In the article  “The 50 best things to eat in the world, and where to eat them” by Killian Fox, the Lighthouse restaurant was described as a favorite and its staff “so friendly and welcoming.”

According to the article:

“The Lighthouse in Cebu in the Philippines is my favourite restaurant. We always eat bulalo (beef stew), banana heart salad, adobo (marinaded meat), baked oysters, pancit noodles, lechon de leche (suckling pig) and, to drink, green mango juice – my daughter is addicted to it! The staff are so friendly and welcoming. The chef has been there for more than 20 years, so the food is very consistent.”

Coming months after Anthony Bourdain’s endorsement of the Cebu lechon or slow-roasted pig as the best in the world, the article bolsters Cebu’s reputation as a top tourism destination in Asia.

Choose from any of the following establishments — Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Gloria Jeans, Seattle’s Best, and UCC Cafe Terrace at the first level and Bo’s Coffee, Pancake House, Postrio, and Starbucks at the 2nd level — that open at 7 a.m. daily.

Pancakes, waffles, Filipino breakfast choices, desserts, and coffee are served at the Pancake House at reasonable prices. A cup of cappucino is at less than a hundred pesos, and prices of pancakes and breakfast meals that include rice range from one to a few hundred pesos.

Pancakes at Pancake House come in big two-piece and three-piece servings and different flavors. The kind we chose had crushed bananas mixed in the pancake. It was delicious. The Spanish omelette also did not disappoint.

Aside from Pancake House and Postrio, the other establishments that open at 7 a.m. in The Terraces are coffee shops.

Gelatissimo’s two-scoop serving of gelato at 150 pesos is just about enough to satisfy my craving for this frozen Italian treat. The nearest comparison to gelato in popular dessert is ice cream, though the two couldn’t be more different.

Gelato is made from milk and sugar combined with flavorings and fruit, chocolate, spices, or nuts. It does not contain cream like ice cream, and could be more aptly described as ice milk.

Gelatissimo has two branches in Cebu: one in The Terraces, Ayala Center and another, a stall, in SM City. Both branches serve a scoop of gelato at 90 pesos, two scoops at 150 pesos, and three scoops at 180 pesos. The Gelatissimo in Ayala also serves sundaes, which combine gelato with whipped cream and other ingredients. An example is Gelatissimo’s “nuts about you” sundae, which has five scoops of gelato in the flavors of “pistachio, roasted almond, hazelnut, choc hazelnut, and chocolate layered with whipped cream, flaked almonds, chopped peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios; drizzled with chocolate and hazelnut syrup; and crowned with Ferrero Rocher chocolate, fan water, Poco stick, and Maraschino cherry.” It’s priced at 475 pesos.

Other sundaes are Bellisima Banana (3 scoops of gelato, 280 pesos) ; Chocolatissimo (3 scoops, 300 pesos); Skrunchy (3 scoops, 320 pesos); and Death by Choc (5 scoops, 475 pesos).

Another brand serving gelato is Eliseo. There’s a shop that serves this brand at Parkmall in Mandaue City and the Elicon House cafe in Cebu City also sells it by the cup for 40 pesos and pint for 150 pesos. At Parklane in Cebu City, the Eliseo gelato is among the choices for dessert in the lunch buffet.

I have a bias for the Gelatissimo brand, though, and I’ve tried almost almost all flavors–there’s biscottino, tiramisu, Belgian chocolate, chocolate truffle, green apple, strawberry, pistachio, mango, bloody orange, raspberry.

Other facts about gelato taken from wisegeek.com:

* It melts faster than ice cream because of it’s semi-frozen consistency, and it is placed in freezers different from those that store American-style ice cream.

* Ingredients are combined and cooled and the resulting gelato contains little air so it is denser and tastier.

* Gelato made from water and soy milk is called sorbetto, and it originates from Southern Italy and Sicily. Northern Italy makes the famous dairy form of gelato.

With Gelatissimo in Cebu, I don’t think I’ll ever eat ice cream again.

My friend and I had trouble finishing our order of pork chops, which came with TGI’s original Jack Daniel sauce and served with either mashed potatoes or rice pilaf, and fish and chips.

