Italian brand Hausbrandt opened its first cafe in the Philippine at the Capitol Square, Escario Street, Cebu City. Hausbrandt has a presence in 70 countries worldwide and they plan to be a major player in the local coffee market. What sets Hausbrandt by Euro Food 1892 from their competitors is their way of brewing their coffee.  They are the only cafe that mainly uses the Bialetti Moka Pot to make delicious coffee.

Hausbrandt by 1892 Euro Food's Brew Your Own Coffee Experience

One of the unique things to do at Hausbrandt is to order their "brew your own coffee" or BYOC. The BYOC will enable coffee lovers to experience brewing coffee using the traditional Italian method. The Italians usually use a pot that they also call "la caffettiera" in making coffee.  At Hausbrandt by 1892 Euro Food, they use pots by Bialetti, the pioneer in making Italian Moka pots.  To date, there are over 330 million Bialetti la caffettieras that have been sold all over the world.

Hausbrandt as a cafe and Meeting place

The 5 Dishes that I love at Gustus Resto

Sizzling Bulalo

Crispy Pata

Cajun Shrimp in a Bag

This dish reminded me of the Cebu restaurants that served shrimp in a bag like Choobi-Choobi and Bucket Shrimps.  I cannot resist shrimps and I enjoyed the cajun-flavored shrimps at Gustus. It was fragrant and the flavor profile was a bit interesting. 

Fried Rice

Although I would have enjoyed the dishes as much with plain rice, I would like to give props to the delicious fried rice dishes that were served that night. I got to try the bagoong rice and the salted fried rice. Each rice platter would have a meal on its own owing to their delicious flavors and not too overpowering saltiness.  The rice could complement well their other dishes like sisig, gambas, gising-gising, and chicken wings.

Seafood Linguini

When I went there, I was with some friends who do not eat red meat.  One of the best options for them is to have the seafood linguini pasta.  They also have Shrimp Alfredo and Marinara pasta. 

Other dishes that I tried

I also had their sisig and wings.  I enjoyed my time eating there and I would love to try their steak and Spanish dishes on my next visit.

Kalami Cebu Verdict

I would definitely go back to Gustus Resto when I swing by Tagbilaran.  The upside of this place is quite high and I am curious about their other dishes especially the rib-eye, ribs, lengua, callos, and caldereta.  I love Spanish dishes and I want to know if Gustus can be the best "Spanish" Resto in the island.  If you are a meat lover like me, I think you should check out Gustus when you are in Bohol! ;)

For more information about the restaurant, you may give them a call at +63-38-422-8337.

Kalami Cebu Highlights for June 2016

 3 Good Reasons to Watch Cebu Goes Culinary 2016

Cafe Laguna has always been one of my favorite Filipino restaurants in Cebu.  When I dine at any of their restaurants, I know that it is going to be a feast.  Last year, I was in their 24th-anniversary buffet and I definitely had a heavy dose of #happytummy. On September 28, 2016, Cebu's longest running Filipino restaurant will treat Cebuanos to a grand buffet for only Php 499.00 ++.

Cafe Laguna 25th Anniversary Buffet

The grand buffet is available at Cafe Laguna Ayala, Laguna Garden Cafe, Cafe Laguna, SM City Cebu, and Cafe Laguna SM Seaside Cebu on September 28, 2016.

Buffet for Cause

“Cafe Laguna will always be about family and community. To give back to its community is always at the heart of our brands,” quips Cafe Laguna founder and Chairman “Kitchen Queen” Julita Urbina.

The 25th Anniversary Buffet is not just about giving Cebuanos the best Filipino buffet available but it is also about helping the community.  Part of the proceeds of the Cafe Laguna's Anniversary Buffet will be donated to 3 charity institutions that are close to the hearts of the members of the Urbina clan.

The Soup Kitchen for the Visayas is a Cebu-based non-profit organization working together with other charities to provide nutrition activities in chosen areas and immediate medical support in relief operations.

The Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, Inc. (DSAPI), a non-stock, non-profit organization, founded in 1991 aims to provide support to families who have a child with Down Syndrome. The organization is composed of dedicated and committed parents including physicians with missions to initiate, develop, promote, encourage and support programs and projects concerning Down Syndrome.

Cebu Caritas, for decades, credibly provides support to communities and persons in need missions that constantly adhere to the core values of Christianity.

