The Travelling Feet

When travelling to a new place, one of the things that you must do is enjoy the local food in the area. You should never be afraid to try local delicacies. And when you do decide to go on a food trip, be sure to do some research and check out the best places to eat in a particular city.

Growing up in the wonderful city of Cebu gave me the opportunity to identify the best restuarants in Cebu that you won’t find elsewhere. And that’s where you should start your dining experience – to unique and authentic Cebu-based restaurants and East, West cafe is one of them.

A few years back, I remember dining at East West and the moment I tasted their signature crepes, I fell in love with that small cafe. What I didn’t know is that East, West Cafe would prove to be one of those few restaurants in the city that would become successful and survive the harsh and picky taste buds of the Cebuano crowd.

You see, putting up a business in Cebu is not that easy. With the Cebuanos’ frugal nature, one would opt to spend their money wisely. And setting up a food business is even tougher. You have to win over the hearts of millions of Cebuanos if you want to survive in the food industry. In fact, many huge retail chains have tried but only a few succeeded. And I’m happy to say that my favorite dessert restaurant in Cebu is still alive and kicking. Oh yeah!

During the past, whenever I dine at East, West Cafe, I always order my favorite mango sushi crepe. The crepe tastes so good that you will forget your name for a second. That’s why even if new crepe stores or stalls invaded the malls of Cebu, I’d still follow my heart’s desire and my taste bud’s yearning to devour on those yummy crepes at East West Cafe.

my all-time favorite Mango Sushi Crepe

What I didn’t expect was that I would get the chance to personally meet the owner of my favorite dessert place in Cebu through a random travel adventure at Moalboal. It would be on our second meet-up (at the Cebu Blog Camp3) that I would discover that one of my free diving companions during that Moalboal trip would be the guy behind East, West Cafe – Hendri Go. Being a travel buff, Hendri lights up at the slightest mention of travel adventures and he couldn’t wait to share his own stories during his travels around the world.

East West Cafe is located at the The Walk in IT Park, Cebu City. It currently re-opened and added more food choices on its menu after getting a new face lift, opening more seats on its mezzanine area. I also got the chance to ask Hendri about the history behind east, west and here’s what he had to say…

Doi: What’s the story behind East, West?
Hendri:  Back in 2000, we had just imported a lot of stuff from Italy, that included coffee machines, crepe machines, and Panini grills and I wanted to use/showcase that. That’s the family business kasi, Hug Marketing Inc. We sell food processing, restaurant and bakery equipment; and weighing scales.

Bananas and  Salted Caramel Crepe

Doi: How did crepes got in the picture?
Hendri: I like crepes and I thought it would be a good compliment to the coffee. Also, my goal really is to have a good place for crepes and casual dining in Cebu, infused with a bit of world music, loungey, and travel inspiration.

Bananas, Peanut Butter and Jelly Pocket Crepe

Teriyaki Chicken

Doi: Why the name East West?
Hendri: East, West (note the comma) is from a Salman Rushdie book of short stories that I like. It’s a good way to describe what our food is, what we serve and who we are as Cebuanos/Filipinos. That we are the most western country in Asia and the confluence of two cultures is most prevalent and noticeable here. That we are a mix of east and west and I like to infuse what I like. So once in a while you’ll find shirts for sale, posters of theater shows that I produce, and sayings on the wall that I like.

Spaghetti Meat Sauce Pasta

Doi: Don’t you have plans of branching out?
Hendri: No. It’s a very personal business. I guess that’s why its never really ‘grown’ but I like it that way. It’s more manageable and less corporate.

Bacon Breakfast with egg and rice

Doi: Where was the first east west cafe located?
Hendri: East, West’s  first branch was across the Emergency Room of Cebu Doc back in 2000. We started with just coffee then added food over the years.

Garlic Cream and Sausage Pasta

Doi: I’m seeing that you just renovated the place and added new interesting items in your menu. Can you tell me more about them?
Hendri: We have new crepes, new pasta, and new main meals! Our new crepes include the Bananas and Salted Caramel (my new favorite), Red Velvet and Green Tea & Mango. As for the pasta, we added the Chili Lime Cream and Chicken pasta. For the meals, our latest offerings include the Pepper Pork Steak and the Korean Fried Chicken Wings.

Green Tea and Mango Crepe

Red Velvet Crepe; photo credit: kurtzky

Doi: Sounds yummy! Can you tell me what are your top picks on your menu?
Hendri: It’s really difficult since all of the food we have are delicious. But if I were to pick, my favorites would be the Garlic Cream and Sausage Pasta, Mango Strawberry Slush and of course, the timeless Mango Sushi crepe.

