Grand opening: Golden Cowrie, Marina Mall

New menu includes the appetizing mango dilis with honey which was impossibly good with the crispy pata and barbecue. Traditional Bicolano cuisine was introduced into the existing menu of Golden Cowrie.

To die for was the fish soup cooked with coconut water and coconut meat. Traditional Bicol Express is also now available.

The Gustavian

There's one thing they got right in The Gustavian: Scandinavians know how to set a good table; although Scandinavian cooking prowess isn't exactly elevated to celebrity levels, largely due to their perception of their cuisine in humble terms. That is, pure and simple cooking. We have them to thank for cured salmon, whale steaks, the real "hamburger," and herring salad. Not that we'll dine from trenchers like the Vikings did, but one is certainly made aware of a distant European past.

That's exactly what we find at The Gustavian---or at any of their branches across Cebu City---great food and a fabulous space to dine in.

Chef Dietmar's to-die-for chocolate pudding

The cheerful, comfortable Euro-decor sets a cozy stage for its cuisine---sheer indulgence in the flavor department. Case in point, Chef Dietmar Dietrich's unforgettable chocolate pudding with chili-caramel sauce. One bite and words will fail you.

Photo by Benjie Ordoñez

Lunch at Uno

Uno's lunch buffet never fails to impress when it comes to variety. Small wonder the space was named after a number. Getting lost among the buffet sections might be a challenge second only to locating your table and the inevitable indecision about which food item to pile on your plate first.

Midnight madness: near-disaster chocolate cake

I didn't have all the ingredients to begin with but I was compelled to give it a try. It must be an off-timed compulsion from having seen too many of Rachelle Allen's baking show at Discovery Travel and Living.

So I baked even if I didn't have baking soda to go with the baking powder. What resulted was a dense-like cake that went flat in some portions. True to Hershey's word, the chocolate hits the spot. It's deep dark and totally satisfies the craving. I had a good half of once cake before I willed myself to stop.

While I ate, I pondered on whether to add frosting to it. As of last night I managed to stave off the saccharine-devils in my head, but my mind may yet change because of expected guests on Sunday.
I have a feeling they'll expect the icing. I think it's quite nice and healthy like this.

Big plus: the entire house smelled of heavenly chocolate while I baked!