Birthday Dinner Suggestions

[Stevephoto 230]

Aloha Everyone!

I will be in the Philippines for 12 nights at the end of May/beginning of June. We are going to Cebu on June 2nd but Joan's birthday is on June 1st. We will be staying at the Lotus Garden Hotel in Ermita (by the U.S. Embassy). I want to do something special for her birthday. We have seen Intramuros/Rizal Park/Chinatown/Downtown Manila in a kalesa and did a dinner cruise along Manila Bay. Does anyone have ideas for a romantic 1/2 day adventure or at least a nice restaurant that won't break the bank?

Salamat!

[Bob & Joana 2]

For downtown manila, if you havent done ocean park and if Joan has never seen something like that(aquariums and such including underwater tunnel) it can be a fun little outing. If you do it in the afternoon you can always stroll on the baywalk and watch the sunset after, which can be romantic.

As for restaurants if you like seafood, My wife specifically requested "Seaside restaurant" in Pasay on valentines day. It is not too expensive unless you buy a lot, and there isnt really a romantic atmosphere but its a pretty neat dining experience. You pick a restaurant(any of them) then you go out and buy your seafood fresh from the market right there, everything is by weight and prices are negotiable. After you bought everything you, you bring it back to restaurant and the re-weigh it to make sure the market people didnt scam you. Then the restaurant will prepare the foods however you want. They charge by weight but I think most things are 150-200 peso to prepare 1kg or less. When I went they added a 40 peso service charge(tip) for our waitress and normally when a place has a mandatory service charge I dont tip but 40 peso is a sad tip so I added a few hundred and it made her day haha.

[LoveLife2 5]

Hello Steve,

I just returned from Cebu last week. We stayed at the Radisson blu and they had a great worldly buffet at their restaurant called Fieria. Top notch and price was reasonable. about $2000 php or $50 bucks for two. Many people go there that don't stay at the hotel so it is popular. It’s a very nice atmosphere and the staff is very attentive. If you see a young man who is a server called Michael, please tell him hello from Brad and Dale. He gave us 100% attention and filled our kids plate every night knowing exactly what they wanted. He even brought a special fruit plate each night for us. Avoid Tuesday and Saturday as that is 50% off and the food was less grade and so many people come in that it’s too busy for a nice dinner. Monday is Seafood night so you can enjoy shrimp as big as your hand, and half lobster served cold. I went for the Filippino soup and put the cold lobster in it as I like my lobster warm. It really made a good soup.

For a true Phil native dinner with the best view in Cebu, go to Lantaw Native Restaurant. Be careful as they have one located on Mactan Island that is the floating restaurant on bamboo but you should really go to the mountain side location as the night views are breathtaking. It is WAY up the hill side/mountain but about 15 minutes from Radisson hotel by the bay. Higher than anything else and all you see is Cebu city lights. It is an open air place, relaxed, food is very good but the view is worth everything. My suggestion is to bring her here but reserve a table as it can be busy. Not too expensive either. Great place for pictures too.

I miss my girl and kids since our stay in cebu so much. I find myself ordering rice instead of french fries when I can. She got me hooked:-) Cebu is a beautiful city at night. We went to Fort San Pedro and that was nice but Magellan cross was just a storm of people wanting you to buy candles and water. You should see the Temple as it's just North of town and very impressive.

OK. That's all. Sorry for the long response but it was within the week I stayed there for 2 weeks and if not for work I would still be there today.

Take care and God bless.

Brad

[Stevephoto 230]

Thanks for the idea! I'll ask Joan!

For downtown manila, if you havent done ocean park and if Joan has never seen something like that(aquariums and such including underwater tunnel) it can be a fun little outing. If you do it in the afternoon you can always stroll on the baywalk and watch the sunset after, which can be romantic.

