Situated on Salinas Drive (with a branch at SM City), this cozy little restaurant is seldom found without a waiting line. Although from outside the place looks no different from any other restaurant you’d come across, the question of “why is it always full?” hangs around. So, with a little enthusiasm and reason (driven from visiting family), we venture into the world of curiosity and cats.
One step into the place and you will instantly find that the “Filipino” aura projects from all corners of the wooden-floored and high-ceilinged room. Instantly giving one the notion that they’ve come home to Lola’s ancestral house, the surprisingly quick and prompt waiters guided us through the room to a vacant cross-sectioned tree of a table. Typically you would expect china but, alas, you get a banana leaf for a plate which works anyway (no wonder service is fast – they probably save a lot of time by not having to wash lots of plates).
Now comes the ordeal of figuring out what I want and what other people might want with me. Many would agree that the hardest thing to do at any good restaurant is ordering food. Being our first time, we had no idea what they had that was famous. Luckily, the menu said it for us.
Hastily the waiter took our orders of Crispy Pata(Deep fried whole pork leg), Chicken in Pandamus leaves (which, curiously, is a thai delicacy), Kinilaw (Cubed Fish Salad), various stir-fried vegetables and Sinigang na Hipon (Sour Prawn Soup).
Surprisingly, the order took less than 12 minutes to cook and it took us less than 2 minutes to agree with everyone who comes back to Golden Cowrie that there is a reason why it is always full. To the foreigners, the food was delicious as it was not too extreme for their tastes. However, to Filipinos, the food was simply superb. It was just like being back home with Nanay (mother) and Tita (Auntie) spending 3 hours in the kitchen cooking half the dishes while all the other Titos (obviously Uncles) and Tatay (take a guess!) spent 1 and a half hours in the veranda preparing the other half of the dishes with good old SMB.
For a restaurant that doesn’t charge as much as it would in other cities, I would give Golden Cowriefour out of five stars. Anyway, like I said earlier… it’s one of those restaurants where you’d simply have to try the food to understand why.
Surrender to the pleasures of your discriminate palate and enjoy the newly made genuine Italian dishes with an uniquely cozy dining ambiance at premier locations in the metropolis.
Cesar’s foodland Bldg., Cebu City
Tel. Nos.: (032) 345-6080/416-0997
Busay
Celebrate your cozy occasions at the absolutely amorous spots atop the hills of Busay and be awestruck by the dramatic opinion of Cebu City.
Upper Busay, Cebu City
Tel. No.: (032)419-2220
Mactan
Satisfy your culinary cravings for Italian cuisine in this comfy restaurant and be pleased with its broad kind of delicious dishes to feature.
Marina Mall Bldg., Lapu-Lapu City
Tel. No.:(032)340-9070
Cagayan
This easy but graceful spot with an older reality appeal is a favorite fall away for informal diners with a different preference.
#89 Juan Sia Bldg. Hayes St. Cagayan De Oro City
Tel. No.:(088)857-2137 /858-5959
Idea Italia
Definitely the spot to halt by for a warm luncheon, midday snack or merely a cup of espresso with its nonchalantly graceful scene serving your classical Italian favorites.
Level 1, Paseo Marina Ayala Center, Cebu City
Cebu Sisig – Kapampangan condition which means “to snack on something tangy” , it too means to consume something tangy as in sisigan ing mangga (greenish mango) or sisig paro (prawn ceviche). Cebu Sisig is a bag originating from Pampanga, a state in Central Luzon which is known for its wealthy and tasty cuisine, one of the nutrient capitals in the Philippines.
….the ultimate pulutan
Cebu Sisig as is popularly known today is really cebu sizzling sisig, a Philippine bag made from parts of hog’s chief and normally experienced with kalamansi or chili peppers. Cebu Sisig is one of my favourite Philippine dishes, has been a hitting here in the Philippines for sometime now. Cebu Sisig has too gone beyond traditionally comprised of the lesser used (and less favorite) parts of the hog. Cebu Sisig, nowadays has get an all-time Pinoy favourite, be it as pulutan with cool San Mig during glad hours, or as a meal itself. Cebu Sisig being a cultural nutrient, servings are better for 2-3 folk.