The fish and chips surprised us because the “market fresh fish” that was battered and fried to golden brown did not come with chips but with fries.

We called one of the waiters over and asked why it was called fish and chips and he pointed to the fries as the chips part of the order.

The pork chops were good, though, and the serving was more enough than for the two of us. I love the corn cobs that came with the chops but I did not relish eating them not using my hands.

It was my first time at TGI’s. I had long wanted to try it out but the astronaut at the entrance had repelled me, in an illogical sort of way. But I see now that TGI Friday’s promote American culture in its choice of the white and red stripes and display of American icons.

When we had lunch there Thursday, they were playing music videos of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. We asked the restaurant staff to turn it down a little, though, because we were simply not hearing each other in the din. We wanted our lunch to be relaxing, but it probably served us right for doing it at 3 p.m.

My first TGI Friday’s experience did not disappoint but it was not exceptional, either. I don’t think I’ll go back unless it’s not me who’s picking the tab.

“Below zero” refers to Formo’s ice cold beer; its potato crisps come in either spicy or original flavor.

Formo also serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

Located at Banilad Town Centre, Formo pioneered the resto-lounge scene in Cebu. It is open daily for cocktails, dinner, and after hours from 6 p.m. onwards. It can also host private functions.

Formo’s sliding walls open wide to connect the resto-lounge’s indoor space with its lobby, where tables are also set up. The space is bigger and allows for more breathing space.

You can either take your drinks at any of Formo’s two bars or at tables for four to 10 if you come in as a large crowd.

Call (032) 420 7070 (office hours) or email FORMO.Cebu@gmail.com for inquiries. Visit www.formocebu.multiply.com for additional information.

Be it lunch or dinner by candlelight or a stroll in the mall, take inspiration from the various offerings of Cebu establishments to make this day of hearts memorable for you and your loved ones.

The Parklane Cebu (Ayala Business Park, Cebu City)
From February 10 to 14, The Parklane Cebu offers a set menu at its poolside for only P888 per person or an overnight stay for two with breakfast and dinner for only P4,900 before taxes. Booking before February 14 gets you the room at P4,500. Call 411-70000 or 232-9079 for reservations

Olio Bar and Restaurant (Crossroads, Banilad)
The restaurant offers a 7-course meal for P2,000+ per person. Dinner is a set menu that includes lobsters and scallops, a choice of beef tenderloin, lamb or seafood for the main course, and strawberry sorbet and tiramisu ice cream plus a glass of wine. Call 232-3589 for inquiries and reservations

GV Tower Hotel
From February 10-15, avail of an overnight stay for two in a deluxe room at the GV Tower Hotel for only P2,500 net of taxes. The package comes with welcome drinks, breakfast in bed, set lunch, and dinner.

The hotel is located at the corner of Osmeña Blvd. and Sanciangko St. Call 416-0000 or 253-6518 for inquiries and reservations.

Ayall Mall
Get free Valentine cakes and chocolates from February 9-14 for a minimum purchase amount at the Ayala mall. On February 14, listen to a string serenade at the Ayala food and entertainment center at noon and 6 p.m. and in Food Choices at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Sunburst
Sunburst is celebrating Valentine’s Day early and urges customers to do the same. Eat at Sunburst from February 12 to 13 and get a heart-shaped balloon for every P200 purchase.

Table 7
Set menus for P350 net per person and a surprise gift for the first five couples in red when you dine at Table 7 on February 14. Music is provided by the restaurant’s pianist who accepts request for love songs. Ladies get a Valentine’s blossom. Table 7 is located along the Lagoon Area of the Ayala Center in Cebu City. Call 232-8873 or 232-8811 for inquiries and reservations.

Rajah Park Hotel
The Fuente O’ Restaurante in the Rajah Park Hotel offers fine dining for lovers at P450 net per person. Ladies get free heart-shaped miniature cakes and men get a glass of wine. Dinner includes shrimp cocktail in chili sauce, French onion soup, chef’s salad, black forest cake, mashed potato or pandan rice, iced tea or softdrinks, and a choice of beef, fish fillet, chicken cordon blue, or pork steak. The hotel offers 20 percent discount on all rooms on February 14. Call 412-3337 or 254-7277 for inquiries and reservations.

