Lemon Grass Vietnamese-Thai Culinary Treasures

Level 1, Ayala Food & Entertainment Center Cebu

Memories of Hanoi dining drive me to be in constant search for authentic Vietnamese food here in the Philippines. Funny that I find some degree of satisfaction in a mall in Cebu. The truth is to enjoy the food, I had to forget the authenticity factor and just accept that the only way I can recapture all that is to get on a plane to Vietnam. With that factor gone, I was free to enjoy the food offered at Lemon Grass and judge them by their own flavors. And in all fairness, I really loved the flavors; the banh xeo is a must-try. The presentation added many points to the dining experience - the rice was fancily wrapped in banana leaf. And the sticky rice and mango ending came very close to my expectations.

I hope they would have a Metro Manila branch soon.

Abaseria Deli & Cafe

39-B Pres. Roxas St. Villa Aurora, Kasambagan, Cebu City

If I were to open a restaurant, Abaseria would be a one of my models. Homey ambience to go with homecooked meals. Eclectic furniture. Lots of character with a healthy amount of kitsch. You can take the clan with you for family style dining on the long tables; or catch up with a girlfriend in an intimate corner; or, like me, dine alone with a book. Chances are, though, you'll forget about your book because the cafe doubles up as a shop for export quality Cebu-made bling, bags, and home accessories.

I've forgotten what I've ordered. Based on the picture, I seem to remember having wild rice, a lemony adobo sauce on ribs, okra with sesame seeds and nori. Homemade flavors, but with enough twists so they are not quite what manang makes at home.

When you're done eating, you can check out the baubles, sold at very reasonable prices. They were even nice enough to bring me to the nearby factory to buy more. The only thing that kept me from going berserk shopping were the facts that my bags were already jampacked with dangit and chicharon and I was flying off in a couple of hours.

Dining in Cebu, Raving about The Gustavian

Cuisine:	International
Location:	No. 1 Paseo Saturnino (old Ma. Luisa Road), Banilad, Cebu City

The last two times I was in Cebu, I was billeted (I say this word with more than a hint of sarcasm) in a hotel in an area that is uhm, let's just say it's aroma wafting distance from the Tabuan danggit market. So when my friend Chito brought

me to The Gustavian, it felt a bit surreal to be in a fine dining place. So forgive me if I rave a little about the classy interiors, not too formal to be off-putting, but just delicious to the eye. Gorgeous white walls, dim lighting, plantation/hacienda/country club style furnishings.

For the food, I only have the dish I ordered as my basis for the high rating. The Salmon Steak with Onion Leek and White Truffle Sauce (P560) was eyes-closed-orgasm-look-I'm-in-heaven good. The salmon was on a bed of risoni, pasta that resembled risotto in look and taste.

Chito's Gustavian Spicy Spaghetti Alioli (P340) was good, but bordering on ordinary.

The dessert was probably good, but not memorable enough for me to remember now that I'm blogging several months after the fact.