3 Good Reasons to Eat at Cafe Laguna on their 25th Anniversary

1. Selection - When it comes to Filipino food, the Laguna Group is definitely one of the best in the country. You are going to enjoy the food that you love while growing up done in the proper way.  No experiments needed as they mastered how a Filipino dish should be cooked and served.  Fusion cuisine might be popular nowadays, but if you want the real deal you better line up early tomorrow.
2. Price - At 499 pesos, the buffet is definitely worth it.  The group does not do this often and if they do serve a buffet, it is guaranteed to give the best buffets in town a run for their money.  If Cafe Laguna does a buffet regularly, most likely, many buffet restaurants will close down.
3. Charity Aspect - You will end up with a full stomach eating at Cafe Laguna's 25th-anniversary buffet but the #goodvibes will not stop there.  By availing the special buffet, you are also in a way feeding a lot of people.  The Soup Kitchen for the Visayas was the first charity that served delicious hot food to Yolanda victims according to Chef Raki Urbina.  Diners can help this organization along with the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines and Cebu Caritas.

I hope to see you there at Cafe Laguna tomorrow!

Here are my Top 32 Food and Drink of September 2016:

1. Yangnyum Chicken (Oppa Chicken)

When it comes to fried chicken, one of my favorites is the Korean-style fried chicken. Early in the month, I had a meeting with some students of USJ-R and we had the sweet and spicy chicken of Oppa Chicken. Oppa Chicken is located at the Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu.  

2. Cheeseburger (FrontGate)

3. Ham and Cheese Sandwich at Keso

4. Pizza and Pasta at Patty Pie

5. Patty Pie's Molten Chocolate

6. Banana Pancakes at Camden Cafe

7. Grilled Blue Marlin at Parr't Ebelle

8. Honey Bread at Tom N Toms Coffee

9.  Congee at Hap Chang

10. Specialty Pizzas at Giardino di Mare

11. Birthday Pancit at Majestic Restaurant

12. Hawaiian Pizza from S&R

13. Asado and Intestines at Snow Sheen

14. My Kalami Cebu Birthday Spread

15. Offal at Wakamatsu Yakiniku

16. Taco at El Macho Tachos

17. Tempura at Tempura Japanese Grill

18.  Spicy Lechon Belly

19. Creamy Beef Stew (Cebu's Original Lechon Belly)

20. Steamed Rice and Salted Egg Chicken at Dimsum Break

21. Korean Mexican Fusion Rice Meals at Senor Kimchi

22. Lechon at Rico's Lechon

23. Starbuck's Teavana

24. Pineapple Fried Rice at KauKau

25. Garlic Parmesan Chicken at KauKau

26. Menudo at Cafe Laguna

27. Tanduay Asian Rum on the Rocks

28. Sliders at the Weekend Pit Roast

29. Affordable Japanese Food at Jo-Ed's Lutong Hapon

30. Bopis at Tol's

31. The Chocolate Offerings of Tablea Chocolate Cafe

32. Jack Daniels laced Butter Beer at Sugbo Mercado

I finally got to try the export version of my favorite local rum, Tanduay at Morals and Malice. I really like it and I am not surprised that world class Filipino designer Kenneth Cobonpue agreed to become its brand ambassador.

Tanduay Asian Rum comes to Cebu

Tanduay Asian Rum used to be available only in duty-free shops and overseas markets like the U.S.A.  It is now being introduced to the local market so that Filipinos can enjoy this award-winning rum.   The Tanduay Asian Rum comes in two variants: Gold and Silver.  I finally got to try it at Morals and Malice.  I had the Gold on the rocks. I like its spiciness and it really pairs well with spicy food which is very typical to our local pulutan.  It would sure go well with spicy sisig, spicy lechon belly, and kinilaw. This is the type of drink that you can really bring to the beaches of Mactan or Bantayan.

Morals and Malice also showed us how versatile the rum is by featuring it in their cocktails. I am pretty sure that the lady bloggers that I was with were happy with the cocktail creations.  If you want to try Tanduay Asian Gold Rum, you better check out Morals and Malice at the 2nd Level of the Tinder Box in Banilad.

Tanduay Asian Rum x Kenneth Cobonpue

Tanduay chose Cebuano Kenneth Cobonpue as the rum's new brand ambassador.   They chose Cobonpue because he is the epitome of Filipino Pride and he is a world-renowned talent.  In turn, Cobonpue intimated that it is not hard to endorse Tanduay because he will always support Filipino brands that will wave the Philippine flag in the global stage.

