Charcoal Boy Cebu, the newest dining place to satisfy your Oyster Cravings

Cebuanos generally love seafoods. And there's a new kid (or should I say, boy) in town who offers them --- mainly and specifically, OYSTERS.  The name? CHARCOAL BOY Grilled and Oysters.

Charcoal Boy was on soft opening when we went there last week. It's found in Mahogany Place, a new commercial hub in Mabolo just across San Carlos Seminary on the same side as Leona's Pastries. Mahogany Place has a parking lot which is a plus for Charcoal Boy.

Once inside, we ordered for the Baked Cheese and Garlic Oysters and some pork belly barbecue.

For one order, we were served around 9 oysters I think. Based on what I tasted, the oysters appear to be fresh. I liked the mix of cheese and garlic. The taste was just right. The oyster itself has a nice texture and feeling in the mouth when eaten. Next time, I would definitely try the other oysters in the menu  and they have at least 5 more if I remember correctly. Next up may be the Baked Hot Chili Oysters for me on the next visit.

The barbecuse serving was quite big. And I also liked the taste. It was not hard to chew at all unlike other barbecues. Goes well with vinegar, soy sauce and "sili".

And the rice serving was quite big.

There are other items in the menu being offered by Charcoal Boy, obviously, mostly grilled and some classic faves like Sinigang, Pancit Canton, Lechon Kawali and Crispy Pata to name a few.

From this list, it can be seen that there are more to come back for and try here in Charcoal Boy Cebu.

Prime Ready-for-occupancy units at the Mactan Newtown

Megaworld is rolling out its ‘ready-for-occupancy’ inventory in its first residential development at The Mactan Newtown.

‘Ready’ units of 8 Newtown Boulevard are now being offered to Cebu condo buyers who are looking for properties where they can immediately move-in. They come with personalized after-sales services and more. Aside from being pre-furnished with furniture and appliances such as living room sofa, dining table and chairs, bed and even washing machine and microwave ovens among others, RFO condo buyers will be able to avail of Megaworld’s complimentary interior design services as well as leasing and resale assistance.

“We can design your unit based on your taste and preference, and we can assist you to look for lessees to your units if you want to have it rented out, or later, we can look for buyers for your unit if you already decide to sell it. Megaworld has this ‘one-stop-shop’ to RFO buyers, which a first in the country’s real estate industry,” says Donna V. Racho, VP for Sales and Marketing, Megaworld Prime RFO.

Megaworld Prime RFO’s free interior design services also allow clients to select, negotiate, and purchase their preferred furniture, fixtures and appliances that suit their needs and budget, and the company will take care of the coordination, payment and delivery.

In Leasing and Resale Management Services, the after-sales team reinforces Megaworld's vision to provide unparalleled services to its clients from the time that they buy the unit up to the time that the unit is turned over and even up to the time that the owner wants to sell it or lease it to tenants.

“Our leasing and resale management team also caters even in negotiating and selecting bank financing options for the new buyer as well as maintaining and refurbishing the units if the owner is away,” Racho adds.

8 Newtown Boulevard is made up of four 18-storey residential towers. It boasts of a lavish interior - from the most spacious condominium lobby in Cebu - to quaint East Asian-inspired design elements that give a relaxing yet polished vibe.

The property also has top-of-the-line amenities that are perfect for Mactan Island's beach setting, including a 61-meter infinity pool overlooking Cebu’s Hilutungan Channel and Magellan Bay, a fitness center, massage rooms as well as Japanese-inspired zen gardens and courtyards.

Megaworld's first residential development at the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown emerged as the "Best Condo Development in Cebu" during this year’s Philippines Property Awards.

The four-tower residential cluster also received two "Highly Commended" awards in the Design Category, namely "Best Residential Interior Design" and "Best Landscape Architectural Design", making it the most awarded residential development in Cebu in the 2016 Philippines Property Awards.

Another Savoy Hotel to open in Mactan Newtown in 2018

Savoy Hotel, the newest hotel brand of Megaworld is coming to Cebu.

The company is soon constructing another Savoy Hotel, in its 20-hectare The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. Located near the beach, Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown will be 18 storeys high with 547 rooms and is set to open in 2018. 

Meanwhile, coming earlier is Savoy Hotel in Boracay Newcoast which is set to open by the end of this year.

The 530-room Savoy Hotel Boracay will be a first-class resort hotel to rise in the 150-hectare tourism township in the eastern part of the island. The P2.2-billion hotel will feature the country’s first concert pool arena, overlooking the refreshing views of Sibuyan Sea.

“Megaworld is spending P5-billion to build the three Savoy Hotels in Boracay, Cebu and Manila. Part of our goal is to make this hotel brand visible in our other townships across the country,” reveals Jericho Go, senior vice president, Megaworld.

As it launches Savoy Hotel, Megaworld has also allocated an additional P3.5-billion to expand its Belmont Hotel brand. At present, the first Belmont Hotel operates in Newport City, offering 480 rooms and featuring first class amenities such as podium gardens, 24-hour fitness center and workout area, a penthouse pool bar and Café Belmont.

By 2018, Belmont Hotel will also open in Boracay Newcoast with 407 rooms to join the one in The Mactan Newtown in Cebu with 550 rooms a year after.

“Our rapid expansion of our very own hotel brands is an indication of Megaworld’s diversification as a real estate company, and at the same time, our commitment to support the country’s tourism industry,” says Jericho Go, senior vice president, Megaworld.

Krispy Kreme Colors of Summer are Here

Summer is the time for colors. Imagine the clear blue sky. The yellow sun. Blue waters. Very timely also for colorful doughnuts cause it's after all, a colorful summer!

