Am sure you’ll agree with me when I say Barrio Fiesta is one of the best places to take them to. Even with the abundance of restaurants serving Filipino cuisine around, Barrio Fiesta is a favorite mainstay. I think there’s no pairing more classic than crispy pata and kare-kare – it’s exactly the two specialties they’ve built their business on.

Alas, a recent visit to a Barrio Fiesta branch in U.N. Avenue gave me the impression that the place is decaying, even though the name endures. I was certainly glad that the new generation of Ongpaucos (the family which owns BF) is giving the resto chain a facelift. This is by way of the new resto Ibayo by Barrio Fiesta which opened last May at the San Miguel By The Bay strip, in front of Mall of Asia.

I easily felt the modern vibe the minute I walked in the door. There’s a lot of difference that the choice of color scheme can do. The addition of hanging lamps and chairs in dark tone add to the mood. My only misgiving is that the area seems to be more elongated than spacious. This probably explains why the young owners Tristan and Tyrone Ongpauco decided to transform the place from resto to bistro, a bar or watering hole to relax in after office hours.

Their fishbowl sago at gulaman (P120) makes for a conversation piece. Traditionally made of tapioca pearls and jelly , it’s the biggest serving of the drink I’ve seen

We had several dishes that night, but my taste buds hovered to their adobong puti. A mix of chicken and pork pieces cooked adobo-style, sans the soy sauce (hence the name). It was savory and creamy, which made me wonder if they also used coconut milk, aside from the vinegar.

Guinataang kuhol (snails in coconut cream)! A few of my friends like this, so am uploading for their sake. Kuhol sa gata is listed in Ibayo’s appetizer menu @ P180 per serving and its yummy meter is kicked up further by the addition of green veggies like kangkong (watercress).

Another house appetizer is the Ibayo Firesticks which is mini egg roll filled with sliced jalapeno peppers and cheese. Wish this was more spicy though. Some of the dishes in the resto (like the Firesticks) cannot be found in the Barrio Fiesta traditional menu. These include some of the bar chow and alcoholic cocktail drinks which were specially concocted in keeping with the bar/bistro ambiance.

Finally, maja blanca for dessert! This is a traditional Filipino delicacy made of coconut milk and sweet corn kernels.I wish I ended my meal with this and brewed coffee, but the place being new, they don’t have the coffee maker yet. Still, the maja blanca was a winner. (P.S. they have puto bumbong too)

Ibayo by Barrio Fiesta
Building G, Unit 7-8
San Miguel by the Bay
SM Bay City (bayside, across MOA)

Call 0917-5376062 or 0906-5002782
for reservations

Aside from being able to speak the local dialect, I am actually excited to be in Cebu. As a food tripper, what am excited about is trying restos and eating places that aren’t usually found in Manila. My friends never fail to root for Cebu lechon (and more lechonnn), but there seems to be a lot more to be discovered in this bustling city.

Our host, Ms. Jojo Beltran of PAGCOR-Mactan, took us last night to Laguna Garden Cafe in the spanking new Ayala Terraces Cebu. I was actually wondering why a resto in the Visayas would associate itself with Laguna, a province in Southern Tagalog, but that’s the way it goes.

Laguna Garden Cafe looked every inch like a very popular family-style restaurant. It was simply packed with people on a Friday night. I also liked the tasteful interiors filled with the decor and furniture which Cebu is known for.

The resto started out as a canteen and is now a fine example of a family business which has expanded. Perhaps one secret of its success are its reasonable prices. The dishes range from P95 to P300.

I espied Cebu lechon in the menu for P675, but am glad we ordered instead the crispy pata in its golden glory (P320). Save the lechon for another day!

I liked their version of the Chicken Binakol, a Tagalog dish that’s cooked like tinola – the only difference is that you use buko juice. There’s even buko (fresh young coconut) inside the soup. It’s been a long time since I tasted this.

Laguna cafe does a good version of the Bicol Express, which they call Laguna Express (P205). These are green veggies simmered in coconut milk with chilies, tender slices of pork and shrimps.

More food! Appetizers like Lumpiang sariwa, lato salad, manggang hilaw with bagoong and baked mussels start at P95 each.

Laguna Garden Cafe
Level 1, Ayala Terraces
Ayala Center, Cebu City
Tel. No. (032) 236-4132