And true to Hendri’s top picks, those are also my favorites at East West Cafe. In fact, I fell in love with crepes because of that heavenly mango sushi. It’s a must-try when you visit Cebu! I also like the garlic cream and sausage pasta. The sweet taste of the sausage compliments the garlic cream pasta and I simply love it.

Bananas and Hazelnut Crepe; photo credit: kurtzky

So if you are first-timers in Cebu and wanted to know the best place to eat dessert in Cebu or if you are looking for restaurants in Cebu, I highly recommend you visit East, West Cafe. And if you are dining as a group, you can reserve the mezzanine level for a more private dining experience.

Travel Bloggers enjoying the food at East, West Café

Do you have your own East, West story? Do share them as I’d love to hear them too!

East, West
The Walk, IT Park, Cebu City
+63 032 4158058
Facebook: east, west
Twitter: @cebueastwest

East West Cafe hours of operation:
Mon – Sat: 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Sun: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

For more East West Cafe in Cebu stories from friends, check this out:
http://www.thetravelingnomad.com/2011/12/day-4-where-to-eat-at-it-park-cebu-city.html
http://www.looneyplanet.net/2013/01/home-of-savory-crepe-in-town-east-west.html
http://www.kurtzky.com/of-pasta-and-crepes-eastwest-cafe-in-cebu-city/
http://thebisdakexplorer.blogspot.com/2013/01/eastwest-cafe.html

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Fresh from our quick stop-over at the neighboring town of Boljoon, we impatiently waited for a bus that will take us to that famous junction at the town of Dalaguete. We were on our way to conquer Cebu’s highest peak, the Osmeña Peak.

This was my third climb in a span of one year. The first one happened November 2011 where I joined three of my friends on a spur-of-the-moment trek to witness the scenic and captivating view of O’Peak, as well as the mountain ranges that surround it. I’m not really a mountain person (if there’s even such word) but the moment I learned that my friend was summiting Cebu’s highest point, I could almost feel my feet clapping in excitement while my shoulders giggled at the thought of joining him and friends to accomplish what I thought would be an extreme adventure of a lifetime.

Osmeña Peak, rising more than 1000 meters above sea level, is considered to be the highest peak in the province of Cebu. The peak is a favorite trekking destination among campers and mountaineers. Although the actual climb starting from the foot of the mountain is not entirely that difficult, the trail going there proves to be more challenging.

There are different entry points to reach O’Peak but the common one is through that junction at the town of Dalaguete, southwest of Cebu. We had to endure the deafening chorus of habal-habal drivers who persistently convinced us to hire them for the 30-minute ride to Mantalongon, the small village that houses Cebu’s rooftop. Soon after, we found ourselves cruising uphill while traversing the winding road leading to Mantalongon. Though 95% of the road is well-paved, it won’t guarantee a sore less ride, not to mention the chance of rolling down deep into ravines if extra caution is not practiced.

We knew we were almost near the village when the temperature suddenly dropped and the cold wind started kissing our naked skin. During the cold and wet season, temperature even drops to as low as 18 degrees Celsius. Because of the cool weather in this side of Cebu, the signage that says “Summer Capital of Cebu” greeted us as we reached the village. In fact, Mantalongon is also dubbed as the “little Baguio of Cebu”. It’s also safe to coin it as Cebu’s vegetable capital since majority of Cebu’s vegetables are grown here.

It won’t be another 15 minutes before we reached the foot of the peak when we asked a habal-habal driver to take us all the way to the foot of the mountain during our third trek. We were pressed with time, you see, and we might not witness the enchanting beauty of the sunset. But on my first attempt to conquer O’Peak, my friends and I decided to embark on that 2-hour scenic trek to also witness how simple life unfolded in that quaint town.

The road leading to the foot of the mountain is covered with white limestone rocks. It’s a guaranteed butt-numbing ride via a habal-habal but the 2-hour trek is even more tiresome as we walked up and down hills before reaching the base of the mountain on a hot afternoon. I guess the only consolation to subjecting ourselves to that agony was the chance of meeting friendly locals on the way while admiring the beauty of the mountain ranges that revealed their exquisite shapes as we got nearer.

Before starting off the real climb, we asked kids to point us to where we can refill our supply of water as access to fresh water is nearby. What we didn’t expect was meeting the most stubborn creature that delayed our trek. A cow blocked our way. No matter what we tried, it won’t budge and won’t allow access to the trail behind him. Turned out we were headed the wrong way. I could almost imagine the cow scoffing at four idiots who tried to cow-talk him to invade his private space.