As for restaurants if you like seafood, My wife specifically requested "Seaside restaurant" in Pasay on valentines day. It is not too expensive unless you buy a lot, and there isnt really a romantic atmosphere but its a pretty neat dining experience. You pick a restaurant(any of them) then you go out and buy your seafood fresh from the market right there, everything is by weight and prices are negotiable. After you bought everything you, you bring it back to restaurant and the re-weigh it to make sure the market people didnt scam you. Then the restaurant will prepare the foods however you want. They charge by weight but I think most things are 150-200 peso to prepare 1kg or less. When I went they added a 40 peso service charge(tip) for our waitress and normally when a place has a mandatory service charge I dont tip but 40 peso is a sad tip so I added a few hundred and it made her day haha.

[Stevephoto 230]

Mmmmmmm those sound great! We are staying in Moalboal which I think is about 2 1/2 hours from Cebu City but I hope we get to see it! Lobster soup sounds terrific!

Hello Steve,

I just returned from Cebu last week. We stayed at the Radisson blu and they had a great worldly buffet at their restaurant called Fieria. Top notch and price was reasonable. about $2000 php or $50 bucks for two. Many people go there that don't stay at the hotel so it is popular. It’s a very nice atmosphere and the staff is very attentive. If you see a young man who is a server called Michael, please tell him hello from Brad and Dale. He gave us 100% attention and filled our kids plate every night knowing exactly what they wanted. He even brought a special fruit plate each night for us. Avoid Tuesday and Saturday as that is 50% off and the food was less grade and so many people come in that it’s too busy for a nice dinner. Monday is Seafood night so you can enjoy shrimp as big as your hand, and half lobster served cold. I went for the Filippino soup and put the cold lobster in it as I like my lobster warm. It really made a good soup.

For a true Phil native dinner with the best view in Cebu, go to Lantaw Native Restaurant. Be careful as they have one located on Mactan Island that is the floating restaurant on bamboo but you should really go to the mountain side location as the night views are breathtaking. It is WAY up the hill side/mountain but about 15 minutes from Radisson hotel by the bay. Higher than anything else and all you see is Cebu city lights. It is an open air place, relaxed, food is very good but the view is worth everything. My suggestion is to bring her here but reserve a table as it can be busy. Not too expensive either. Great place for pictures too.

I miss my girl and kids since our stay in cebu so much. I find myself ordering rice instead of french fries when I can. She got me hooked:-) Cebu is a beautiful city at night. We went to Fort San Pedro and that was nice but Magellan cross was just a storm of people wanting you to buy candles and water. You should see the Temple as it's just North of town and very impressive.

OK. That's all. Sorry for the long response but it was within the week I stayed there for 2 weeks and if not for work I would still be there today.

Take care and God bless.

Brad

[Bob & Joana 2]

Also, I'd like to add that if you dont mind traveling a little bit outside of manila and want something really romantic you may want to consider a trip to tagaytay! Even if its just for a romantic dinner you can have an amazing dinner overlooking lake Taal and Taal Volcano in its center. If traveling there or back during non-peak times from manila to there 2-3hrs via air conditioned bus. The restaurant I like best with the view is called Leslies. You will want an early dinner so you can see the volcano and if you plan it just before the sunset you can get some nice colors(although the actual sunset will be the opposite direction of the volcano sadly). The food is decent but not 5 star by any means but you'd be looking at maybe $30-40 for dinner for 2. If you are wanting a true half-day event out of it start early and go to the Picnic grove(they have a zipline there also if that is your thing), another amazing view of the volcano as well. Tricycle fare from the tagaytay terminal is 60 peso each way(careful they will try to overcharge). Entrance is 50/peso each person. Zipline they have different packages and you can get souvenir mugs with your picture on it. They would send you as a couple down the zipline and take your picture at the end. Also if you want to devote more time to it, you can do a boat ride to the volcano, and ride a horse(more like a pony) up to the crater. I think expect around 2500 peso for the boatride, horse ride, etc. Probably can get less if you send Joan to negotiate a price with you out of sight. The people selling the boat rides are everywhere in tagaytay terminal and will be relentless with their trying to get you to hire them. If you arent interested just be blunt with them or they wont get the picture. If you are interested in tagaytay let me know I lived near there for 1.5years and could give you instruction on how to get there via bus from manila.