Sugbahan
A Valentine’s dinner buffet costs P180 per person at Sugbahan. The restaurant offers a wide array of Filipino dishes to choose from. It is located along A.S Fortune Street in Mandaue City. Call 346-8455 for inquiries and reservations.

Kaishu Seafood Japanese Restaurant
Diners at Kaishu Seafood Japanese Restaurant get a five percent discount on all food and drinks and a glass of wine and other freebies. For inquiries and reservations, call 495-2888.

Cafe Orchidia
Café Orchidia in Nivel Hills, Lahug, Cebu City is offering dinner with entertainment on February 14 at P495 net per person. Call 233-4054, 233-4679, or 233-5426 for inquiries and reservations.

Marriott
Treat your special someone to a Valentine’s dinner buffet and the works at the Marriott in Cebu City for P999 net per person. Ladies get red roses and chocolates while dinner comes with refillable soft drinks, ice tea, or draft beer and a serenade of romantic music. Three couples will have the chance to win an overnight stay with breakfast at the hotel during the hourly raffle draw. Call 415-6100 for reservations.

Cebu White Sands in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City
For P650 net per person, get a special dinner with a glass of wine, long stemmed rose for the lady, and a heart-shaped chocolate. Get serenaded with beautiful music to make the evening more memorable. Call 495-2222 for reservations or email cebu@whitesands.com.ph.

Montebello Villa Hotels
Montebello invites lovers to an evening of love songs, romantic candlelight, dinner buffet, and ballroom dancing on February 14. Tickets are priced at P500 per person. The dinner starts at 7 p.m. while ballroom dancing begins at 8 p.m. The hotel is also offering a room package that includes an overnight stay for two in a deluxe room, breakfast for two, two tickets to the evening affair, and a bottle of sparkling wine for P4,000 net. Call 231-3681 to 89 for inquiries or reservations.

Cafe Havana
On February 13 and 14, dine at Cafe Havana at the Lagoon Park in Ayala Center, Cebu City and get to choose from chicken cordon bleu, tournedos, and salmon supreme for the main course for P550 net per person. The meal comes with soup, two sidings, dessert, and a glass of red wine. Call 231-7787 for inquiries or reservations.

Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino
From February 13 to 17, Waterfront in Lapu-Lapu City is offering room packages of P4,200 nett per room per night for single or double occupancy. The package includes overnight superior room accommodation, buffet breakfast at Uno, buffet dinner at Uno, and late checkout at 2 p.m. Rate is valid for local residents and expatriates living in the Philippines. The hotel is also offering candlelight dinner on February 14 at Uno where a luscious spread of specialties could be had along with a glass of wine. Dinner buffet is P700 per person and set menu at P1,200 per person. For inquiries and reservations, call 340-4888.

Café Adriatico
Celebrate Valentine’s in Cafe Adriatico at the Crossroads in Banilad and partake of a sumptuous meal that comes with soup, sidings, dessert, and a glass of wine for P495+ per person on February 13 and 14.

Portofino Resort
Portofino in Lapu-Lapu City is offering a Valentine’s celebration by the bay at P1,200 net good for two persons. Dinner comes with white wine and a long-stemmed rose for the ladies and red wine for the gentleman. Call Joy Marinduque at 495-7768 to 69 for inquiries and reservations.

Sutukil restaurants let you choose whatever you want cooked from stalls of fresh fish, prawns, crabs, seaweeds, shells, clams and even lobsters (click on photos to view larger images). These seafood are as fresh as seafood can be and the crabs and lobsters on display are still alive as you pick which ones you want cooked. Sutukil eateries get their daily supply of fresh seafood from fishers in nearby islets.

Many people love to eat in the place and it’s packed on weekends, especially during mealtimes. When we got there last Thursday, however, we were the only customers in the eatery we chose as it was mid-afternoon on a weekday.

We chose a local fish, molmol, because its white meat is great for kinilaw. The woman who sold us the fish did not bother asking us how we want it prepared. When I asked her how it would be cooked, she simply said sutukil. Everyone who eats fish in the place get this triadic culinary treat: sugba, tula and kilaw.