After getting side-tracked, my friends and I started the 30-minute climb to reach the summit. The trek was not difficult. However, the easy climb may be a challenge when the heavens decide to shower the vast vegetation in Mantalongon. One must be prepared for that muddy and slippery trek. Zero visibility is not far from happening too. But on regular days, the mountain trail is visible, rocks that form the trail becomes handy as they provide a good grip for wandering soles.

Before we knew it, we’ve already reached the top. Standing on Cebu’s highest Peak fattened our hearts with pride as we finally made it to the summit. Wherever we look, the magnificent karst topography greeted our weary body and refreshed our exhausted spirits. The vast mountain ranges that extend beyond the horizon are reminiscent of the Chocolate Hills in Bohol except that those in O’Peak have pointed hilltops. On a clear day, one will get a glimpse of the neighboring island of Negros and a peek below shows off Badian Island, famed for its pristine beach, and Pescador Island, a diving haven for underwater enthusiasts.

No words could describe how lucky and happy all of us felt when we reached the captivating and breathtaking view of Osmeña Peak. Watch out for the unforgiving cold wind though as it takes joy in teasing curious trekkers, sending shivers of goose bumps all over for that dramatic touch.

South of where we were standing, dark clouds started gliding towards us threatening to ruin our chances of kissing the sun goodnight at Cebu’s highest summit. By this time, the chilling wind whispered caution to our freezing ears to start heading back before the entire peak gets covered with fog and rain. We unwillingly accepted defeat. We gave up too easily and declared it was time to head back to the village for our own safety.

Osmeña Peak welcomes anyone who wishes to call upon her. The easy climb to see her is a clear gesture of her warm reception. All she asks in return is that you treat her with care and she’ll surely return the favor. The experience of summiting Cebu’s highest peak will not only leave you breathless but will surely rejuvenate your soul.

Aside from stunning beaches and great-tasting lechon, Cebu is also famous for making world-class export products. In fact, Cebu is one of the leading exporters of furniture, fashion accessories and other products like toys, gift and souvenir items, food and more. So if you ever travel to Cebu, you should not miss buying a pasalubong (home coming gift) to bring home to your family and friends.

If you are looking into buying a furniture, you can check out the works of the multi-awarded designer Kenneth Cobonpue or other local designers. But if you are looking for something cheap and inexpensive and want to know what pasalubong  to buy, you can choose to buy dried mangoes, danggit and other dried fish, rosquillos, salvaro, turrones de mani, galletas, pinasugbo and more. If you wanted to buy a keepsake from your trip in Cebu, then you can buy key chains and ref magnets. You can also buy fashion accessories, handicraft bags or even a guitar.

But I guess your dilemma lies in knowing where to buy cheap souvenirs in Cebu, right? Fret no more since it’s not that difficult to find a souvenir shop in Cebu that sells inexpensive gift items.

All you need to do is go to SM City Cebu. Once you are there, go to the back part of the mall and walk outside its parking area because you will be discovering the best place to buy pasalubongs during your stay in Cebu City.

beaded and silver bracelets

In case you don’t know the way or are lost, just ask the locals in the area where you will find the borloloyan shops or the Tabo sa Banay outlets at the back of SM City Cebu. Yeah. These souvenir shops in Cebu are selling souvenir items like hot pancakes due to its affordable rates. The different items sold at the borloloyan near SM are so cheap that you’d have trouble running out of funds the moment you decide to hoard all the beautiful souvenirs you can find.

assorted native and fashion necklaces

Borloloy is actually the Bisaya (Cebuano) term for fashion accessories. And with the city’s effort to create a common place where sellers can showcase their handicraft products together with their fashion accessories, this area at the back of SM became the perfect venue to house all of the local entrepreneur’s goods. As such, the Borloloyan materialized.

cousin Cyril buying souvenirs for his friends and colleagues

ref magnets with different designs, decorative wooden boats, guitar keychains

Surprisingly, the prices of the items sold here are very affordable and super cheap. Although you can also find similar items inside the Ayala or SM malls, they sell the same items with a minimum add-on of P10 each. And this is why shopping at the Borloloyan for your pasalubong is way better as you’ll  get to save a lot of money.

fish coin leather purse, handicraft bags, coconut shell handbags, shell bags

Whenever you want to look for cheap Cebu pasalubong when you visit the city, just tell your friends and ask directions on how to get to  the back side of SM. you can also hire a taxicab and tell the driver that you want to go to the Borloloyan at the back of SM City Cebu.

