FOOD - Turning Japanese in Cebu

Given the huge number of Japan tourists in Cebu, it follows that there is an abundance of Japanese restaurants to cater to their longing of Japanese cuisine.  The more famous ones are Nonki/ Kagura (along AS Fortuna) and Yakiniku Tajimaya/ Banri (along Crossroads Banilad).  There are of course the so-called "underground or really authentic"...and one of the is Ofuku-San.

I have actually ignored this restaurant for almost 3 years due to its location and rusty look.  The fact that it's been there for more than a decade with minimal (if not no) renovations is a testament to that!  But in our search for better Japanese restos, we gave this a try and man, where we in for a big surprise...

Interior very much reflects its exterior.  It is old and rusty which in a way that it reflects its authenticity.  This is actually a good selling point but doesn't really spell premium which is how its products are priced.  But these are all aesthetics...now for the food...

As mentioned, price is on the high side but the serving size and taste justifies the cost.  I had the Inaka Barasushi and Hot Inaniwa Udon set which is priced at P370.  As you can see, serving is generous and the taste...really authentic and good.

My wife in the meantime had the Ebi Furai Bentoh.  A combination of Breaded Tiger Prawns, Chicken Teriyaki, Age Deshi Tofu and Rice.  All priced at P360.

If there was a letdown, it's their Japanese rice.  I wouldn't even go to the level of considering it as one.

All in all, this is one Japanese resto we would eat over and over again and which I would highly recommend.  But stick to their noodles as this is their specialty.  Not sure of their sashimis though...but I would guess they are good also.

Ofuku-San is located along the chain of restaurants of Gaisano Country Mall at the GF.

FOOD - Portland

One thing I love about Portland, other than shopping tax free, is the chance to enjoy good local food.  I have been to the famous and expensive restaurants such as the likes of Jack's Crawfish, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Picnic House and 23 Hoyt among others but for some reason, it doesn't satisfy my craving for local food.  So I made it a point to go where majority of the locals go...

BURGERS...FIVE GUYS

Whenever I think of US food, first thing that comes to my mind is "Burgers".  So when I asked a friend of mine where the best burger in Portland is, without hesitation his response was Five Guys.  I was like huh?

I was told that the establishment name was derived on the history of its owners.  Just five guys who thought about opening a joint that offers the best burgers in town.  Hmmmm...now only if putting up a business is this simple.

Don't let its name fool you though.  This establishment has won numerous awards as the best burger in town and for good reason.  If their perfectly grilled burgers is not enough, you have the option to choose as many toppings as you wish.  And free peanuts!!!

One thing I found weird (no surprise here...it's Portland!) was the choice of a single or double patty...at the same price.  But heck, I sure am hungry so a double patty for me please!  And oh, they claim to offer less calories than other burgers...


FOOD CART...NONG'S KHAO MAN GAI

Another staple part of Portland's food industry is its food carts.  You have a plethora of choices ranging from Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, etc.  But one food cart stands above them all...Nong's Khao Man Gai.


Food cart is headed by Nong Poonsukwattana who not only is the boss, but order taker as well.  Her cart has won Portland's best food cart and continue to be one of the more if not most lined up carts in the city.


Best and most popular dish is obviously the name of her store.  Khao Man Gai chicken.  I was surprised that for something so simple, it just packs a lot of flavor.

You know it's good Thai food when Thai people love it...and my Thai friends just can't get enough of this dish.

There are actually a lot more like Voodoo donuts but unfortunately, I had the tonsils back then so no sweets for me.  Oh well, probably next year again if I get the chance :)

FOOD - Best Burger in Cebu

Looking for the best burger in Cebu?  We finally found it in BIG TOM'S!!!

Just how good is it?  It's tagline alone speaks for itself...Freshly Ground, Never Frozen, Handmade Daily!  Still not sold?  Juvvy just finished a 4oz burger, on a diet and she still grabbed my last bite!

After tasting their burger, we vowed never to go back eating at Army Navy, Burger Joint, Jollibee...uhm...wait, this is too much to ask...let's just leave it to those serving charbroiled burgers!