Kenneth Cobonpue designed the Tanduay Asian Rum emblem by incorporating ingenious Filipino elements to showcase the craftsmanship and resourcefulness of Filipinos.  This marks his trust to co-bear the story of Asian Rum as its newest ambassador for both sharing world-class qualities.

Tanduay Asian Rum's tagline is crafted to perfection. I seriously believe that they have a winner with the Asian Rum.  The rum has great flavor, addictive aroma, and a smooth finish which makes it a joy to drink straight up or as a cocktail base. I will have a more thorough review of the rum since I went home with a bottle of Tanduay Asian Rum Silver and I would love to have my friends try it as well. 

Have you tried the Tanduay Asian Rum? Let me know what do you think about it by leaving some comments. 

 Drink Moderately! ;)

A couple of days ago, I was invited by Seafood City for the launch of their #PalutoAllYouCan and I was totally blown away with the dozens of ways that they can bring you to seafood heaven. If you love seafood like me, then this the ultimate all you can eat promo for you.

Paluto-All-You-Can at Seafood City

What does #PalutoAllYouCan mean? Paluto means "to cook". All-you-can means unlimited. Combining the two, it simply means that the kitchen at Seafood City will cook as many seafood, meat or vegetables dishes for you until you say "No more! I am full!!" It is like an all you can eat buffet but this is not a buffet.

Unlike buffets were dishes are typically cooked way ahead of time, Seafood City's Paluto-All-You-Can gives the diners the power what ingredients to use and how should it be prepared. It is like Ala Carte in unlimited servings. 

The Steps to a Super #PalutoAllYouCan Experience

Step 1. Pick an Ingredient. Here is the list of ingredients that you can have at the Paluto-All-You-Can:

Paluto All-You-Can

Boneless Bangus

Chicken Thigh

Chicken Wings

Egg

Guso

Katambak

King Fish

Kitong

Korean Oyster

Lambay

Lapu-Lapu

Live Lapu-Lapu

Live Pompano

Live Suahe

Maya-Maya

Mol-Mol

Octopus

Oyster

Pompano

Pork Barbecue

Pork Belly

Red Grouper

Rock Lobster

Salmon

Sea Mantis

Sole Fish

Squid

Stone Fish

Suahe

Tanigue

Tiger Prawn

Whole Chicken

Paluto All-You-Can (vegetables)

Asparagus

Broccoli

Carrots

Cauliflower

Eggplant

French Beans

Kaylan

Oyster Mushroom

Scallop Meat

Taiwan Pechay

Tanghochay / Polonchay

White Radish

This list is freaking long. Seafood City also has premium items for those who want something fancy.  These items are not part of the promo and it will be paid separately.  These are the premium items that are normally available there:

Premium

Bamboo Lobster

King Crab

Live Sea Mantis

Mud Crab

Red Suno

Tiger Lobster

This first step is actually just like going to the grocery and picking your ingredients.  Some of the ingredients are even alive like the live Lapu-Lapu (grouper) and suahe (shrimps).  You cannot go fresher than that.  I do not think there is an All-You-Can-Eat out there that has so many "live" options available.

Step 2. Pick the way you want your food to be cooked. You can have it grilled, fried, steamed, or sauteed. The restaurant has their recommendations but you can always dictate how do you want your food to come out.  The shrimps are delicious steamed while the Lapu-Lapu is great with a sweet and sour sauce. In the end, it is a matter of personal preference.  Isn't it amazing?

Step 3: Wait for your food to be served and prepare for an awesome meal.

Step 4: Feast.  Eat it all! No left-over, please. You should not waste good food. You will pay double if you have left overs. 

Why I love Seafood Island's #PalutoAllYouCan

1. Freshness.  I have said it before, the selection at Seafood City can rival even the best supermarkets in Cebu.  They have live Lapu-Lapu, lobsters, shrimps, oysters, and even seaweeds. They are literally a seafood city.

2. Fresh from the kitchen dishes. You can see how your dishes are prepared because they have an open kitchen. Unlike the traditional All-You-Can-Eat Buffet, your dish is only prepared after you picked the ingredients. You are assured of a freshly cooked meal just the way you want it. Plus, you are actually the one deciding how your dish should be cooked.

3. Price. How much are the high-end buffet buffets in Cebu? 800 a person? Some hotels even charge over 1,500 pesos for an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet.  680 is really cheap for a seafood fiesta? Have you gone to the mall lately? How much is the kilo of fresh shrimps or Lapu-Lapu?

