano. The rest of the crew were courteous and helpful. They were ready to assist you whenever you need help.

What I like about Lantaw is they have really nice interiors. They have the front end of the jeepney peeking near their cash register which is really cool. You can pose in front if you want. They also have another part of the restaurant which had couches and tables where you can lounge while eating. Unfortunately, it was raining that day so they had to close that part and stack the couches. What was really interesting in Lantaw is that they serve mayo bottles as water glasses. It's really cool and environment friendly.

this is the glass.

lechon kawali (P185)

pinakbet (P210)

adobong kangkong (P80)

sisig (P130)

We got adobong kangkong, pinakbet, sisig, lechon kawali and a couple of drinks to top that rainy afternoon. The price for their food were reasonable. Most of their serving were good for two to three persons. The lechon kawali was a bit small, though even for its price. This was why we added the sisig to our table.

I loved everything that they served in Lantaw. Everything was cooked properly and had a great taste. My adobong kankong was really yummy. I couldn't find anything to say about the taste. The sisig and the lechon kawala lacked the kick and the spiciness that we wanted. These were also good, but it wasn't spicy enough for us.

When we were about to head home, our male companions came out happy and grinning from the male toilet. We had to ask why. They said there were photos of funny store names and errors posted in their toilet. We went to the women's too, but found none. So the boyfriend took photos and shared it to us. We ended up smiling from ear to ear while going through the different photos.

some of their funny photos. there are too many of these.

My cousin and I are planning to head there again soon when the weather's right so we can watch the sunset and city lights from Lantaw. It was just a bit disappointing that the weather wasn't really cooperating with us that day. Nevertheless, it was a really nice experience.

the view on a perfect afternoon (taken a few weeks before we ate at Lantaw)

Lantaw is a bit far from the city which makes it a really nice restaurant to unwind. If you plan on commuting to Lantaw, just ride a jeepney to Cordova and ask the driver to stop you at Poblacion in Cordova. Once you see a pedicab, ask him to get you to Day-as Wharf. You have to pay P1 per person when you get to the wharf. 

OT: Lumpia ni Senyang

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I discovered Lumpia ni Senyang because of the boyfriend. Before, we had lots of free time during school days that we'd head to Senyang's which is just a tricycle ride away from the boyfriend's place in Lapu-Lapu. It's right across St. Alphonsus Catholic School, where he studied high school. 

ordering XD

A word of caution: this is not a place for the faint hearted. I kid! Senyang is famous for their super spicy sauce which is their own secret recipe. Being a really spicy-addicted person, I found this a good place where I can fill my spicy cravings without hurting my pocket.

As the name implies, Senyang only serves lumpia. They have special and ordinary lumpia to choose from. The special has meat in it while the ordinary is made from tawgi or bean sprout. I'm not really a meat person, so I always prefer the ordinary lumpia or gulay as they call it. Their special lumpia costs P15 while the gulay costs P12. To match, you can get huge puso for P5. 

gulay, above. special, below.

special lumpia in spicy sauce. yum!

Prepare lots of water especially when you want to try their spicy sauce. It really is spicy. However, if you're not a spicy person like me, you can always opt for the usual sauce. Senyang is famous for their very spicy sauce. Without the sauce, your Senyang experience isn't really complete.

I would recommend Senyang if you want to go on a spicy trip with friends. The food is affordable and the service is really good. Senyang herself is there to take your orders and the other servers are also friendly.

good news! :)

*photos taken by Paw*

OT: Siomai sa Tisa

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I believe that one can never be a real Cebuano without knowing or having been to Tisa for their siomai. Unless of course you were born vegan or you’re allergic to siomai, you don’t have any reason not to try siomai sa Tisa.

Siomai is a type of traditional Chinese dumplings. It's also called shumai. It is made of ground pork or beef with shrimps or meat extenders like carrots or peas wrapped in wanton paper. Most often, you find the siomai steamed. Others also fry it to make it crispy. But, I personally prefer steamed siomai.

 If you have stayed long enough in Cebu, it’s impossible for you not to know siomai sa Tisa. Food stalls and kiosks that sell “siomai sa Tisa” are popping in every university and business center in Cebu. I even heard there’s one in Iligan. That’s how far siomai sa Tisa can go.

Tisa is a barangay in Cebu City that is filled with sidewalk carenderia (local restaurants) that sell siomai, porkchop, and other food. I really like looking at that Tisa strip. It’s hard to explain. My heart wells up knowing that it’s distinctly Filipino and Cebuano.

One thing that I like about Tisa is that they have unlimited siomai sauce. I am a fan of siomai sauce since I want my siomai REALLY spicy. I am a bit disappointed with other siomai stalls near schools that only give you a limited amount of sauce. In Tisa, you can ask and have as much as you can. AWESOME!