Edit: forgot to mention at leslies they have a roaming band(guitars and such) that will serenade. If you tip them they'll often take requests and stay longer at your table, which if you like private dinner can become an annoyance but they are really talented.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Bob & Joana

[Stevephoto 230]

SUPER!

Also, I'd like to add that if you dont mind traveling a little bit outside of manila and want something really romantic you may want to consider a trip to tagaytay! Even if its just for a romantic dinner you can have an amazing dinner overlooking lake Taal and Taal Volcano in its center. If traveling there or back during non-peak times from manila to there 2-3hrs via air conditioned bus. The restaurant I like best with the view is called Leslies. You will want an early dinner so you can see the volcano and if you plan it just before the sunset you can get some nice colors(although the actual sunset will be the opposite direction of the volcano sadly). The food is decent but not 5 star by any means but you'd be looking at maybe $30-40 for dinner for 2. If you are wanting a true half-day event out of it start early and go to the Picnic grove(they have a zipline there also if that is your thing), another amazing view of the volcano as well. Tricycle fare from the tagaytay terminal is 60 peso each way(careful they will try to overcharge). Entrance is 50/peso each person. Zipline they have different packages and you can get souvenir mugs with your picture on it. They would send you as a couple down the zipline and take your picture at the end. Also if you want to devote more time to it, you can do a boat ride to the volcano, and ride a horse(more like a pony) up to the crater. I think expect around 2500 peso for the boatride, horse ride, etc. Probably can get less if you send Joan to negotiate a price with you out of sight. The people selling the boat rides are everywhere in tagaytay terminal and will be relentless with their trying to get you to hire them. If you arent interested just be blunt with them or they wont get the picture. If you are interested in tagaytay let me know I lived near there for 1.5years and could give you instruction on how to get there via bus from manila.

Edit: forgot to mention at leslies they have a roaming band(guitars and such) that will serenade. If you tip them they'll often take requests and stay longer at your table, which if you like private dinner can become an annoyance but they are really talented.

[Travelpro 3]

For romantic dinner, I would suggest the roof deck at the Bayleaf Hotel. Fantastic view of Manila bay and city skyscrapers. Food is pretty good but don't give it 5 star. I do give the atmosphere and view 5 star though. If you have the time, just go for some drinks then move on to another place for dinner.

I love restaurants with a view. So, I can recommend 2 places in Cebu:

- Tops. Its on top of the mountain overlooking Cebu city. Food is just OK. Its Filipino BBQ. The view is the best in the city. Full view of the city. Inside seating only

- Mr. A's. This is my favorite in Cebu. Its up the same mountain but not as far up. Food is typical Filipino food and very good. The view is only partial city compared to Tops but still looking over Cebu City to Mactan. I like Mr A's better than Tops for the menu and the fact you can sit outside.

There are many restaurants in the Mall of Asia which can give you a great views of Manila Bay. So many to choose from.

Make sure to visit Kawasan Falls in Moalboal. If your up for some extreme adventure, take a look at Planet Action Adventures in Moalboal.

I've been using the same driver is Cebu for a few years now. If you need an honest reliable driver, let me know.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Jeff1970

[Mogambi 96]

Be careful about Tagatay. You will never be harassed as much as you will being a white guy there. As we pulled into the area, people were literally chasing our car, trying to get us to buy a boat tour to the volcano. They were literally hanging off the car! We went to the park that overlooks it, and we could barely move there were so many people accosting me. I hated every single second, and I would never set foot in that horrid place again.

I understand that life is tough there, but what we experienced was just annoying, it was harassment, and it was dangerous. They were chasing our car on mopeds, etc.