We also bought half a kilo of prawns and got four of the biggest prawns I’ve seen in my life. Each prawn weighs 1/8 of a kilo and I found, in hindsight, that one piece would have been enough for me since we already ordered fish.

The eateries are open-air and you dine in full view of the Mactan seawaters and rows upon rows of mangroves. What is it with waves, my wife asked me, that you get hypnotized as you stare into the deep? The view is surprisingly calming, for an urban corporate rat like me.

But off to eating.

The dishes were served in less than 15 minutes with fish soup brought first. The molmol’s head, tail and other un-kilawable and unsugba-able parts went into the soup, which is garnished by spices and seaweeds. This is the tula and being in Cebu, you do not pronounce it as it is spelled, you say tuwa or tua. True-blue Cebuanos do not pronounce the letter l in most words. Tula is the Cebuano word for the process of preparing a certain type of soup or sabaw, Bisaya for stock. The dish is called tinuwa, the prefix ti denoting that it is a product of tuwa.

The tinuwa tastes great if you haven’t tasted the dish yet. But for tinowa connoisseurs, which I fancy myself to be, it’s just passable. It wasn’t hot enough for my taste, a few more sword peppers would have done the trick.

After tasting the soup, I was eager to try the product of the kilaw preparation: the kinilaw. I love kinilaw and by the way, you pronounce it as it is spelled. Don’t go asking for a kiniwaw in there, you’d be embarrassing yourself.

When the kinilaw or raw fish salad was served, I was disappointed. The slices of ginger, onions and other spices mixed with the fresh white fish meat were too big. I want the spices with my kinilaw to be minced so that the flavors don’t interfere with the experience of eating diced raw fish meat cooked only by soaking it in vinegar. Note to self: next time I eat there, tell the cook to mince the spices.

My biggest disappointment with the kinilaw is that it did not contain coconut milk. I used to enjoy kinilaw without coconut milk but after I tried preparing the dish with it, I got hooked. The trick in preparing a great kinilaw is to soak the fish in one part vinegar and one part coconut milk for 10 to 15 minutes and then drain it. Dab a tablespoon of mayonnaise into the fish meat, mix it with minced spices and then soak it in one part vinegar and two parts coconut milk.

Now that, is a kinilaw. What was set before me in the sutukil restaurant was a poor imitation of the dish. But I guess those who are new to the dish would still love how they prepare it there. I actually heard a few people say it was good the previous time I ate there.

The sugba part of the sutukil trilogy came in last: grilling fish takes time. The sinugbang isda (grilled fish) was surprisingly tasty. It was probably the best dish to come out of the huge, more-than-a-kilo molmol we bought for cooking.

But the best dish served to me last Thursday was the plate of prawns cooked in garlic sauce. Its taste stays with me as I write this close to Friday dawn and yes I’ve brushed at least twice since that late-lunch-early-supper. It is the kind of dish that makes your mouth water even hours after you’ve eaten it. The half a kilo of fresh prawns were supposed to sate me but it didn’t and I still find myself planning my next meal in the place because of it.

If you love dining fresh seafood by the sea, you have to try sutukil. Just tell the cook preparing the kinilaw to mince the spices and not just chop it.

Prices

The molomol is sold at 160 pesos per kilo which is really quite cheap. The prawns are 700 pesos per kilo, crabs are at 400 plus pesos per kilo while lobsters are at 1,200 per kilo. These prices are really cheap and are comparable to what you pay when you buy these seafood in public markets in Lapu-Lapu City.

How to get there

The sutukil restaurants are located near the Mactan Shrine. It is a 250-peso taxi ride from central Cebu City. Just tell the cab driver you want to go to Mactan Shrine in Punta Engaño. It’s on the way to Shangri-la Mactan. If you want to take public transport, you can either ride on a jeepney that goes to Punta Engaño (No. 23 jeepneys with Punta Engaño signboards in the windshield) or you can choose one of the hundreds of tricycle in Lapu-Lapu City.

The sutukil eateries are to the left of the stage near the Mactan shrine, on the side of the area’s police precinct (now there’s an added security for you.) After you pass a couple of souvenir shops selling trinkets, shell craft and other native products, you then see several stalls with pails and buckets of fresh seafood-just choose one of the several eateries in the place.

More photos: click on images to view larger photographs