I do not have to write more reasons to eat there because the three reasons are compelling enough for anyone to at least give it a try as soon as possible.  The #PalutoAllYouCan promo ends on Oct. 31, 2016. I am pretty sure that they will raise prices next month because it is definitely worth more than 680 pesos for one lunch or dinner there.

Check out the Paluto-All-You-Can at Isla Sugbo Seafood City at the Grand Convention Center, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City. Call 233 1114 for reservations and other inquiries.

Earlier this month, I joined the Worldwide Photo Walk organized by Driftstories.Com. I am not really into street photography but I just joined the photo walk for the potential fun factor and the rewarding meal that was promised for those who complete it. Well, I had a great time and I would probably join more photo walks in the future.  My photos made me realize that I am really more into taking food photos than people photos but the best compromise are the pictures with food and people. 

Kalami Cebu at #WWPWMandaue2016

The Worldwide Photo Walk that I joined was held in Mandaue City. We went to the Mandaue Market to take photos of people with the theme #EverydayMandaue.  To be honest, it was quite a while since I really explored a wet market. Back in the day, I usually go to our town's market in Bohol every Saturday because it was the tabo or market day.   I used to sell pechay from our garden. I always look forward to Saturday because it was the only day that I will be assured to have beef for lunch. Joining the WWPW was like a trip down to memory lane.

Here are some of the photos that I took during our walk:

I used my Sony A6300 with a 35 mm lens to take this shots.  All photos are taken straight out of the camera with minor corrections using Photos app.

My Kind of Breakfast

When I was still living in Bohol, breakfast could consist of local delicacies like puto, balanghoy, and bud-bud. It was a pleasant sight seeing my favorite "painit" items being sold at the Mandaue market.  If we did not start late, I would probably have bought some puto maya and have some sikwate in a painitan.

Vegetables for the skin

Look at the skin of this vegetable vendor.   It is FLAWLESS!!! Vegetables are really good for the skin.  Just eat your veggies and you do not need to buy an expensive facial wash or go to a derma.

Bakasi Baby

Bakasi or saltwater eel is a pretty popular aphrodisiac. Normally, foodies have go to Cordova to have a taste of these.  If you like to cook eel at home, you can buy it at the market.

Dried and Salted

Dried fish or buwad is really popular among Filipinos. I heard from friends and relatives living abroad that when they cook buwad, their neighbors usually complain. The market is the perfect place to buy some delicious dried fish. Buwad is perfect as a fried viand and also as a "subak" for your utan.

Fresh Catch

Do you want to save money or help the middle class?  You better check out your local wet market. Buying local can go a long way. 

Sea Grapes vendor

Lato or Sea Grape is one of my favorite seaweeds.  It is nutritious, cheap and fun to eat. Lato is best eaten like a salad with vinegar and tomatoes. Take care of your thyroid, eat some lato!

Don't fret, have an apple!

Markets are also good places to buy fruits.  I saw apples but I also saw local fruits like atis being sold there.

Malunggay is Life

Kamungay or Malunggay is one of my favorite green leafy vegetables.  I love it in my tinola or utan bisaya.  It also offers a lot of health benefits that people even infuse it in bread like pan de sal. 

This is a real workout!

I saw this woman who was selling young coconuts and I was really impressive with her hacking skills. She was pretty strong and fast in serving her customers.  She reminded me that I do not have to go to an expensive gym just to have an intense workout.

Early morning deals

I am pretty glad that a lot of Mandauehanons still go to the wet market to shop.  There are so many groceries and shopping malls already and I somehow fear that the next generation will never experience going to a wet market.

Puto Man

I also saw a roving puto kutsinta vendor.  Back when I was a kid, I know that a kutsinta vendor is nearby when I hear the "pot pot" sound. Well, this guy still makes that sound. 

Lechon King

Of course, the king of Cebuano food, lechon will always be there. We can practically have lechon any day here in Cebu and that is one of the most awesome food facts about my island.

EverydayMandaue Breakfast of Champs

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. As late as 9 am, these guys enjoy a breakfast sipping soup and eating "pochero".  Indeed, beef soup is one the best ways to start a day!

Even in a photo walk, I remain true to food and eating. I would probably go to a wet market this week not for a photo walk but to shop because it is just different and I know that there will be a lot  of Kalami Cebu discoveries waiting to be revealed. I hope to see you in a market nearby! Buy local, and eat local!