Big Tom's is located along Juan Osmena St., Cebu City.  Note that it's not really a formal restaurant/ joint.  You need to call if you plan to dine in as it's really a residential place which garden was transformed to an outdoor dining area.  Having your burgers delivered or picked up may prove to be the best way to enjoy their burgers.

They are planning to build a restaurant by December.  I can't wait as surely, we will be a regular visitor once it's up and running.  And I expect others to do the same so don't wait...grabe one now and enjoy this hidden treasure of Cebu.

For deliveries/ inquiries, just call 032 5147007.

FOOD - Gusteau's GenSan

When talking about GenSan, only one word comes to mind...and no it's not Pacquiao, Tuna, etc.  It's Gusteau's!  Gus-what you might say?  

Gusteau's is one of the best and probably most famous seafood restaurant in GenSan. .  Restaurant is not much to look at but once you see all those eating inside, you know you're in the right place.  Staff are very courteous as well.

Their must haves are as follows...

GARLIC TUNA BELLY...it's crazy how perfect they cook this dish.  It's crispy on the outside yet the inside is so fresh and chewy.  Serving is actually good for 2-4 persons but it's so damn good, I can finish the whole thing!

SPICY PRAWN...I would actually like to change it to sweet and spicy prawn but you know what, it doesn't matte as it's so good as well!  Deciphering its ingredients, they used olive oil, tons of garlic, pepper (too much though based on my last meal), and sugar.  I'm sure there's a lot more but these are the ones that pop out.  You have the option to order specific sizes and quantities as well.

OCEAN KING CRAB...oh man...let me just put it this way.  I hate eating with my hands...EXCEPT when I'm eating this!  Only the tons of garlic standout but there should be a lot more herb and spices as it is so tasty!  

When in GenSan, make sure to stop by the place.  It's located at the 2F of Sun City Complex which is along the National Highway.  Note that cooking usually takes time and the place gets filled-up easy so it's best to pre-order.  Their number is 083 3048682.  

FAMILY - Liam's Report Card

It was something I really didn't expect doing until Liam is 5 yrs. old or something.  That is meeting with a teacher to discuss my son's report card.  Yup you heard it right.  A report card for a less than 2 yr. old toddler!

Liam, despite being the youngest in his class, turned out to be one of the fastest developers.  He knows quite a number of shapes and colors already and his attention to his teachers is top notch...even if he's just going around the room doing his own thing.  And he loves to sing and dance.

Only issue: He has the social skills of his father ;)

FOOD - Mr. India Restaurant

When you talk about the best eats in Cebu, the usual restos pop-up: Casa Verde, CNT, AA's, etc.  But now being a long term resident, these establishments have lost their glamour among our taste buds.  Thus the urge to look for other varieties...heck, we now appreciate Shakey's more than ever...

Then we came upon Mr. India.

This establishment is situated along the chain of restos of Gaisano Country Mall.  It's a small and simple place butyou can feel its authenticity.  Disclaimer: I haven't been to India so this is very much a personal view.

One thing that really caught my attention, which honestly is not much of a surprise, is the abundance of foreigners and their "local" partners.  If you are sensitive about this then this might not be the place for you.


But it's all about the food and in this regard, they did not disappoint.  Their servers stress that what they serve is authentic.  Since I haven't been to India, my educated guess is they are 70-80% accurate.  Bottom line though is it's surprisingly tasty...and CHEAP!

I ordered their Chicken Biryani meal which set me back just P109. For this price, you get a big plate of Basmati rice and underneath it is a quarter sized chicken.  Size of the chicken is not big nor small but it's tasty enough that you will have the urge to eat more than your usual serving of rice.

It also came along with a freshly served Papadum (ala fish cracker).

As for Juvvy, she ordered their Non Veggie Thali meal.  It's a combination of 1 Dal (Lentil soup), Non veggie dish (which varies daily), 1 Rice (which Juvvy changed to another Papadum), 1 Naan Paratha (tortilla), 1 Papadum and 1 Desert (milky syrup with mini tapiocas).  All these served on a "prison" like plate.  It won't win any award in terms of presentation nor will make you appreciate it more but once you start eating it, it's also surprisingly good.  And oh, all of these just cost P99!

