Shaun T. Dy's Business & Economics Perspective Blog

  The last time I ate at a Hussam Middle Eastern Restaurant branch last year, I couldn't give a good assessment. I haven't been to Hussam's main branch at Il Corso, so I didn't formally meet its owner, Hussam Alfakeh Alkourdi. The branch I ate was in Ayala Center Cebu instead. This is the interior of the restaurant. Ayala Center Cebu has Persian Palate on the third floor, above Timezone. Hussam is near one of the entrances of Ayala Center Cebu--near a Chinese restaurant. Persian Palate was my entry point to Middle Eastern cuisine.  Hussam serves authentic Syrian food. There are dishes similar to those from the Persian Palate. They serve Syrian bread, different from my favorite Pita bread served at Shawarma Gourmet (read my review here ), a Lebanese restaurant. So far, I tried their mixed meat platter with Syrian bread. My second dish there was actually baked Arabic rice with grilled beef kebab. I love their tomato sauce (which I mistook for ginger sauce) and garlic sauc

I was doing some random historical study. One of the many things I recalled from Asian history class was the Chinese Communist Party in Sichuan. It's an interesting piece of historical detail that Mao Zedong (and other Chinese communists) were avid lovers of spicy food . Yang Hero had its first branch in Gaisano Tabunok. It opened a branch in IT Park last May 25, 2023 . The menus had Chinese translations. The establishment has made me realize  the importance of learning Mandarin . True, I could order their food without speaking Mandarin. However, I still feel that the increasing number of Chinese businesses left and right would mean, "You may need to learn some Mandarin now to connect with more people in the world." For a bit of background, here's what I gathered from Sun Star Cebu: Evanmarie Mendoza, social media specialist at Yang Hero, said: “The Chinese barbecue is also a must-try for foodies as it differs from the regular ones that we typically have here in the P

I had written my personal review of Jolly Bubble as a Taiwanese-style coffee shop . During the pandemic before clearance, I would usually order their bento boxes (read my review here ). A recent item that was added to their menu was called Taiwanese peppered beef with smooth egg. In Chinese, it's called 黑椒牛肉配滑蛋 (Pinyin: Hēi jiāo niúròu pèi huá dàn). I'm sharing a few Mandarin tidbits here and there since I'm trying to learn more of the language.  It's under premium bento so it should be kind of pricy. Since it's a coffee shop so expect a higher price (read why here ). It should be around PHP 250.00. A price that would burden me in my student days but not in my professional days. The size is justifiable since after eating it--I simply am in full mode. I drank it together with pineapple citron oolong tea. So far, I believe this is my current favorite. Sure, I do love their mapo tofu with egg. I also love their chicken g-pai meals. I think this one is a must-try for be

I got to eat for the first time at the Yukga Barbecue Grill. Granted, the servings are rather huge and I was alone--I decided to try their delicious seolleongtang. It's around PHP 400.00+ and the serving was rather huge. It would be more advisable to bring a friend to share the bowl if you're a tiny eater. I remembered trying seolleongtang at some Korean restaurant (forgot the name) which closed down some time before the pandemic. I think it was located at The Greenery in Mabolo.  For those who have no idea what seollongtang is, the Korean Bapsang website shares this detail: What is Seolleongtang   Seolleongtang is a milky beef bone soup that’s made by boiling down ox leg bones for several hours until the broth becomes rich and creamy white . This broth is a staple in Korean households, especially during cold winter months. Legend has it that this soup was created because King Seonjong of the Joseon Dynasty wanted to feed a large number of people after an ancestral worship rit