Cebuanos love deals.  Whether we are talking about food, clothing, gadgets and probably even mobile load. Well, Cherry Mobile – the leading local mobile phone brand partnered with giant
telco company, Globe Telecom to launch its very own prepaid service called as Cherry Prepaid and they have super amazing deals for Cebuanos.

This is supposed to be a food blog but I just cannot resist writing about this "lami" or delicious deal from our friends from Cherry Prepaid.  I attended their press conference at Cafe Georg and I was wowed by their prepaid deals.

Mouthwatering Cherry Prepaid Handset Bundles

Lite Bundle - For only 399 pesos, you can have a Cherry Mobile CP2 bar phone and Cherry Prepaid SIM, Cebuanos can get as much as 60 minutes of Tri-net calls consumable within 15 days for only P399.  This deal is perfect for companies or households who wants everyone to be connected. You can give this to the drivers, messengers, yayas, etc. so that you can contact them anytime.

Big Time Bundle - At 996 pesos only this deal includes a Cherry Mobile Comet and Cherry Prepaid SIM plus up to 100MB data connection for three days.  This is great if you want to gift someone a touchscreen phone that can connect someone to Facebook and other social media apps. Give this to a tita that is pretty new to social media and you will definitely give her the power to catch up with friends and relatives all over the world.

Premium Bundle - This is the perfect bundle for heavy data users. Cherry Prepaid gives out as much as 7.2 GB Free Data over 12 months along with Flare J1s and Cherry Prepaid SIM for just P1,996.  If your "kinugos" or godson is starting to ask for a mobile phone Christmas then you will make him happy with this. A capable smartphone that will allow anyone to connect to social media, watch Youtube, and play online games.

As an added reward, Cebuano’s may now make the most out of their Cherry Prepaid experience with 120 bonus call for lite bundle; 350 bonus call for big time bundle; and 600 bonus surf for Flare J1s bundle. 

“As Cherry Mobile finally reaches our dream of valuing everyone’s lifestyle through providing the
best of mobile experience, we cannot help but dream some more. We will, in every way possible, continue to provide real and affordable innovation that will greatly benefit the majority and not just the few,” ends Cherry Mobile CEO Maynard S. Ngu.

Wait there's more!  Following its successful launch in Manila, Cherry Prepaid is set to bring good news to Cebuanos by offering them up to 300 minutes of call and all-day texts to any Cherry Prepaid number for three months via registration (CPFREE to 1236).

These deals are definitely enticing and hopefully you can also be a Ka-Cher like me soon. I will be posting a lot of #happytummy photos this coming weeks using Cherry Prepaid power by Globe.

A couple of months ago I have been raving about St. Mark Hotel's Rico's Lechon Buffet. I enjoy it so much because it was affordable and it featured many dishes that I loved eating growing up. My only beef was that the buffet was only available 3 times a week.  Well, my prayers have been answered as the hotel recently launched their Crispy Pata Buffet featuring Alejandro's Crispy Pata.  Last week, I brought my "Kalaminions" from the Cebu Blogging Community (CBC) to feast on  the latest All-You-Can-Eat Buffet sensation in Cebu.

Alejandro's Restaurant's version of the crispy pata has always been dubbed as the best in Cebu.  When I learned that St. Mark is featuring it in their lunch buffet, I wanted to go to Queens Road immediately.  After talking to their lovely GM +Gieselle Abinales, I was able to book a #MeetEatRepeat session with my Kalaminion buddies from CBC.  Kalaminions is the term I use for people who follow my Kalami Cebu blog and page.  I credit Janine Ella Anongos of http://wanderingella.com/ and Chanel Imperial of chanelmarie.com in helping me coin that term.

My 5 Favorite Dishes at St. Mark's Crispy Pata Buffet

Alejandro's Crispy Pata- I love crispy pata or anything crispy and salty. Well, when it comes to crispy pata, will you never go wrong with Alejandro's.  They are absolutely the best.  They are a restaurant built from Crispy Pata. The skin is so crispy, the meat is succulent and everything just tastes so good. Adjectives are not really enough, you better try it yourself.

Escabeche - It was a pleasant surprise to see this dish.  I do not think any other buffet would serve this simple but super yummy comfort food. It is basically fish fried to a crisp then bathed with a soy based sauce. It maybe the poor man's sweet and sour fish but it brings a lot of memories. I am sure many balikbayans would love this too.