It's only now that I'm blogging about this place but we've actually eaten here multiple times already.  I'm sure there are better and more authentic Indian restuarants within Cebu but if you just want a no frills value for money place, look no further.

GEAR REVIEW - Mt. Amuyao Gear List

It's been a while since I last packed for a multi-day hiking trip so I was like a newbie scrounging what to bring or not.  I actually did the usual packing disciplines like bringing shirts equal to the number of days I will be travelling + 1, footwear for camp and extra hiking sandals, etc.  These were all housed in my MHW Expedition Duffle since I don't have my hiking pack yet at that time.

It was a good thing I had to repack.  In doing so, I was able to reassess why I spend on quality outdoor stuff.  These were meant to be abused and reused!  What's the point of getting a lightweight pack, leightweight gear, etc. if I won't be utilizing their benefits?

So I streamlined my stuff to less than half of what I'm supposed to bring and survived just fine.  With that, I would like to share the gears I used...

APPAREL/ FOOTWEAR

Photo from mountainhardware.com

Mountain Hardwear Wicked Lite Tee

- I had this crazy idea to put this shirt to the absolute test...wear it for the whole duration of our trip...although I wore a long sleeved baselayer during the 4th day.

- This tee shirt performed way better than I expected. It was really light, comfortable next to the skin and I see myself dry after my pace slows down or already in the camp site.  There was no odor even when I used it again on our 5th day!

- My only nitpick is with the fit.  It was too loose for my lean frame.  I actually brought and should've worn my MHW Double Wicked Lite Tee but I was too stubborn to replace it.

Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants (2009)

- As with my MHW tee, I planned to use this for the duration of our trip...I had to give it a rest during the last day though.

Photo from columbia.com

- It took some time for my pants to dry out but this is due mainly to being drench in water due to the terrain and weather.  Left overnight though, it's dry and ready to use.  I'm sure if I'm wearing cottons or those heavy duty nylon's, it won't be as comfortable.

- Sizing is loose due to a US fit.  It is actually quite ok when worn casually but during my hike, once wet and my pack pushing it downwards, I can feel it close to falling off.  It was a major nuisance specially when I had to crouch really low to pass through the fallen logs along the trail

- Durability wise, no complaints.  Scratches/ frays were minimal despite the abuse...and I do mean abuse!  After our trip, my pants can almost stand by itself with all the mud and dirt that covered it.

- The 2012 version of this model actually addressed the fitting issue (if you have a lean figure like me).  Durability wise, it is more susceptible to scratch/ fray due to a thinner albeit more comfortable fabric.  It still has the rip stop construction though.

Photo from mountainhardwear.com

Mountain Hardwear Epic Jacket

- It didn't really rain that hard for me to comment on DryQ Core's waterproofing but what I can say is it has one of the best "next to skin" feel of a membrane in the market.  Compared to its past WPB membrane that is Conduit which feels sticky and clammy, this one is a vast improvement.

- If you want the best though and have the cash to burn, wait for their EVAP (exclusive to Mountain Hardwear and Columbia Sportwear) line.  I am fortunate to have one and tested it and man...you'll have a whole new appreciation on WPB technology.

Montrail Mountain Masochist II

- First off, this is a trail running shoe.  While it can double as a hiking shoe, it's not really meant for long walks with heavy loads

Photo from amazon.com

- First day of our hike served as it's break-in period...2nd and 3rd day was when I put it to hell...loose and slippery rocks, eroding soil, ankle deep mud and water, falling in ravines...I was hell bent in breaking it but it came out unscathed

- My feet never felt sore during and after our trip...and only have one dead toe nail to show...which I really wouldn't blame on the shoe.

- This model has been a staple part of Montrail's trail running line-up and an award winner the past 3 years...I didn't really utilize any of its trail running features and will not probably use it again on multi-day hikes like this but for overnighters? No doubt yes.  