It's been some time since I reviewed a restaurant, right? I've been to IT Park in Cebu City a few times after the pandemic. Last Sunday noon, after going to church, I ate at this new establishment called Hwang Geum Seong at The Walk in IT Park. That would be right across Calyx Building. The presence of both Chinese characters and Korean characters shows it's a fusion between Chinese and Korean. Well, Chinese and Korean food can be similar yet different. In my case, I'm actually a fan of Korean food for some time now. The Mandarin would be read as Huángjīn Chéng (please refer to a pinyin table to avoid misreading it). The literal meaning is Golden City.  There was the limited mix-and-match which reminds me of eating at Mingnan Cuisine in Plaridel, Cebu City. Mingnan Chinese Cuisine presented its trademark mix and match. Meanwhile, the Minnan Seafood Restaurant in Jamestown, Cebu City, Philippines, (read here ) devotes itself to ala carte. I decided to try the limited mix

I wrote my personal review on Jolly Bubble (read here ). I decided to order some of their new bento meals via Foodpanda. Here are a few bento meals from Jolly Bubble which I'd personally recommend: Breaded pork or tonkatsu with scrambled eggs and honey sauce If you're looking for tonkatsu - here's a new delicious dish that had been popular in the Food Panda order menu. Filipinos do have a love for pork. I'm not quite a pork fan (since I'm watching my weight). However, an occasional eating of this tonkatsu with honey sauce and scrambled eggs can be good. I was able to order one (guilt free) because I've been doing several aerobics exercises recently to lose weight. So far, it's a good recommendation but not as much as... Tonkatsu with mapo tofu It's no secret that I'm a fan of tofu. This combination has been one of my favorites. The mapo tofu almost serves as a sauce for the tonkatsu. I pretty much like how both complement each other. I pretty much en

Facebook It's been some time since I've eaten out during the pandemic. It's a good thing I finally got my COVID-19 booster shot allowing me to have my limited freedom. I was able to go out on a group meal at Minnan Seafood Restaurant which opened last February 4, 2019 . The only Minnan branch I was able to eat before was at Ming Nan Chinese Cuisine located at Plaridel Extension, Cebu City. It was a nice casual dining experience where I could select two kinds of food with rice. The food would change depending on the day. One's a nice canteen with an airconditioner. The other is a nice casual but fancy dining place.   Facebook The specialty might be seafood (which is evidenced by the display of live sea creatures) while serving other delicious dishes. What I could remember are the mixed vegetables, beef hotpot, pork leg hotpot, sweet and sour fish, oyster cake, steamed fried rice, and cuttlefish during that night. I wanted to take pictures but we all ended up eating so fa

Pursuit of Functional Home I would admit I have a sweet tooth that I should put under control. My love for homestyle pastries was with Leona's Cakes and Pastries. My love for this bakery would go for some of my favorite flavors. I remembered going to China last 2007 and stopping by Hong Kong. Hong Kong had its famous Lord Stow's egg custard. It really felt absurd if I would've to fly to Hong Kong just to get it. Fortunately, a bakery in Cebu City was able to fill in that gap and that was Leona's Cake and Pastries. Although I'm not always lucky to get it--I would buy it when I can though it's best eaten on occasion especially when I'm on a weight loss regimen. I was pretty heavy last 2013 and wanted to lose as much weight as possible.  The tarts were the beginning of that love affair with Leona's Cakes and Pastries. What got me more interested in it are the chocolate cake, the banoffee, and my favorite mango chiffon cake . I guess I can't deny mango h

I remembered back when we got bread from Cebu Cardinal Bakeshop. The time came when what would start out as a bakeshop opened its coffee shop at Don Gil Garcia corner, Don Jose Avila, Cebu City. Here's a bit of history from Cebu Bulletin to understand its history: This bakeshop is run by the Ong couple since 1999. Leewin, who was an engineer by profession, decided with his wife to give baking a shot – and the rest, they say, is history. Cebu Cardinal Bakeshop is popular all over Cebu City for its reasonably priced pastries and cakes. Their most sought-after treats include cheese rolls with queso de bola which earned its 3rd consecutive Best Specialty Bread award from SunStar Cebu, chiffon cakes, and cookies. Passersby are familiar with the bakeshop’s signature smell of delicious pastries that are baked fresh every day. Cebu Bulletin Here's a picture of the interior of Cardinal Coffea. It's a very elegant, business-like atmosphere. I could remember a number of times when I

