​Cebu is a hodgepodge of cultures where you can see Cebuanos rubbing elbows with just about any nationality in the world. Due to this, it is not surprising to see restaurants offering cuisines from all over the world. There are Chinese dishes, Japanese dishes, American dishes, and Italian dishes offered in places in and around the city. There are even restaurants offering Persian cuisine in the Queen City of the South. One restaurant that has been offering Persian dishes in Cebu for nearly three decades is Persian Palate.

Persian Palate

Persian Palate started off as a small restaurant located across the Cebu Provincial Capitol. Established in 1989 by Armand Vatandoos, the place offers all-natural food that does not have saturated fat, monosodium glutamate or MSG, and preservatives. The restaurant offers healthy and all-natural food since Vatandoos is a vegetarian. He is typically found in the kitchen coming up with something new to offer. 

​Similar to other Persian dishes, the dishes offered at Persian Palate are infused with contrasting flavors that incorporate fresh green herbs into the dish. Some typical Persian flavorings include cinnamon, parsley, saffron, and dried limes. The cuisine also borrowed some spices from India, including the chili pepper, curry, and turmeric.

Food and Prices

Persian Palate has a good selection of appetizers for its guests, including the Hummus, Samosas, Raita, and Papadum. The restaurant also offers a number of soups and salads, such as their Tomato Soup, Lentil Soup, Tofu Salad, and Fatoush Salad. Wraps are also offered at the restaurant, including their Beef Kebab Wrap, Veggie Meat Wrap, and Chicken Kebab Wrap. 

While Armand Vatandoos is a vegetarian, the Persian Palate does offer some meat dishes, including the Beef Biryani, Chicken Curry, Lamb Curry, and Lamb Biryani. The restaurant also offers a number of grilled dishes, such as the Beef Kebab Platter, Chicken Satay Platter, and Chicken Satay with Spicy Rice. Prices of the dishes at the Persian Palate are between PHP35 for the Roasted Papadum and PHP450 for the Royal Paella. 

Persian Palate Branches

Persian Palate currently has five branches in Metro Cebu. The two main branches are located at the Ayala Center Cebu and Mango Square Mall. They also have stores under different names located in Juana Osmeña Street, Skyrise 2 of the Cebu IT Park, and Parkmall in Mandaue City.

​Persian Palate can be considered as one of the institutions in the food landscape of Cebu. Surviving the discriminating tastes of Cebuanos is not an easy feat, and it appears the restaurant will continue to offer great-tasting Persian dishes in the next decade or so.

​With summer fast approaching, people are starting to look for places where they can rest and relax away from the city. But not all can afford to leave the city due to some professional commitments. Due to this, they look for a place close or within the city where they can take a dip or simply rejuvenate themselves without having to travel far. One of these places is Cebu Westown Lagoon.

Cebu Westown Lagoon

Cebu Westown Lagoon is a resort located in Metro Cebu. The resort features manmade lagoons and Jacuzzis where guests can soak away the stress they feel after a week at work. Since it is situated close to the boundary between Cebu City and Mandaue City, the resort is perfect for people who want to take a break over the weekend without having to travel far from the city.

Facilities

The main attraction of Cebu Westown Lagoon is the manmade lagoon where children and adults can have fun. The area also has loungers where you can lie down after taking a dip in the lagoon. The resort also has pools for both adults and children. Huge waterslides add to the fun and excitement while enjoying the pool of the resort. Adults will also love the heated Jacuzzis of the resort where they can soak away their troubles while enjoying a refreshing drink.

​Cottages are also available for rent if you are not planning to stay the night. The place has small and big cottages that can fit around 16 and 25 guests, respectively. While there is no corkage for most of the food and drinks brought to the place, the resort does charge corkage for lechon and alcoholic drinks. The resort offers five types of rooms for guests who want to stay overnight at the place.

Rates and Fees

The entrance fee to the Cebu Westown Lagoon is at PHP300 for adults and PHP200 for kids. Room rates start at PHP4,800 for the Deluxe Room and go up to PHP9,800 for the Family Room. The resort also offers lockers for rent for people who want to keep their belongings safe. The locker fee is at PHP100. Cottage rental starts at PHP500 for the small cottage and goes up to PHP2,000 for the bigger cottages.

