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I knew nothing about Filipino cuisine until about 10 years ago when a couple from these islands moved next door. They told me Filipino fare is Spanish fare mixed with South Asian influences. When I heard a restaurant of this style opened at 123 Chestnut St., I knew I had to try it.
Cebu Restaurant and Bar is named after an island in the Philippines that was colonized by the Spanish in the early part of the 16th century. The spot made its debut as Rococo and then evolved into World Fusion. The interior is breathtakingly beautiful, with lofty ceilings, Corinthian columns, soft lighting and a wrap-around counter dividing the bar from the dining room.
My cousin Carl joined me for this culinary journey.
The menu features tapas, soups, salads, entrées and desserts and since we were unfamiliar with a number of the dishes, our waitress answered questions and made recommendations. We ordered a bottle of Rioja, a great red wine from Spain, but the restaurant was out of it. We were offered a 2003 Sipranillo Tempranillo for $28, the same price as our first choice, and it was rich and full of berry flavors.
On our server’s recommendation, we began with lumpia Shanghai ($6) and fried calamari ($7), and both were tasty tapas. The first consisted of two plump, crispy spring rolls filled with shredded vegetables, spices and bits of pork. Carl and I liked the spicy dipping sauce and they were nestled on a colorful banana leaf.
I have eaten fried calamari all over town, all over America and across the sea — so I know bad from good, and good from great. Cebu’s was great. The plate was filled with fresh baby squid with each piece immaculately coated and deep-fried to a crispy golden brown. The texture was perfect, not a bit rubbery. Carl and I even ate the small mound of baby greens on which the calamari were placed.
Last week at Marigold Kitchen, I ordered duck. This time, Carl ordered duck pancit ($19) and it was a winner in taste, texture and eye appeal. A breast and leg were pan roasted with appropriate spices and a mound of properly cooked vermicelli noodles and stir-fried vegetables were placed in the center of the plate. The duck breast was sliced, beautifully arranged and topped with a spicy banana sauce, which had a savory flavor and was nicely spiced. This entrée was a generous bargain — there were about a dozen slices of rare breast on the dish.
Although our server recommended the salmon or skirt steak, I wanted to try something truly unusual for me. I ordered seafood kare ($25), a magnificent concoction of Maine lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams in a spicy peanut shellfish sauce. One taste and it brought a smile to my face. The shellfish were not a bit overcooked, the scallops were slightly translucent inside, the shrimp had a nice meaty texture and the clams and mussels were divine. But the sauce was the true triumph of taste and texture. Fresh, homemade seafood stock, made with lobster and shrimp shells, was mixed with the right amount of peanut butter and spices. I asked for a spoon so I could drizzle it over the shellfish. I dipped the bread we were given at the beginning of dinner into the sauce and it was fabulous. A big timbale of garlic rice and a generous portion of achara, which is a slaw made with pickled green papaya, mangos and peppers, were placed on a white, rectangular side dish. My order was so large, Carl helped finish it.
There were four desserts on offer and we shared halo halo ($6) because it sounded exotic. It was made with an ice-cold combination of diced fruits, such as mango and papaya, and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The icy texture of the fruit was brilliant with the richness of the ice cream.
Service was attentive and professional. We noticed few people were dining at Cebu, but Carl thinks it might be more of a night-life place.
The talented executive chef Wilfredo Encarnacion and Tony T. Ta as head chef made my first culinary adventure to the Philippines a delicious memory.
Three tips of the toque to Cebu.
Cebu Restaurant and Bar
123 Chestnut St.
215-629-1100
Credit cards accepted
Closed Mondays
www.cebuphiladelphia.com