Kaldereta - Their goat Caldereta has been a favorite since I had their Rico's Lechon Buffet. I am glad that it is available in the Alejandro's Crispy Pata buffet too. They just know how to make a tasty Caldereta. Kudos to the chef!

Ginabot - This is the Cebuano's term for Chicharon Bulaklak (fried intestines).  I was happy to see some crunchy ginabot in the appetizer station. If I am going to have a beer drinking blowout, it might just bring my friends here because it is like having unlimited pulutan. 

Halo Halo - Isn't it great to finish a meal with something cold and sweet? For me it is and St. Mark has some Halo-Halo to offer to people like me.  Aside from this pinoy favorite, the restaurant also serves Mango crepe and other desserts. 

3 Awesome Reasons to try St. Mark's Crispy Pata Buffet

Crispy Pata all You Can!- A serving of crispy pata is around 200-400 pesos in restaurants all over the city. Well for only 348 pesos, you can have as much crispy pata as you want.  Crispy pata goes so well with beer and it is truly a great alternative to lechon. St. Mark picked Cebu's best Alejandro'sRestaurant as their supplier.  The crispy pata buffet is just a no-brainer if you are really hungry. 

Cebuano Dishes - During our visit, St. Mark Hotel served Kalderetang Kanding (Goat Caldereta), Escabeche, Tinolang Manok, Dilis (Fried Dried anchovies), Mangang Hilaw and more. The buffet highlights the cuisine that I have grown up loving.   It is really rare to find a buffet that puts Cebuano cuisine front and center.

Price - Php348 is less than $7. If you are a balikbayan and you want to binge on Filipino/Cebuano dishes then head down to Halo Restaurant at the 2nd Floor of the St. Mark Hotel in Queens Road adjacent to the Redemptorist Church.  Peso-for-Peso, this is one of the best buffets in town.

There are so many restaurants now in Cebu that is serving buffet. What I love about St. Mark Hotel is that they co-branded with some of Cebu's best suppliers of specialty food. They partnered with Rico's in their Lechon Buffet and now they are featuring Alejandro's in their Crispy Pata Buffet. It is like saying to us foodies that they always want to offer the best for us and the Kalaminions and I really appreciate it and St. Mark Hotel Crispy Pata Buffet definitely earned the Kalami Cebu Seal of Approval! 

Kalaminions of the Week:

1. Pam Baroro - http://heymissadventures.com/
2. Ramzy Magbitang- http://www.ramzyrizzle.com/
3. Rome Bonsocan - http://bastabisaya.com/
4. Egan Torrecampo - https://nhagzventures.com/
5. Christopher Gerard Climaco - https://chrisclimaco.wordpress.com/
6. Miong Pelimon -  http://www.cebucityfied.com/
7. Richie Bunalos - http://www.justrichie.com/

Special Thanks to Ms. Gieselle and Ms. Kressa of St. Mark Hotel

Kalaminions #MeetEatRepeat is a weekly feature here at Kalami Cebu that will highlight the best restaurant and dining options in Cebu or other islands in the Philippines.  It will also feature bloggers and foodies who are loyal "Kalaminions".  If you want your restaurant to be our next destination hit me up with an email at calolano911@gmail.com or send a PM on our Facebook page. 

For those who want to be a Kalamion, please LIKE Kalami Cebu on Facebook and follow @kalamicebu at Instagram and PM me. 

I like drinking beer. San Mig Lite, Red Horse, and Pale Pilsen are the typical beers that I drink.  I have tried foreign brands and craft beers as well.  Recently, I was able to try the new beer line-up offered by Michel's Bistro and I would say that they have beers that any beer lover should try.

 

Michel's Bistro is located in A.S. Fortuna, Mandaue City.  From the outside the restaurant looks pretty expensive. Michel's Bistro has sleek interiors and it gives out an upscale vibe. Looking around, I even felt that this place could even be a good date place.  The second floor is intimate while the ground floor is suitable for barkadas. 

Michel's Cerbeso

How did I end up at Michel's Bistro? Well, I was invited to taste and check Michel's House Brew called Cerbeso through +Jiggy Jr. of Y101. I took some of Kalaminion buddies and fellow #hibsters to drink beer with me since I really do not like the idea of drinking beer alone.  Joining me were +Romeo Nicolas Bonsocan, +Rea Alducente , and +Ramzy Magbitang.  We were hosted by Michel's very own Mr. Will Belda. 