Getting to Cebu Westown Lagoon

Cebu Westown Lagoon is located to UC Med, which is accessible through the jeepney with the route number 01K. But, riding a taxi to the resort is a more convenient way to reach the place.

​Cebu Westown Lagoon is a revitalizing oasis located in the middle of Metro Cebu. It offers a refreshing alternative to people looking to find a place where they can take a dip while staying in the city.

​A trip to the north typically brings people to Danao City. Similar to many places in the north, Danao City is also a stopover point for travelers headed for tourist destinations in the north. The city actually has its share of delicacies that travelers can grab when they pass Danao. It also has a number of restaurants catering to the culinary needs of its residents and visitors to the city. One of these restaurants is Mojo's Bistro Café.

Danao City

Danao was once a part of the kingdom of Nahalin before the Spaniards arrived on the shores of Cebu. Under the Spaniards, it was an ecomienda under the control of some prominent officials. The place officially became a parish in 1609 when the Recollects built a church in the area. In 1773, Danao became a municipality.

Mojo's Bistro Café

Mojo's Bistro Café is a bistro and café rolled into one. The restaurant is one of the places people from Danao normally recommend to visitors to the city. Mojo's Bistro Café offers a good selection of sandwiches, appetizers, soups, and pasta. They also offer a number of fish and meat dishes in addition to rice meals. 

​The sandwich offerings at Mojo's Bistro Café, which they call Sandwish or Crave for Sandwich, include the Hotdog Sandwich, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and Hungarian Sandwich. The appetizers available at the place include the Fried Calamari, Spring Rolls, Shrimp Curry, and Sizzling Gambas. Soup and pasta dishes include the Sinigang na Hipon, Lomi, Seafood Carbonara, and Seafood Rice Noodle.

The main dishes offered at Mojo's Bistro Café include the Captain’s Back Ribs and Nic Burger Steak. The fish and meat dishes at the restaurant include their Fish Sweet and Sour, Grilled Tangigue, Orange Chicken, Crispy Pata, and Grilled Pork Belly. The prices of the dishes at Mojo's Bistro Café are between PHP80 for the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and PHP390 for the Crispy Pata.

Location and other Details

Mojo's Bistro Café is located in Taytay, Danao City. It is situated close to the Cebu North Road beside a gasoline station. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining. 

Danao City is gradually coming out of the shadows of its neighbors after it hosted Xterra Off-road Triathlon in 2017. Mojo's Bistro Café will be at the forefront of this reawakening of this northern city as it starts to attract more visitors to stay for a while. 

​Visitors to Cebu typically head to the beach the moment they arrive on the island. While many tourists are beach lovers, there are some who prefer going to the mountains to relax and rejuvenate. There are numerous options for visitors or even residents looking for a place to enjoy the beauty of nature away from the maddening crowd of the city. One of these places is Sileo Bed and Breakfast.

Sileo Bed and Breakfast

Sileo Bed and Breakfast is a cozy home away from home nestled on the mountains of Balamban. It is essentially a house featuring floor to ceiling windows, wide balconies, and a panoramic view of the mountains of Cebu. The other side offers a majestic view of the ceiling.

​The place gives guests the opportunity to have some down time from the stress of life in the city. They can savor the beauty of nature and enjoy the fresh mountain air. The term sileo is a Latin word that means to be still. This means time basically stops when you stay in Sileo.  

Facilities and Amenities

The rooms offer a view of the mountains or the sea. The place also features facilities for barbecue parties. A family room is also available for guests who want to interact with each other before retiring to their individual rooms. In addition, the Adventure Café is close by for guests who may want to get their fix of adrenaline through the rappelling and zip line facilities of the place.

Location of Sileo Bed and Breakfast

Sileo Bed and Breakfast is located in Barangay Gaas, Balamban. It is situated on Km 34 of the Transcentral Highway and is close to the Adventure Café. On the way, guests can pass by farms offering local produce, such as fruits and vegetables.