It was by far the worst I experienced in all my travels in the Philippines. Intramurous was a close second as two bicycle taxis kept following us and shouting at us, and fighting with each other. They literally ruined that experience too.

As for restuarants in Manila, I'm not even sure what fancy ones there are. The Sophitel in Manila has a nice restaurant and a nice brunch. The Manila Hotel is fun, near intramurous, since it's historical, and they have a big brunch, the food is ok, not brilliant.

Too bad you're not going to Dumaguete, had one of my favorite meals ever there, at a place called Casablanca, run by some crazy ex-pat Austrian named Gunther.

In Cebu, I can't remember the places we ate, we did eat a couple of times at the restaurant at the Cebu White Sands hotel, wasn't too bad. Nothing super fancy, but pretty good food.

[Stevephoto 230]

Thanks for the tips and cautions everyone! We would probably do a tour of Tagatay if we go...I guess we've been lucky with Intramuros so far but it is a good reminder anyway.

Thanks Jeff...Yes please send me a private message with the information...

For romantic dinner, I would suggest the roof deck at the Bayleaf Hotel. Fantastic view of Manila bay and city skyscrapers. Food is pretty good but don't give it 5 star. I do give the atmosphere and view 5 star though. If you have the time, just go for some drinks then move on to another place for dinner.

I love restaurants with a view. So, I can recommend 2 places in Cebu:

- Tops. Its on top of the mountain overlooking Cebu city. Food is just OK. Its Filipino BBQ. The view is the best in the city. Full view of the city. Inside seating only

- Mr. A's. This is my favorite in Cebu. Its up the same mountain but not as far up. Food is typical Filipino food and very good. The view is only partial city compared to Tops but still looking over Cebu City to Mactan. I like Mr A's better than Tops for the menu and the fact you can sit outside.

There are many restaurants in the Mall of Asia which can give you a great views of Manila Bay. So many to choose from.

Make sure to visit Kawasan Falls in Moalboal. If your up for some extreme adventure, take a look at Planet Action Adventures in Moalboal.

I've been using the same driver is Cebu for a few years now. If you need an honest reliable driver, let me know.

[Travelpro 3]

PM Sent

[Bob & Joana 2]

Be careful about Tagatay. You will never be harassed as much as you will being a white guy there. As we pulled into the area, people were literally chasing our car, trying to get us to buy a boat tour to the volcano. They were literally hanging off the car! We went to the park that overlooks it, and we could barely move there were so many people accosting me. I hated every single second, and I would never set foot in that horrid place again.

I understand that life is tough there, but what we experienced was just annoying, it was harassment, and it was dangerous. They were chasing our car on mopeds, etc.

It was by far the worst I experienced in all my travels in the Philippines. Intramurous was a close second as two bicycle taxis kept following us and shouting at us, and fighting with each other. They literally ruined that experience too.

As for restuarants in Manila, I'm not even sure what fancy ones there are. The Sophitel in Manila has a nice restaurant and a nice brunch. The Manila Hotel is fun, near intramurous, since it's historical, and they have a big brunch, the food is ok, not brilliant.

Too bad you're not going to Dumaguete, had one of my favorite meals ever there, at a place called Casablanca, run by some crazy ex-pat Austrian named Gunther.

In Cebu, I can't remember the places we ate, we did eat a couple of times at the restaurant at the Cebu White Sands hotel, wasn't too bad. Nothing super fancy, but pretty good food.

I am surprised they would be that persistent with you in Tagaytay or anywhere for that matter. I know a lot of people have tried to sell me boat rides but telling them a simple, calm "No, im not interested" or "I've already been there" and keep walking is all it has ever taken me to be rid of them and nobody tried beyond that. I dont dress to draw attention to myself and being 31, maybe they didnt feel my money tree has bloomed yet in the back yard. Just ignore them like the beggars and they tend to go away.