Chibuano Kini I believe I haven't gotten over how Dakimong closed. Dakimong's M.C. Cuenco branch closed and was soon replaced by the fabulous Indian restaurant Bollywood Tandoor. I remembered being a patron of Chika-An for a very long time. I celebrated my modest 21st birthday in Chika-An. I remembered eating in Chika-An for its Filipino food. The Creative Cuisine Group by Mr. John Dytian and the owner of Da-Won Korean Restaurant had a joint venture. A joint venture is formed when two or more parties create a single enterprise. Dan In became the Korean restaurant that slowly reconnected me to Korean cuisine. In fact, the restaurant is located near Chika-An which is located at 42 Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City. It was some time before the pandemic struck when I ate there. I was, in fact, able to celebrate my birthday last 2020 in this place. My curiosity struck when I originally planned to eat at Chika-An. Instead, I ended up eating at Da-In because I really missed Dakimong. Su

ZeroThreeTwo Years ago, I remembered the Dakimong restaurant which had branches in JY Square Mall, M.C. Cuenco (where Bollywood Tandoor is currently renting), and SM Consolacion. The closing down of Dakimong was probably one of the saddest moments in my food-tripping life. Fortunately, a new "superhero" known as Topokkiman (hence the logo) has arrived in Dona Rita Village and later in Ayala Central Bloc. I haven't eaten (yet) in the Talamban Branch but looking at the pictures--I might dine-in there one of these days. Though, I've ordered their food a few times from Food Panda and Grab.  Delicious food should never always be associated with expensive food. Instead, it should be associated with food well-prepared whether it's casual dining or fine dining. Topokkiman proves that with its casual Korean foods. The main attraction is topokki hence the name. However, what I usually order at Topokkiman is their really delicious kimbap which comes in different flavors. I w

Sugbo.PH I remembered driving across Talamban sometime before the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the restaurants that caught my curiosity was called The Spice or Cherry's the Spice. The letter "i" is shaped like chili to give you this note that the restaurant is targeted towards people who enjoy spicy food. Yet, it has become very popular among Filipino customers. Cherry's the Spice was another one I was curious about but not ready to anticipate the different regions of cooking. It's pretty much cooking in Region V - Bicol Region is different from Region VII - Visayas. This restaurant had a cottage-like feel. This restaurant has won the best Indian restaurant award from Sunstar Cebu .    TripAdvisor The type of food here is similar yet different to Bollywood. Bollywood is pretty much North Indian for most of its cuisine. Cherry's the Spice focuses on Hyderabad-style cooking which I compare to the Bicol region. If I'm not wrong, some of its food has fresh coconu

All the cries that foreign investors will automatically crush the local industry are just false. The first proof is how Jollibee managed to prove itself against McDonald's first in the Philippines and now in the world. Now, it's time to feature Bo's Coffee Club. Although I'm not such a big fan of coffee clubs myself (since I prefer tea)--I think it would be time to talk about another creative entrepreneur known as Steve Benitez. Steve is the founder of Bo's Coffee Club way back in 1996 and it's still going strong today even when there are other alternatives such as the tea shops which are popping up left and right. Endeavor Philippines said this very positive thing about Steve himself as the founder of the famous local coffee shop: Fast forward to 2015, Bo’s Coffee sets itself apart by serving customers with authentic and unparalleled Filipino hospitality and is vying with international chains, such as Starbucks, and even some local copycats. Bo’s Coffee is in f