​Sileo Bed and Breakfast is a home away from home for people looking to stop and smell the roses. It gives them the chance to take a step back and enjoy the beauty of nature at its best.

When the Americans came to liberate the Philippines during World War 2, many Japanese soldiers fled Leyte when General Douglas MacArthur returned. Some of the soldiers reached Cebu during their retreat. Due to this, it is not surprising that a Japanese grave marker can be found in the northern town of Carmen.

Carmen

Carmen was once a quiet northern town people pass by whenever they take a trip to the north. This mainly agricultural town is experiencing a rebirth as tourism is gradually becoming one of the industries of the town. Carmen is home to a number of tourist destinations, including the Mangitngit Falls, St. Benedict Monastery, and the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park.

Japanese Grave Marker

The Japanese Grave Marker is situated on the property of the parents of Ranulfo Ybañez. According to Ybañez, some elderly Japanese men visited their place in 1975. They wanted to trace an event that happened during the Second World War. The Japanese men were supposedly soldiers who landed in the barangay during the war. One of their comrades was badly wounded and left in the area. He later succumbed to his injuries. 

A memorial was set up at the place where the Japanese soldier died. One of the markers bore the name of the Japanese soldier who died, Koji Oomiya. It also indicated the date he died, on January 31, 1945. The back of the marker also shows the name of the person who set it up, Hideo Oomiya, on October 2002.

The marker is now one of the stopovers of some Japanese tourists visiting Cebu. These tourists were veterans and their families. There was also an instance when three busloads of Japanese tourists dropped by the place to pay their respects to their fallen countryman. 

Getting to the Japanese Grave Marker

​The Japanese grave marker is located in Barangay Dauis Sur in Carmen. You can get to the place by getting on a jeepney or bus headed for the town of Carmen. Just tell the driver to let you off at the area where the marker is located in the barangay. It is a two-minute walk from the highway.

The Japanese grave marker in Carmen shows the devotion of the Japanese to those who died during the war. It also shows the respect they have for these fallen soldiers who fought in a war far from their homeland. 

​When it comes to caves, Cebu has no shortage. Caves can be found in nearly all parts of the island from north to south. One of the more famous caves is the Balay sa Agta in Agao. While it is one of the biggest cave systems on the island, there is a much lesser known yet similar-sized cave system in Minglanilla, the White Cave.

Minglanilla

The southern town of Minglanilla was once called Buat before the Spaniards came. It was called Buat since it was the place where settlers would lay to dry (buwad or buat) their fresh catch. The name was changed to Minglanilla when the Spaniards arrived. It is also known as the Sugat Capital of the South since the Sugat or meeting is a big socio-cultural event in the town. Every Easter Sunday, the Kabanhawan Festival is held in the town. 

White Cave

White Cave is one of the caves in the Campo Siete of Minglanilla or the Seven Caves located in the town. It is the biggest cave system among the seven. The entrance to the cave has a size three times bigger than the facade of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. The cave is called White Cave since it has a chalk-like material on its entrance.

​The White Cave can be reached by trekking around one hour and thirty minutes through a river. But it is advisable to avoid this route when the weather is not good. The cave is home to a number of animals, including bats, monkeys, swifts, and snakes. 

Getting to the White Cave

There are two routes to getting to White Cave. The first route passes through Tabunok in Talisay City while the second route is through Barangay Cantabaco in Toledo City. Whichever route you will take, it is advisable to always have a guide with you to avoid getting lost.

​White Cave is just one of the many caves you can find in Cebu. If you are planning to explore these caves, it is always important to remember to take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, and kill nothing but time.

Cebu is blessed with a good number of natural tourist spots. Many of these places have been commercialized and tourists sometimes arrive in droves. In these places, you can find some suitable accommodations if you want to stay the night. There are even stores selling just about anything, albeit at a higher price. But, there are still a few that have remained untouched. These are off-the-beaten-track natural attractions are sometimes free of any developments made by man. But, they are also not easy to find. One of these places is the Lapnis Spring.