3-4 finger hot peppers (siling labuyo) (seeded and chopped)
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup calamansi juice (lemon juice)
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
l clove garlic, minced
1 tsp whole black pepper (crushed)
1 pc bay leaf (crushed)
Salt to taste
How to prepare the Hottest cebu sisig plate:
Combine pork cheeks (or deboned pork hocks), heart and tongue in pineapple juice, salt, water and crushed black pepper and bring to a boil.
Simmer for about 1 hour or until tender.
Drain and cool to room temperature.
Slice pork cheeks or hocks, liver, heart and tongue, into small thick pieces.
Place in bamboo skewers and grill over charcoal briquettes until pork rind is crisp and browned.
Chop the grilled pork cheeks/hocks, liver, heart, and tongue into 1/4 inch sized cubes;
Mix the chopped meat with the marinade seasoning mixture of garlic, ginger, onions, vinegar, calamansi juice, hot peppers (siling labuyo), bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Keep the marinated mixture in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.
Cities Restaurant & Music Lounge
Gen Maxiliom Av ..255-4562
Club Gourmet Inc Ayala Center ..234-1729
Dessert Factory Inc ( Restaurant & Bakery )
G/F Food and Entertainment Ayala Center ..233-2351 / 233-2361
Sweet Dessert!
Ding Qua Qua
Salinas Dr. Lahug ..231-0111
El Garaje Restaurant Gorordo Av. ..233-1286
Family Choice Restaurant
Gorordo Av ..231-1859
Ginza Restaurant
Gen Maxilom Av ..232-5406
Golden City Dimsum Restaurant Inc.
Telefax Pres Osmeña Blvd ..253-7560
Grand Majestic Convention City Inc.
Arcbishop Reyes Inc. ..231-9815
Great Han Palace Inc.
Osmeña Blvd ..253-0139
Harbour City Dimsum House Co Inc
Sm City Cebu ..232-0741
Ayala Center ..231-6283
Colon ..255-0618
Main Office ..255-7381
JY Square ..231-0111
ML Quezon Lapu -Lapu City ..341-3454
Salinas Drive ..234-2397
Hope Food House
179 V Gullas ..253-8852
JARR 77 Bar and Restaurants
J Llorente ..255-0147
Jo’s Chicken Inato
V Ranudo Ext ..253-1863
Kanyoen Yakiniku Restaurant
Villa Aurora Mabolo Castle Peak Hotel Bldg. F. Cabahug ..232-2989
Kaona Grill
A S Fortuna Mandaue City ..343-9994
Kublai Khan
M J Cuenco Av ..233-8342
Ayala Center ..233-6401
La Tegola Cucina Italiana
Banilad ..345-6080
Busay ..419-2220
Marina Mall ..340-9070
Idea Italia ..232-4292
Office ..232-0344
Lami-Ah Filipino Seafoods Restaurant Corp.
Basak LapuLapu City ..341-1840
Situated on Salinas Drive (with a branch at SM City), this cozy little restaurant is seldom found without a waiting line. Although from outside the place looks no different from any other restaurant you’d come across, the question of “why is it always full?” hangs around. So, with a little enthusiasm and reason (driven from visiting family), we venture into the world of curiosity and cats.
One step into the place and you will instantly find that t he “Filipino” aura projects from all corners of the wooden-floored and high-ceilinged room. Instantly giving one the notion that they’ve come home to Lola’s ancestral house, the surprisingly quick and prompt waiters guided us through the room to a vacant cross-sectioned tree of a table. Typically you would expect china but, alas, you get a banana leaf for a plate which works anyway (no wonder service is fast – they probably save a lot of time by not having to wash lots of plates). 
Chicken in Pandamus leaves (which, curiously, is a thai delicacy) 
, Kinilaw (Cubed Fish Salad), various stir-fried vegetables and Sinigang na Hipon (Sour Prawn Soup). 
Surprisingly, the order took less than 12 minutes to cook and it took us less than 2 minutes to agree with everyone who comes back to Golden Cowrie that there is a reason why it is always full. To the foreigners, the food was delicious as it was not too extreme for their tastes. However, to Filipinos, the food was simply superb. It was just like being back home with Nanay (mother) and Tita (Auntie) spending 3 hours in the kitchen cooking half the dishes while all the other Titos (obviously Uncles) and Tatay (take a guess!) spent 1 and a half hours in the veranda preparing the other half of the dishes with good old SMB. 