Happy Cow Another food review I would like to publish is on Bharat Spice located in IT Park 3 Jose Maria Del Mar, Apas, Cebu City. I remembered having eaten at Cherry's the Spice before eating at this place. I was pretty much ignorant of the differences between North Indian and South Indian cooking. I tend to prefer Indian vegetable dishes so I didn't get quite a good first impression of this place. However, tasting their meat dishes such as tandoori chicken, chicken dosa, and goat rogan josh practically made me fall for this place. I also enjoyed their garlic naan which is my favorite bread from their menu.  What makes this place unique according to proprietor Vijay Vasandani II: Here, there is no Bollywood music blasting through speakers, no Bollywood movie posters plastered on walls, and no belly dancers. “ We wanted a restaurant where you can tell it’s Indian by its food, not by a sort of caricature of what our culture is ,” said Vijay Vasandani II, proprietor of Bharat Spi

#NindotKaayo I could remember back then when Mr. India opened in Gaisano Country Mall before it was closed down and replaced by Rusty's. Back then, I was quite wary of Indian restaurants because of my experience with a restaurant I'll not name but I felt I was five-sixed by it. I remembered learning to drive and going to Gaisano Country Mall to try Mr. India around in 2014. It was a nice cozy place that served affordable Indian food.  The owner Gulab "Soni" Vasnani was the one to try and challenge the stereotypes. I think one of the best strategies he did was to allow some customization in spicy levels. Some like it spicy and some like it mild. I did try to eat at Little India and had my food ordered mild . Indian food can be too spicy for some such as how the South Indian style restaurants carry theirs. My first picks were chicken curry, vegetable shawarma (which had tofu), Indian bread (especially their paratha), and some of their biryani. It was pretty much a good

It's been some time since I did a food review, right? Back then, I remembered how my first love with Taiwanese milk tea was Chatime. Though. when I went to Chatime--I usually ordered fruit tea since I was trying to lose weight. I ended up trying Tiger Sugar which ordering something without sugar doesn't make sense. So, another milk tea I decided to try (via delivery, haven't gone to the branches yet since the pandemic) is ITealicious. ITealicious is founded by Taiwan-born Yuwen Chiu (who's also a Chinese teacher in Cebu Eastern College). It was founded in 2018--the time when I was so devoted to weight loss that I didn't try it until I lost some pounds. In trying to renew my driver's license--I discovered I went from 85 pounds to 79 pounds since I've been doing a lot of cardiovascular exercises during the pandemic. I decided to give ITealicious a shot after I had tasted the food at Jolly Bubble. Jolly Bubble is pretty much the ideal place to get a delicious m

I remembered Chatime became my first favorite tea franchise. Sure, there was Moonleaf near the University of San Carlos-Main Campus (USC-Main) which I wonder if it's still open now. Though, Chatime quickly became my personal favorite for a reason. The one I'm most familiar with is the branch in I.T Park which quickly became my after-meal beverage at times.  Chatime is a worldwide franchise' in the Philippine business environment Chatime's history is described as follows by U-Franchise which I'll give an excerpt: Since 2005, Chatime franchise has been serving millions of customers with their favorite cup of tea, making it part of every occasion, celebration or simply cupping a busy day at work. Chatime was founded in Taiwan in 2005 and in 2011 opened its doors in the Philippines. With a commitment to a quality of ingredients and mix-ins and a flare for innovative flavor combinations, we set out to brew nothing but the very best bubble teas. Chatime has now opened mor

I remembered the time when I saw the video of Little India Healthy Cuisine. I was excited when I first heard about it would open in One Pavilion Mall (OPM)--which I heard got closed due to poor performance. Later, a branch opened in SSY Lahug. Little India Healthy Cuisine would be much different from the other Indian restaurants in Cebu City. The big difference is not just vegetarian but also in being sattvic.   Trying to understand Little India's sattvic food For the sake of those who don't understand what satvic means--you may want to listen to this video before scrolling down. If not, read on if you understand what it means. The idea of sattvic would be to avoid animal flesh and pungent spices. It would be typical for people to go to an Indian restaurant and order some garlic naan or onion paratha. Such dishes are known in places like Bollywood Tandoor, Cherry's the Spice, Bharat Spice, and Hyderabad Dine-In since they're non-vegetarian. Vegetarian dishes in non-vege