Tada!

Colorful, aren't they? Don't just marvel at the colors. Go ahead, eat it. They're great! They are not too sweet as they look so go ahead.

The Krispy Kreme Colors of Summer doughnuts come in three variants:

• Raspberry - a ring doughnut dipped in raspberry-flavored vanilla icing with Christmas-red, baker's rose and burgundy wine color swirls.
• Blueberry - dipped in blueberry vanilla icing with violet, sky-blue and Christmas-red colorful swirls.
• Lemon - dipped in lemon-flavored vanilla icing with leaf-green, lemon-yellow as well as sky-blue swirls.

These doughnuts are available at 45 pesos a piece until May 4 only.

Match them with the following Cake Chillers for either P140 for the medium-size and P150 for the large size Chiller.

• Black Forest
• Blueberry Cheesecake
• Tiramisu

Sounds familiar, right? Because the inspiration behind these chillers are the cakes you find in coffee shops.

Grab a bite and give some to me okay?

Carla's Halo-halo in Talisay

We just had an outing in Talisay and on our way home, a friend of ours let us in a secret. According to her, she had a favorite halo-halo hangout nearby from her teenage years. And then she invited us to drop by this halo-halo haven known as Carla's halo-halo.

The halo-halo I think is just PHP50 and boy it was worth it. It was interesting to find strips or scrapings of what appeared to be jelly or gulaman instead of pearls or beads. The ingredients were in sizes that make you appreciate the halo halo's taste more. Not too sweet and it has mango and buko bits. The ice is fine and no clumps are found. On top is the ice cream. I loved it.

They also accept short orders of various pancit like bihon and at night they have live band performances. As I write this piece, they are also showing the Pacquiao vs. Bradley fight at Php 100 with choices of various food and/or drinks for free.

It's nice to know that there's another Cebuano halo-halo worth promoting found outside Cebu City.

What is making me go bananas this summer

Summer time and I am a just going bananas right now - literally. Why? Because I've found an alternative to the usual shakes that seem to come out as the heat of summer begins. And it has bananas in them.

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet....... Orange Brutus banana chocolate! It's just the perfect shake for summer (not to mention you get the health benefits of the banana for free). Banana is a good source of dietary fiber which is good for the health of your heart. It is also a good source of potassium, an important electrolyte for vital cellular processes.It also contains vitamin B and C. And banana is believed to have antacid effects.

What's also nice about their shakes is the ice. They are finely crushed and you don't encounter clumps clogging the straw as you enjoy your shake. They come in cups though, and not the glass that you see here. 

Another banana shake variant of Orange Brutus is the Banana Marshmallow for those who love their chocolates with blended marshmallows. 

Banana Marshmallow

The third variant is the Banana Peanut Butter. Yes, you heard it right. Banana Peanut butter. Peanut butter is usually present in breakfast tables so this makes this flavor an interesting choice for a shake. My friend Ruben personally likes this variant while I like the Banana Chocolate.

Banana Peanut butter

These shakes will be available starting April 1 in Orange Brutus stores and these includes the newly-opened Super Metro Colon branch at the second floor and soon the new Gaisano Grand Fiesta Mall branch with its new location at the ground floor instead of the Food Court.

And since we are in the season of Lent, Orange Brutus offers choices like their Fish Fillet and Vegetable lumpia.

Orange Brutus Lenten offerings

Of course there's still the usual customer faves.

And the signature Orange Brutus sizzling Burger Steak...

So the next time you grab an Orange Brutus Spicy Chori Burger or a Brute Burger, you may want to pair it with these shakes and just go bananas!

And I forgot to mention, (according to the Orange Brutus staff) there is FREE DELIVERY! Their Delivery Hotline Number is 422.8000. For more info and for inquiries LIKE the Orange Brutus Facebook Page.

Bababa-babanana! Bababa-babanana! #obgoingbananas

Papa Kits Marina and Fishing Lagoon: A Review Part 1

I have heard about the many activities that can be done in Papa Kits and I have been curious of their restaurant, so me and my wife decided to go there ourselves and try it out.

The entrance to Papa Kits Fishing Lagoon is near a church and even when commuting, it is quite easy to locate. The entrance fee when you are not staying overnight is 100 pesos, half of which is said to be consumable for snacks.

near the entrance

Just by the entrance is the horseback-riding area and bicycle area. One can rent bikes for a certain period (forgot the rates) and do biking of course with your friends, barkada or sweetheart. Or you can rent a horse for P75 per 15 minutes per head and have the chance to ride it in a certain stretch of the property. Initially the guide will hold the horse by a rope as you all take a stroll then towards the other half of the route, you are given the opportunity to "drive" the horse yourself with the guide beside you.

In some distance from the entrance is the Fishing Lagoon and Restaurant. To get there, you can either walk or opt to ride on their free transport which can bring you to various parts of the property.

So let's talk about the restaurant.  It is located in the vicinity of the fishing area. The fishing area consists of cottages where families can do their fishing and perhaps eat their catch along with other items ordered.

Here is what we ordered throughout our overnight stay and they were all delicious especially the seafoods. You can also have a fresh fish from their aquarium cooked for an additional service fee.

One thing to improve on is the service especially during peak days like Sundays. We went there on a Sunday and the staff is overwhelmed with the big number of diners not to count those who were fishing on the cottages which they ahve to serve also. Plates, spoon and fork were lacking. Perhaps they would have to find a way to meet the demand during these peak times especially Sunday lunch time.

Next part will be on the other attractions at Papa Kits...