Where to eat in Cebu? -2

Tiya Nena’s

G/F Ayala Center Cebu

Cebu Business Park, Cebu City

Tiya Nena’s is a quaint place that would take you back in time. Walking

through the doors would almost make you feel like you were being transported

back to the Spanish era. Makes you wish you walked in wearing your baro’t

saya. Even the bathroom has a very old-fashioned feel.

I was sipping my green mango shake while waiting for the food--it was good

and tart. To start another memorable meal, we ordered crispy kangkong

(P85). Soon, the entrées began to arrive and we had yet another feast before

us. The kangkong was light and crisp. The sinigang na bangus was good.

The crispy pata (P240) was crunchy--and the meat was really fresh. We had

to go for seconds. We also tried the tuna belly (P235) and panga (P235) but

for me, the sizzling bangus (P165) was a big hit. The sauce was rich and

garlic-y. The chicharon bulaklak (P125) was crisp without the usual oil

overload. I tried three new things at Tiya Nena’s. The humba, which is similar

to adobo, and the bihod (P95)--fish eggs--that were a bit salty. For the first

time, I tried oysters--something I never got the courage to do in Manila. It was

a contradiction--tender but bursting with flavor. A whole platter of baked

oysters lying on a bed of salt cost only P105.

If you think the food here is inexpensive, it gets even better. GenTxt members

get even more discounts.

My top pick at Tiya Nena’s, though, was their Paella Marinera. It reminded me

so much of my grandma’s paella, which I haven’t tasted in a looong time. I

was in grade school when she last cooked that, I think.

To cap the meal, we ordered Pinipig Delight, an invention of the restaurant’s

owners. This is their version of guinomis, I think. A tall glass of coconut milk

with pinipig and matamis na bao. It was rich—so rich that I wasn’t able to

finish my share.

The Dessert Factory

Mahogany Court

Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City

Here’s something major for those born with a sweet tooth.

I swear, the only reason we went to The Dessert Factory was my companions’

desire to get a caffeine fix. Okay, and maybe a little ice cream. But when we

saw the goodies on display and the list of cakes on the menu, all thoughts of

coffee were forgotten. We ended up having a dessert bonanza.

We ordered slices of cakes and pies--and yes, ice cream, too. It was a

wicked, wicked night.

I ordered a Factory Fudge for myself, which, according to the menu is (brace

yourself): "Chocolate and vanilla ice cream strewn with marshmallows, toasted

nuts, homemade chocolate syrup, whipped cream, a maraschino cherry and our

very own homemade hot fudge sauce." Mmmmm. That’s all I can say.

And when the ice cream arrived, I was not disappointed. It was bigger than I

thought, and generously topped with all the goodies listed. Every bite had at

least three marshmallows in it. All for a measly P105. Amazing. To merely say

that it was good would not do it justice.

Cynthia and Jonji ordered a Steamboat each. "Chocolate, vanilla and mocha

ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, lots of whipped cream, choco

sandwich cookies and choco sticks." Wow. It was huge.

We shared the pies and cakes. The blueberry cheesecake (P60/slice) was

fantastic. The apple strudel (P42) was perfect. According to the owner, they

use seven apples in each pie. Now how’s that for chunky?

Their almond sans rival was a big delight. The tiramisu (P49) would make

Italians sigh. "Sinful" is how they described it. For the adventurous, they have

the ube cheesecake. It was flavorful, but not too rich. Almost like the Good

Shepherd Ube Jam in Baguio.

Owner Kenneth Lim’s favorite, the cherry cheesecake, must be on everyone’s

list, too, since they ran out that night.

I wouldn’t say we were disappointed with what we had, though. I think by that

time, we were all mumbling incoherently. Yes, it was that good.

This time, there were six of us again, the bill reached a whopping P950. As I

was exclaiming over how inexpensive food in Cebu is, Jonji explained, "We

Cebuanos are kuripot. Kung mahal ang pagkain sa restaurant, hindi na

kami babalik."

The Dessert Factory has more gustatory delights in store--all kinds of

cheesecake, crème brulée, mango cake, chocolate cake, flourless chocolate

cake, banana split cake, carrot cake, chocolate mousse and strawberry truffle.

Their banana split is an inexpensive P80 treat. There also are smoothies and

different kinds of coffee on the menu.

This restaurant isn’t just for the sugar junkies. They also serve lunch and dinner.

Here are a few dishes you might want to try: the grilled squid, eggplant

parmigiana, roasted vegetables pasta, shepherd’s pie and the cheesestick

sandwich.

The cozy interiors of the place and the good service adds to this restaurant’s

appeal.

The Dessert Factory is open 11 a.m.-12 mn every day.

There you have it. Next time you’re in Cebu, make sure your intestines are

ready. And make sure you bring Alka Seltzer, just in case.