We were able to taste the 3 variants of Cerbeso has 3 variants: dia, tarde, and noche.  Dia is the lightest among the 3.  This brew is their version of San Mig Light. The Dia is low in alcohol, it was easy to drink, and great with some citrus.  The tarde is their version of the Super Dry. It is crisp with moderate levels of alcohol and it has strong hints of coriander.  The noche is the strongest among the 3.  It has the highest alcohol level.  It has a dark color and it is most flavorful among the 3 variants.  I think women would love the noche but they have to drink moderately because its alcohol level is pretty high.  Rea and Romeo loved the dia while Ramzy was infatuated with the noche. I enjoyed noche the most as well.

The drinks went so well with the beer mates or "pulutan" that they served us. We feasted on nachos, hash browns, and sausages. One thing, I like about Michel's Bistro is that their prices were surprisingly lower than I imagined. 

We downed several bottles of beer and we capped our Saturday Night out with some Apple Strudel topped with ice cream from FIC. We had an awesome time there and the group is planning to go back to Michel's Bistro to drink some beer and avail of their amazing 50% promo on food every afternoon.  

 Kalaminions of the Week:

Ramzy Magbitang- http://www.ramzyrizzle.comRome Bonsocan - http://bastabisaya.com/Rea Alducente - http://www.blissfulsnapshots.com/

Special thanks to Sir Will and the cool staff of Michel's 

I did not know that I was starving until I tasted...Vigan.  For a couple of years, I have been food blogging and my food adventures revolved around my lovely island of Cebu.  Yes! Cebu has a lot of awesome places but my recent trip to Vigan made realize that our country has so much to offer to foodies all around the world.

Lessons From My Vigan Food Tour

I discovered so many new dishes that any tourist should try while in Vigan. The ones on my list were really awesome but there were so many new things I have tasted that makes me salivate while writing this. Dishes like sinanglao, bagnet with KBL, poqui-poqui, dinoydoy, bagnet sisig, royal bibingka and borodibod are forever etched in my palate. The food was so different from I have been used to here in Cebu to the point that it made me want to explore the "legacy" dishes of my island.

I am so impressed that Ilocanos are into local food despite the onslaught of large fast food chains.  It provides a stark contrast to Cebu were many new restaurants open with Foreign themes.  The visit is indeed an eye and palate opener for me that I want to devote a big chunk of my blog to writing about "endangered dishes".

Endangered dishes are popular food items in the past that is slowly losing relevance and significance in the age of millennials. I want Cebuanos or in the larger scale Filipinos to celebrate the local culinary creations that have been part of our culture and society. In Cebu, I would probably start with pungko-pungko, ngohiong, balbacua, paklay, utan bisaya, dugo-dugo, and nilarang.  I also want people to know that Cebuano cuisine is not just about frying and grilling.

Before I press the reset button on Kalami Cebu, I will write an in-depth look at my favorite mouth-watering dishes from Ilocos Sur.   Check out this short video for a sneak peak of the food that I will be featuring on the blog in the next few weeks.

If you are a foodie, one of the major factors to having an awesome food trip would definitely  be mobility.   If you have a car, you can drive to distant places like Carcar City to have a lechon and chicharon food trip. I just talked to my friends from BPI Family at Casa Verde and they have an awesome promo this weekend that will surely tempt any Cebuano foodie to buy a brand new car.

I was invited by PR Works to join the BPI Family Auto Madness Meet and Greet with online influencers at Casa Verde in  Ramos.  Without any hesitation, I went there because for one, it has been a while since I last ate at Casa Verde Ramos and two, the car industry is very close to my heart. One of my first jobs was to sell cars and I wanted to get updated about the happenings in the automotive industry.

#BPIFamilyAutoMadness is always a major event for car salesmen and car buyers.  I witnessed last year how Cebuanos embrace the event and according to BPI's Wilbert Yu the loan approvals have been growing each year in double digits. There will be a #BPIFamilyAutoMadness until November 13 at Ayala Center Cebu and Abreeza Mall in Davao.

Benefits of Getting a BPI Auto loan during the #BPIFamilyAutoMadnessCebu

1.  Best Rates - BPI Family Madness is really a madness when it comes to rates.  The rock bottom rates will surely make you want to buy that new Civic, B-RV, Fortuner, Montero, etc. One of the country's leading banks is shaving at least 1% on their standard rates.

2. Free Insurance - If you love freebies, BPI Family is giving FREE Insurance for the first year. You do not have to shell out the extra 20K and up for the insurance of your new car.