Siomai costs P6 a piece and puso (or hanging rice) for P3. For P30, you can already have your meal there and be filled. We normally spend around P120 for a meal for two. This already includes the drinks, a serving of pancit canton, 10 siomai and around 10 or so puso. It’s really cheap and you already go home really full at that.

If you want to go to Tisa, you have to be prepared to eat by the sidewalk. This means welcoming stray cats and dust while eating your siomai. I really don’t mind eating while jeepneys, taxis and cars pass by. I think this is really part of being a Filipino. We just love eating anything and everything on the sidewalk. And I believe that having siomai along the streets of Tisa is definitely a way of being a real Cebuano, unless of course you’re allergic. :P

Dong Juan's Warm Brownie Melt

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This is just a quick post of our recent visit (again) to Dong Juan at Perssimon. We actually planned to drop by their new branch along AS Fortuna. Unfortunately, the restaurant was packed so we opted to go to their Mabolo branch in Perssimon. It was my first time to eat out with our friend, Jay Darius, because he's usually shy. LOL.

The evar cool iced tea glasses. 

Mozzarella sticks. ♥

I was excited to try out Dong Juan's warm brownie melt. We weren't able to order one the last time because we were really full. This time I really had to try it.

I personally like the texture. You have an ice cream on top of the warm brownie. The ice cream is smooth on your tongue. But when you reach the brownie part, it adds a little kick. It's contrasting texture and taste that makes it delectable. I'd definitely try it again on our next visit.

Jay, our official third wheel, and me.

PS. These photos taken by the boyfriend. ♥

OT: Unexpectedly Dong Juan

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We weren't supposed to go to Dong Juan, but two weeks before the date, I suggested the restaurant. I read a few blogs and decided it's worth a try. Their branch at The Perssimmon is the most accessible, so we opted to have our dinner there.

The boyfriend and I didn't really know what to expect since we don't have an idea what they serve and  how they look like. When we got there, the place was small and cozy. I like the unique furniture inside. It had a modern and comfortable feel to it. The staff were very cordial and they readily made us feel comfortable. I just like the ambiance of the place and the boyfriend couldn't agree more.

Our meal. (Left to right) Calamares, all-meat pochero, burger steak, drinks and rice.

Without really knowing what the best food in their menu is, we ordered calamares, linguini with meatballs, all-meat pochero, and burger steak. The food there is unbelievably cheap. We were expecting to pay around P300 for every dish, but each only costs less than P200. The dishes, however, are for two persons only. If you are bringing three or more people with you, it is best to order more food.

A random drink that looked cool. :D

I love their glasses. They're soo unique.

The food was definitely great. I love their burger steak. It tasted really good. The patty was thick and you could really find the herbs in the patty. You'll probably mistake the pochero as soup, but Dong Juan's version is a sizzling one. It's pretty much like the burger steak. The beef was just so tender. It was yummy. What I like about their calamares is their dip. Maybe I just got used to those dips with mayo. However, this one comes with a spicy garlic and honey sauce.

Linguini, our last order.

I'd definitely recommend Dong Juan. It's a nice place to dine with your date or with your friends. The ambiance is nice and the service is great. It's also not as crowded as other restaurants downtown. It's also accessible. Aside from the above mentioned dishes, they also serve pasta, sizzlers and even pizza.

Taho: Authentic Filipino Mornings

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Growing up, taho, has been my favorite treat. Every Sunday morning when we were still kids, the taho vendor would pass by our then compound. My brother and I would ask our mother to buy taho for us. She would get us a mug-full of taho each for only P5 each. That was 10 years ago.

Taho is made from soy beans, sugar and pearls. Imagine having soy milk with sugar syrup and sago or tapioca pearls. Yum!

A special taho. It's in my mug! ♥

I love taho. It's probably one of the best things in the morning. I love its sweetness that is overpowering. I just love the softness of the soy and the sugar syrup in it. I don't like the sago pearls with my taho so I always ask the vendor not to put them in my mug. But most people like sago pearls (I'm just picky like that). 

Having just taho makes one feel full. Most often when I don't feel like having breakfast, I just have taho. I would wait for the vendor to come by our house around 9AM. That's usually my breakfast (I know it's unhealthy). 

Taho is most often sold in the mornings by the vendor. The vendor walks around the different areas and communities trying to sell their taho.The taho, that the vendor carries, is still unmixed. So, the vendor carries two big cylindrical metal containers. The bigger container carries the soy while the other one carries the sugar syrup and the pearls. They carry these through a long wooden stick placed on their shoulders.  I salute all those taho vendors since it's not that easy to carry those early dawn til mid morning with not much earnings for their family.

Close-up of taho minus the sago.

Anyway, taho can be found almost anywhere in the Philippines especially along the sidewalks near schools. One can encounter these taho vendors most especially during dawn when they just got their taho ingredients from their suppliers. Taho is one of those amazing foods that a Filipino can associate himself/herself with. It's something that makes a morning truly Filipino.