Awesome Possibiliteas at Cobo

The cold rainy night had me craving not for hot choco nor a warm cup of coffee but a glass of cold milk tea. Vaguely remembering somebody telling me there was a milk tea shop in J Centre Mall, two friends and I headed that way. And there we found colorful Cobo.

 Awesome possibiliteas

 Choose your drink...

...and your sugar level - extra mild, mild, average, or intense!

Overwhelmed by the possibiliteas, I ended up not getting a milk tea but a bubble burst tea as recommended by my friend.

Mango peach green tea with mango burst and

Strawberry smoothie with yogurt and bursting bubbles

Green tea snow ice plus two choices of bubbles (lychee and mango)

 

Burst tea? Bursting bubbles? Say what? It's an exploding sago! Well, I don't really know, but it sure does burst! (Quite weird to the mouth but tastes pretty good.)

I was expecting the snow ice to be just crushed ice with flavoring and color...but no, it was like eating ice cream! If you like green tea ice cream then this will be a good choice.

Next time I promise to try the milk tea...the sea salt milk tea that is. Wonder if it's going to be salty.

PS If you want some snack to go with your drink, they have Taiwanese chicken and dimsum.

Cobo
J Centre Mall
AS Fortuna St.
Banilad, Mandaue City

Update 3/18/12

More than a month after my first visit, curiosity drove me to J Centre for a cup of Sea Salt Milk Tea. Disappointed that it didn't come with chewpearls, I had to add Php 15, which brought the total amount to Php 95 for one drink. First sip: hmmm...nothing salty about this. Plain old milk tea to me. Not until I got to the bottom of my cup did I taste the salt. 10 pesos more for salt on the bottom of my cup? Not sure I'll buy this again. Will probably stick with plain old milk tea. Or maybe I should have just skipped the sugar... that could have defeated the whole purpose. Stupid me.

How Cobo burst Mustachio's wallet:
Visit #1
Green tea snow ice with twins combo Php 65
Mango peach green tea with mango burst (16 oz) Php 80
Strawberry smoothie with yogurt and bursting bubbles (16 oz) Php 85

Visit #2
Sea Salt Milk Tea (16 oz) Php 80
Chewpearls Php 15

That Burger in Boljoon

After swimming with the whale sharks, one of my friends (F1) suggested we hit the nearby town of Boljoon. He told of a roadside resort with a nostalgic 80's Coca Cola themed restaurant that serves delicious food. He had to rely on memory while constantly being on guard for a hint of the restaurant. After forty-five minutes or so, he noticed the European house with dark chocolate painted fences. Yes, we have found the place.

Welcome to Lusapon Resort

Ain't too hot to take a picture

As soon as we got there, which was already past noon, we directly hit the restaurant found at the rightmost part of the resort. If it's your first time in the resort, you would never guess that they house a restaurant.

See the vintage Coke clock and Coke signboard?

Bad news for us - since the resort was holding a wedding that day, the restaurant was supposed to be on a holiday. But good thing the cook was very accommodating and didn't want to disappoint his new guests, so he gave us the menu with a harried and perspiring look on his face. Poor cook, he had to go to and from the reception and our table coz we were still deciding on what to order.

That's German for "Food and Beverages"

What did we order?


Cheese Burger - They make their own simple yet tasty patties. It's soft and juicy, no grease, unlike the ones you get from fast food restaurants. Lusapon's burger is sandwiched with tomatoes, lettuce and cheese. Another friend (F2) of mine, who's really not into burgers, declared this as a "worthy to eat" burger. I guess the hunger we were experiencing gave it a taste-boost. Nonetheless, it tastes really good.

Don't judge this burger by its buns

Chicken Drumsticks - Since all other chicken dishes were out of stock (due to the wedding reception), we decided on the all-time favorite drumstick. The meat tastes good, skin's a bit crunchy, and it is best eaten warm upon being served.

Crispy chicken anyone?

We also ordered their Lasagna but didn't have the opportunity to taste it or even take its picture since we didn't want to be rude to our new friend (F3) whom we just met in Oslob while swimming with the whale sharks. He ordered the lasagna and, by the look on his face, it wasn't a disappointment.

Nice vintage beach-side folding chairs

A Coke poster dating maybe way way back

My friend (F1) was a bit disheartened to see that the restaurant's "look" has changed since he last visited. We talked to the the cook and he said that the owner decided to take out some of the vintage coke memorabilia, which happened to be all from Germany. It would have been very nice to take pictures of them.

Overall, it was a good southside dining experience. Props to the cook (sorry we forgot your name) who was one of the most accommodating and generous people I've met so far. When we come back, we'll make sure we get to know you better sir (and take your picture too).

Lusapon Resort

Lusapon, Boljoon, Cebu, Philippines 6024

(032) 4829077

0916 2005535

How this late lunch bore a hole thru Mustachio's pocket:

I was so hungry that all I can think of was to fill my stomach!

(As I rack my brain, I think the above costs around Php 60 to Php 90 per.)

A Night at Don Merto's Restaurant and Deli

Don Merto's Restaurant and Deli is under Casa Escano Bed and Breakfast. A traditional Filipino/Spanish villa with a nice ambience. Anyone looking for a cozy dining experience would fall in love with this place.

I like your mustache Don Merto!

Nice lighting, hey?

And not too crowded.

What did I order?

They serve free bread (that's 3 slices; I ate one out of hunger :D) and butter.

Cobb Salad - Romaine lettuce topped with chicken, bacon, tomatoes, cucumber, cheese and egg, served with a creamy herb dressing.

You may now sprinkle the herb dressing, Mademoiselle.

Buttermilk Boneless Fried Chicken - Breaded buttermilk soaked boneless chicken served atop a sweet and savory creamed corn.

Soft chicken meat with the creamiest creamed corn that's such a joy to the taste buds. Recommended!

Hungry!

Lomo Saltado - Stir fried US beef, tomatoes, onions and fried potatoes.

Tasty beef if you had more time to chew, and the fried potatoes are really good. I ended up finishing the potatoes, rather than my rice, first.

Just a note: You'd have to tell the waiter how you want your beef cooked. This one was cooked medium rare.

Can you tell which one's the meat and which one's the potato?

Overall, I finished the meal with a loosened belt... *burp*

What did Mustachio learn?

- This isn't a fastfood restaurant. Expect ample time for your food to be cooked.

- There will be times when some of the items on the menu won't be available.

- Look for the * sign. These are their bestsellers.

- Tell the waiter how your beef should be cooked.

- Make sure to stuff your wallet.

Don Merto's Restaurant and Deli

94 Juana Osmeña Street, Cebu City

(032) 253-5563

Website: Casa Escano Bed and Breakfast

How Don Merto bore a hole thru Don Mustachio's pocket:

Cobb Salad Php 198

Buttermilk Boneless Fried Chicken Php 178

Lomo Saltado Php 188