EQUIPMENT

Mountain Hardwear Fluid 48

- This pack is far from perfect but good enough for me to consider using it in the long run

- Weight is not ultralight but lighter than the typical 50L packs out there

Photo from mountainhardwear.com

- Using it is a breeze...there's a lot going on specially the straps but each has its purpose and proves to be very effective.  It may irritate some though specially if they don't know what it's for.

- As for its suspension, it was a pleasant surprise.  Very comfortable despite my lean frame (not as comfortable as my Granite Gear Vapor Trail though). I didn't have sore shoulders after the trip which is a testament to how effective its loading system works (although I'm only carrying around 20-25 lbs).

- Durability wise, multiple times I scraped it on logs/ branches without a pack cover and just have dirt stains to show for it.  It went through some light rain as well but interior remained dry (as with all DWRs though, expect it to wear off after repeated use)

- What I love is how the bottom compartment can be opened really wide by releasing the side buckles which doubles as a compression strap...really really cool idea and execution.

- My nitpicks are how hard it is to access my water bottle at the side pocket and I can hear some random "squeaking" sound around the shoulder straps when I walk.

Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 2

- This is one of the staple models in MHW's backpacking tents line and is known to be one of the best and bombproof tents in the market.

Photo from altrec.com

- We experienced some winds at the peak of Mt. Amuyao and this tent didn't budge despite not being staked securely due to the cemented flooring.

- Interior was spacious for 2 and each vestibule provided ample space to store our pack, boots and other stuff that we can't put in the tent.

- Canopy provided a lot of features and one thing I really loved was the removable roof panel.  

- Surprisingly, it wasn't warm at all inside the tent despite closing all the mesh panels of the canopy...there is a pro and con to this but given our weather, I would consider it a pro.

- This is no lightweight tent but will not consider it heavy either given the floor space of both the canopy and the vestibules.

- My only nitpick is the lack of loops inside the tent to create a mini-clothes line to hang our clothes...though this is because of the extra ceiling design.

Photo from outdoorreview.com

Therm-a-Rest GuideLite

- This has been with me for almost 10 years and shows no sign of slowing down.  Hands down one of the best luxuries (if not necessity) sleeping in the outdoors.

- I actually prefer to use my Therm-a-Rest Z-Rest due to its ease of use and easy maintenance but had to donate it to my grand mother.
- This model has been discontinued and is now replaced by the Prolite and Prolite Plus models which are both lighter and more compact than mine.

ACCESSORIES

Photo from cascadedesigns.com

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow

- If you spent on an inflatable mattress, might as well spend on a pillow!

- As with an inflatable sleeping pad, this is one of the luxuries sleeping outdoors...one side is plush fleece while the opposite side is nylon for durability/ water resistance.

- It's compact, but not ultra compact, and expands 3-4x it's collapsed size...be ready for queries on how you managed to fit a pillow of this size in your pack!

- It's really soft so it takes some getting used to if you use an orthopedic pillow.

Photo from princetontec.com

Princeton Tec Quad

- 5 years ago, this was one of the lightest and best performing headlamps out there.  

- What I really like about it compared to its Petzl and Black Diamond counterparts is the battery indicator.

- I cannot really give praise to its durability as it suffered a crack below the on/ off switch when I stored it inside my luggage.  I still have to give it props though as that crack happened the night I bought it...and after 5 years, is still up and running.

Photo from amazon.com

Coleman Exponent Pack Away Lantern

- This was a pleasant surprise as I completely forgot that I have one!...good thing I decided to look into my old room.

- What can I say...bright, compact, durable and runs on 4 AA batteries...and I think I bought it for less than USD 30.

- My only nitpick, though this is purely my fault, is the rubber tends to get sticky/ flake off if not stored properly (say 3 years!)...but then again, it still works properly so hands off to Coleman for this.

- Option to hang it is a bonus...specially if you're going to use this for cooking as you need to hang it around waist level.

About the Blogger:
I am related to some of the brands I have listed above.  In no means though was I paid nor obligated to write any of these.  This is a personal hands on review and sharing my experience/ knowledge is all there is to this blog.