How to get there:

- Hail a taxi cab
- Ride a jeep with the following signage – 01K, 04L, 22D, 22G, 22E, 23 and 27 jeepneys

January’s almost over and am still talking about Christmas presents, and this time it’s the gift of climbing Osmena Peak. Anyway, this is the last installment of my Best Christmas Gift series wherein I received the perfect gifts last Christmas of 2011. For the benefit of those who have not read the 1st two posts, I got the perfect gifts last Christmas in the form of travel adventures. I never imagined I would end the year swimming with whale sharks in Oslob or be transported back in time as my friends and I did the Boljoon Heritage walk and almost jumped off the boardwalk and swam in the town plaza of Boljoon. What’s more crazy is climbing Cebu’s highest peak, the Osmeña Peak in Mantalungon, Dalaguete, Cebu, again! And this is what this last series is all about, my second climb to Osmeña Peak.

Now that I am composing this post, I couldn’t help scratch the back of my head and chuckle as I recall what we just did last December. It was by far the most exhillirating and adventurous trip I did in my entire life. char! For a day, we visited three towns in the south of Cebu where crazy adventures awaited us. Without considering the possibility of those whale sharks in Oslob mistaking us for food, we carelessly carefully swam the seawaters of Oslob to get up close and personal with those whale sharks. Seeing the heritage sites of Boljoon allowed us the chance to get a glimpse of our past. And then the climb…

The Perfect Gift # 3

Climbing Osmeña Peak

Honestly, I have no idea what I was thinking on why I agreed to climb Osmeña Peak again. Last November 2011, my friends and I climbed the peak for the first time and I almost didn’t make it to the top due to an injury which I’ll share in another post But I guess my travelling feet are just too stubborn and never hesitated the invitation to climb the peak again

my turtle pace. care to guess who reached the peak last?

The plan was to make sure we reached the top of the peak before sunset. After doing the Boljoon heritage walk, we travelled to Mantalungon, Dalaguete using our other companion’s SUV. Free ride! Wohooo! I’m happy that we were able to save a few bucks  (P95) with that free ride up to the jump off point of the climb

L-R: moi, edcel c. and sheena, christine, cris, edcel s. and andrew

It normally takes 1.5 – 2.5 hours to reach the peak depending on your pace. But since we were dropped off half-way down the trail, we were able to cut the time in hiking to reach the top. We could have asked to be dropped off at the foot of the peak where we could reach the top in 30 minutes but some of my companions wanted to hike. I originally planned to start the trek from the foot of the peak too to avoid what happened on my first climb but since majority of the group wanted to hike, the rest of those who wanted to follow the shorter trek were led to believed that that was the start of the short climb Am just glad no one complained why it took them more than 30 minutes to reach the peak. peace!

Trivia: All cities/towns/village/barangays in the Philippines have their own basketball courts and this small village in Mantalungon, Dalaguete, Cebu is no exception

And since I’m travelling with my fellow Pinoy Travel Bloggers, we couldn’t help make unscheduled stops to take photos of the place and of themselves (me not included )

stop-overs like this extends the trek time

foot of Osmena Peak where it will take 30 minutes to reach the top

During this time, the trail was not dry. It wasn’t too muddy either but enough to make you slip in case you don’t watch your step.

Reaching Osmeña Peak

This makeshift bamboo pole gate is the entrance to the peak. You need to pay P20 per head but since this was our second time, Ed tried his haggling skills with the kids guarding the entrance and was able to get a P5 discount for each head. Besides, those kids still remembered us not because we climbed there the month before but because of my epic injury. hahaha

Lo and behold! The highest peak in Cebu, the Osmena Peak!

There are quite a number of peaks in there and one can’t help wonder which peak is really the highest. I wonder if they measured its height. If you are familiar with the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, you will notice that they looked kinda similar. The only difference is that this one’s pointed whereas the Chocolate Hills in Bohol are round-shaped. These pointed mountain ranges are also visible from Moalboal if you are on your way to Pescador Island and you can also see Cebu’s neighboring islands – Bohol and Negros from the top.

one of our death-defying stunts to climb each mini peak just to have our own spots

Osmeña Peak offers different magnificent sights for your eyes to feast on. All you need to do is make a 360-degree turn and you will witness one of God’s wonders I’m sorry if I can’t describe it properly You just have to be there to see for yourself. hehehe.

guess who took the picture…definitely not me

the reason of our choice of time to climb Osmena Peak – S-U-N-S-E-T!

Edgar levitated! (no camera trick here)

the best way to watch the sunset

group pic before the fog ate the entire peak

Tips on the descent from the Osmeña Peak

As soon as the sunset was over, the entire place was covered with fog. Some of us were shivering due to the sudden drop of the temperature. We had to collect all our stuff and hurry our way down the mountain. It was dark and foggy and not all were able to bring  a flashlight. Some of our companions had to make do with the built-in flashlights in their cellphones. Some relied on the person infront of them who’s got a  flashlight. The others had to keep up with the kid-guide who was leading the way.