3.More Choices - #BPIFamilyAutoMadnessCebu is turning Ayala Center Cebu into one big showroom where you can check out the new models of over 20 car brands including Mercedes-Benz and Audi. 

4.Convenient and Fast Loan Processing - BPI can make your new car purchase happen quickly.  Loan applications can be processed at the mall and approval will be fast especially if you bring your financial documents with you. 

Food Trip Possibilities in Cebu

It was really fun talking to our friends from BPI over some delicious offerings of Casa Verde like their famous ribs.  The good food and the amazing deal that the bank is offering made me think of going to an out of town road trip with a new car.  

The possibilities for food trips here in Cebu are endless, here are some suggestions:

1. Carcar - Enjoy their lechon, chicharon, ampaw and many other goodies from this city.
2. Dumanjug or Catmon - For the seriously mouthwatering roasted chicken
3. North to Bogo - Delicacies trip and eat budbud kabog and pintos then possibly cross Bantayan.
4. SRP - Next weekend Subgo Mercado will open its SRP brand at Il Corso,
5. Argao - For Torta and Sikwate with a side trip to Simala.
Thanks to BPI Family, PR Works, and Casa Verde, I will probably go to a road trip very soon.

P.S. If you want to win exciting prizes during the #BPIFamilyAutoMadnessCebu then you should join their social media contest.  Post a pic on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter of you and your dream car at the event and include#BPIFamilyAutoMadnessCebu on your caption.

Phenomenal! That is how I describe Sugbo Mercado.  This food market concept has been a game changer in the food industry here in Cebu.  I recently had a chitchat with Sugbo Mercado's Michael Karlo Lim and JP Chiongbian at Tin Gow Restaurant at the Waterfront Cebu and they bared the mouthwatering plans of Sugbo Mercado for the coming months.  I got pretty pumped after hearing about their intention to expand to other regions.

Sugbo Mercado started last year as an experiment to activate some open spaces in the Cebu IT Park.   After overcoming some birth pains, the concept has expanded to Cebu Business Park and both Sugbo Mercado locations have become certified food trip hotspots.  

The weekend food market has launched several businesses that became solid local food brands.  Some stall concepts even opened stand-alone branches elsewhere like  Papa Churros, Tahotally, Lord of the Ribs, Etc. Sugbo Mercado has become a platform for many food entrepreneurs to try out different concepts and let the Cebuano  market decide its fate.

So far so good.

Sugbo Mercado's Continuing Growth

While enjoying some delicious Chinese specialties of Tin Gow like their Peking Duck, JP Chiongbian  told us the short history of Sugbo Mercado.  He is also bared that they are opening up another site this coming weekend.  The 3rd branch of Sugbo Mercado will be located at the South Road Properties inside the Il Corso property of Filinvest.  The new branch is called Sugbo Mercado SRP and it will feature new food stalls and some of our old favorites.

After SRP, the group is also planning to open in Mandaue and Mactan in the next two months.  Michael Karlo Lim added that they will temporarily stop at 5 as they want to pursue expansion across the seas.  Sugbo Mercado will be coming to places like Ilo-Ilo, Davao and even in Metro Manila in 2017.

Lim added that for Christmas, the group is also organizing a bazaar. The bazaar is dubbed as "Holiday Haven Bazaar".  It will run from November 17 to December 23.  The bazaar is open to lifestyle and non-cooking food concessionaires.  It will be the perfect place to do your Christmas shopping for gifts that you will give to loved ones, manitos, and manitas.  They still have slots for those who like to sell some stuff in the bazaar. If you are interested you may email them at info@sugbomercado.com or call them at 0917-7727077.

Tin  Gow As a Meeting Place

The meeting was quick and easy.  Tin Gow made it more enjoyable.  I really feasted on the duck dishes there. I would really recommend this place for small meetings or even family gatherings.   The food is great, the ambiance is solid, and the staff is really attentive to our needs. 

Event at Sugbo Mercado IT Park

It will be one busy weekend for the Sugbo Mercado team as they will have three branches plus a bazaar that will be opening this weekend.  I will be at Sugbo Mercado IT Park on  Saturday for the launch of Chinese beer TsingTao.   If you are there, let us match this beer with some of our Sugbo Mercado favorites and let me know what you think.

I am a big fan of Sugbo Mercado and I hope that the brand will continue helping start-ups in Cebu and the rest of the country. Check Sugbo Mercado this weekend at IT Park, CBC, and SRP.  Do not forget to say hi if you see me there! ;)