Lapnis Spring

​The Lapnis Spring is one of the natural springs you can find on the island of Cebu. It is located in Barangay Butong, Ronda. But, it is not easy to find this cold spring since there are no markers leading to the place. It is advisable to ask for help from the locals so you can reach the spring. 

The spring itself was supposedly destroyed when a typhoon hit the southern part of Cebu several years ago. But the water coming from the spring may continue to flow. To find the spring, you would have to ask for help from the locals. You may even reach the general location of the spring.

Getting to the Lapnis Spring

Your journey to the Lapnis Spring starts at the Cebu South Bus Terminal where you have to get on a bus headed for Ronda. Tell the driver to let you off at the town. From the center of the town, you can ride on a motorcycle for hire to Barangay Butong, the jump-off point to the spring. This is where the adventure begins since you have to ask the locals for directions to the spring.

​The Lapnis Spring may have been destroyed during a typhoon that passed through the southern part of the island in the past. But, this does not mean the water flowing from the spring has already dried up. You may find some remnants of the spring in the area where it once flowed. 

Have you visited the Lapnis Spring of Ronda already? Tell us about your adventure in the comments section below.

​The pasta is not the only Italian dish that has taken root in Cebu. The humble pizza has already become a part of the diet of Cebuanos. One international pizza restaurant even celebrates the Pizza Day every year and offer unlimited pizza as a part of the celebration. 

The following are 5 more places you can eat pizza in Cebu.

New York Pizza Depot 

New York Pizza Depot Pizza Buffet offers an unlimited pizza buffet. The pizza comes in five flavors namely: Cheese, Hawaiian, Supreme, Mediterranean, and Pepperoni.  Aside from the pizza, their buffet also includes unlimited French Fries, Pasta, Chicken, and Rice. Customers can also get unlimited tea with an add-on fee. New York Pizza Depot is located on the ground floor of APM Centrale Mall across SM City Cebu. The price of the Pizza buffet at New York Pizza Depot is at PHP199. 

Wasted Chef

Wasted Chef is a hole-in-the-wall place located along Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City. The place is owned by Ian Sekong with some friends as his partner. Wasted Chef has a laid-back ambiance with its rustic décor. They make use of chopping boards for plates. Similar to the New York Pizza Depot, Wasted Chef offers unlimited pizza to their customers. While they serve two types of pizza each night, their pizza actually comes in different flavors, including Aglio Olio, Pesto, and Cebuano pizza with chorizo toppings. Their unlimited pizza is priced at PHP250, which also includes pasta, burger sliders, shrimps, shawarma, and bottomless iced tea. 

El Ronnie’s Pizza

El Ronnie’s Pizza is another hole-in-the-wall pizza place situated a stone’s throw away from the University of the Philippines – Cebu. They offer a good selection of thin crust pizza that caters to the different tastes of their customers. It is the first branch of the restaurant in Cebu. Their pizza flavors include the Shawarma Pizza, Garlic and Cheese, El Ronie’s Garden Special, and Hungarian Bacon Pizza, among others. Prices of their pizza start at PHP49 for the nine-inch Garlic and Cheese Pizza up to PHP565 for the 24-inch Shawarma Pizza

Euro Hub Pizzeria

Euro Hub Pizzeria offers Italian-style pizza and pasta. The dough used for the pizza is fresh and homemade. The restaurant is actually a spinoff of Euro Hub Café & Bar, which is located right across the pizzeria. The pizza offered at Euro Hub Pizzeria includes the Al Pesto, Diavola Italian Sausage, Mexicana, Salami, and Tropicanav. The prices of the pizza start at PHP270 for the 12-inch size of the Margherita up to PHP480 for the 15-inch size of the Tarantina. Euro Hub Pizzeria is located at Piazza Elesia, Talamban, Cebu City.