The descent is not really that scary unless the trail is muddy. In our case, it wasn’t. But the ground was not dry too so there were some parts of the trail where it was really slippery.

You just have to be careful and watch where your foot lands. It is also best to remember the trail when climbing up as you will need that memory when descending from the peak. If you are not sure where your feet lands or how stable the soil is, it’s best to just sit and glide to avoid any accidents.

Also make sure you have a buddy with you when you descend since you will be needing each other’s support in case either one slips. Your buddy will also come in handy when showing you the pathway or letting you know the sudden change in the trail.

our thankful faces after reaching the foot of the peak unscathed awoooooo!

Although I just climbed oPeak a month ago, the trek to the top still did not fail to make me say “huwaw!”, “nice!” or silently smile at the beauty that unfolded in front of me. What’s more fulfilling was hearing my companion’s, who were also first-timers to climb the peak, positive remarks about the whole climb, the whole trip for that matter. It made my heart glow with joy and made me more proud to be a Cebuano as they witnessed the majesty of one of my province’ hidden gems.

Travel Essentials to Climb Osmeña Peak

• drinking water (there’s a fresh water at the foot of the mountain where you can refill your water bottles if you want to)
• flashlight – a must if you are descending at night
• jacket or sweater
• food in case you get hungry (ie. bread, chips, banana, biscuits)
• change clothes (optional)
• sunblock to protect you from the sun’s rays (optional depending on how OC you are. LOL. )

What to Wear

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This is Part 3 of my Best Christmas Gift series where me and a couple of my friends from my Pinoy Travel Bloggers group went on a day trip to the south of Cebu to experience 3 amazing adventures. To checkout Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, visit the link below 

Part I: The Best Christmas Present: Swimming with Whale Sharks
Part II: The Best Christmas Present: Boljoon Heritage Walk

For more photos of the Osmena Peak climb, check out the FB Page here.

The hardest part about a great travel adventure is to get back into reality, perhaps think twice then retrace your steps, gather your thoughts and make sure you are right on schedule and move on to the next adventure on the list. This was what I felt when I left those whale sharks in Oslob. 40 minutes was not enough! I still wanted to swim with them even if it meant paying P200 more. But I knew there’s always gonna be a next time so with a heavy heart and a grumbling stomach seeking to break the fast, we had to leave Oslob and headed to the next town on our list – Boljoon, where we saw their historical landmarks and enjoyed the Boljoon Heritage Walk.

This wasn’t my 1st time in Boljoon. Just a month ago, me and my fellow travel buddies Ed, Edwin and Dom accidentally crashed their town’s fiesta. We were not that lucky though in getting invited to dine at one of the houses that celebrated the feast of the town’s patron saint. We never knew there were other things we could have done and seen in Boljoon. Luckily, on the eve of Christmas Eve my travelling feet found its way back to this town again.

The Perfect Gift # 2

Boljoon Heritage Walk and Jumping off the Boardwalk

Boljo-on, pronounced as Bol-ho-on, is the 2nd to the last town located south of Cebu. The beautiful street lamps that decorates the coastal area of this town is what you’ll notice the first time you’ll lay your eyes on her. As you get nearer, you will see an arch at the right side where 3 angel statues stands as if trumpeting your arrival. The arch is the gateway to Cebu’s oldest remaining original stone church, the Patrocinio de Maria (Boljoon Church).

Artifacts have been discovered in the area linking Cebuanos to their heritage. These artifacts, together with the town’s relics and other important historical items are well-preserved in their museum and is available for the public’s viewing.

The town of Boljo-on is not only famous for those structures within the Church Complex – the Rectory, Belfry, Plaza Cemetery, Escuela Catolica, El Grande Baluarte and the Gates and Walls. This town has much more to offer.

After touring the Boljoon Church Complex, we decided to check out the platform in the town plaza. Although we just finished swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, the perfect weather couldn’t stop my travel buddies from getting excited at the sight of that platform. They immediately tested the depth of the waters and were soon jumping off the boardwalk. They looked like kids who were unleashed from their cages playpens as they took turns in jumping off the shallow waters.

I was so tempted to join my friends but the tide wasn’t that high. Some of them even had bruises after their jumps but they never paid attention to the pain as the thrill and fun jumping off the boardwalk of Boljoon was enough to keep them pumped up from the semi-dangerous stunts they were doing