Café Racer

Café Racer is a hip dining spot located in the Mandaue City side of the North Reclamation Area. While it is popular as a place where bikers hang out, the restaurant also has pizza on its menu. They offer their own version of the Chorizo Pizza and the Garlic & Mushroom Pizza. The pizzas are priced at PHP140 and 160 for the Chorizo Pizza and the Garlic & Mushroom Pizza, respectively.

​Each time the word ngohiong is mentioned, the name Doming’s normally comes to mind. But this is not always the case, especially for those living or studying in the University of San Carlos-Main Campus. For them, the word ngohiong is synonymous to the Chinese Ngohiong.

Ngohiong

The ngohiong is Cebu’s version of the Chinese spring roll. It is similar to the lumpia, but is bigger and crunchier. The filling is made of ubod, singkamas, onions, and garlic, among others. The ngohiong can be found in Chinese restaurants, eateries, and hawker-style stalls all over Cebu. It is cheap and filling. This dish is typically paired with the Cebuano puso or hanging rice. 

Chinese Ngohiong

Similar to Doming’s, the Chinese Ngohiong along Junquera Street is a simple hole-in-the-wall eatery that does not look like much. But the place is typically packed during lunchtime. It is one of the most affordable meal options for students and office workers in the area. 

​When the place first opened, they only offered the ngohiong. Recently, they added more items on the menu. These items are what you would normally see inside the basket of a pungko-pungko vendor. These include the spicy chorizo, atay batikon, longganiza, and hotdog. They also offer tempura, squid ball, chicken wing, and chicken leg.  

​The ngohiong is priced at PHP7 each while the puso costs PHP4. So, a budget of PHP22 will get you two pieces of ngohiong and two pieces of puso, which are enough to get you by for a few hours. The other items on the menu are priced between PHP15 for the Squid Ball (three pieces) and PHP35 for the Chicken Leg.

Getting There

Chinese is located right across the Philippine Christian Gospel School (PGS) along Junquera Street. Jeepneys with route numbers 04C, 17C, and 14D pass right in front of the store. If you are not familiar with the place, just tell the driver to let you off at PCGS.

​The Chinese Ngohiong is another hole-in-the-wall place that has continued to serve great-tasting Cebuano food for generations. It offers Cebuanos a place to eat a hearty meal without breaking the bank. 

Have you eaten the ngohiong at Chinese Ngohiong already? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

​Bogo City has a lot of interesting places to visit. It is more than just a place to rest and eat before continuing their journey. For people looking to stay the weekend in this northern Cebu city, there are some places where they can spend the night. One of these places is the Sea Turtle Lagoon Resort.

Bogo City 

Bogo City was once a barangay of Daanbantayan before the coming of the Spaniards. While the residents of the barangay enjoyed self-rule, they still paid tribute to the chieftain of Daanbantayan. After the barangay prospered, it separated from Daanbantayan. Bogo has a number of tourist spots including Capitancillo Islet, Tugbungan Mangrove Eco-Farm, and the hanging bridge in Tabogon.

Sea Turtle Lagoon Resort

The Sea Turtle Lagoon Resort is just one of the many resorts located in Bogo City. It is a good place to spend some quiet time since it is situated in a somewhat secluded location with a foundation of coral rocks. The resort is also right beside the sea. While it is a resort, it still gives guests the feeling of being one with nature since it features a good number of trees, bushes, and flowering plants. 

Accommodations and Facilities

Guests can choose from a number of accommodations, including two-room lodges and cottages. Room rates start at PHP2,500 per night. While the resort is ideal for guests who know how to swim, they also have some life jackets available for rent for people who are not quite adept at swimming. The staff of the resort can also arrange for a boat to take guests to nearby islets. Guests can also go snorkeling or kayaking.

Getting to the Sea Turtle Lagoon Resort

Sea Turtle Lagoon Resort is located in Tabogon, Bogo City. You can get to the resort by getting on a bus headed for Bogo City passing the Tabogon route. Just tell the driver to let you off at Tabogon. From the drop-off point, you can get on a motorcycle for hire to the resort.

Bogo City was once a mere stopover point for travelers headed north. But with the tourist sites in the city, it has become a destination in itself rather than just a place to rest and grab a bite to eat.