With Asia finally reopening to tourists, after nearly two years in lockdown, we were so excited
to finally make it, to a few of the countries we dreamed about visiting, when we first planned our
full-time travels, including the Philippines. Lucky for us, we were starting in Cebu at the
same time that our friends would be there. So we would have a Cebu area local to show
us some of the best spots in the city. Starting of course, with some delicious local, Cebu food.
Salamat (Greetings).
What is pochero?
It's a Cebu speciality, it's like a beef bone soup. It's like a beef bone with a lot of meat on it. It's really good.
It comes with some veggies in it too. This place specializes in it, that's why "Pocherohan".
This is actually my first time here. I would like to know what makes it the best, and that's why you're here with us.
Yeah, I mean actually Jumi was born and raised here she even went to school
here. So, she's like a very local person when it comes to taking us around, but it's been a very long time for her.
It's been a very long time.
And a lot of new places opened up in between.
I mean, I'm so, I'm so shocked of what all the changes this city has been (through).
It's been like three years since the last time I was here pre-pandemic.
We're four starving humans, so help us decide what to eat.
Right, you can choose either large or XL (extra large) (pochero).
That's what we were thinking, yeah one of them.
... the sour special.
Ok and crab meat cakes.
Crab cakes, how many?
Oh, wow.
There's a lot of greens, I like that.
Yeah, I like that, ooh and what is this?
Tortang Talong, eggplant, how do you say it?
Eggplant Omelette (omelette).
Oh Steve, your two favorite things, omelette and eggplant in one place.
I'm gonna love that, this is a massive bowl.
This is large, we didn't even get the XL.
Oh my God.
I think this is perfect (I think so too).
Can you lift it up once more, for this side. (The meat or the bone?) Anything you want.
Uhh, let's do it then.
And Greg is definitely the food expert over here (yeah), so we're very happy to be here with him (yup).
Food and Footprints!
(whistling) yeah!
Yes, yes yes, ooh! Is this supposed to be put here?
No, no, no, you're doing it legit (wrong?) like that's how we kind of do it.
Oh really? super rice and uh first yes
We soup our rice and, uh, first, yes.
Oh my god, well...
Yeah, good job, I didn't teach you, but...
I'm a natural Filipino.
Yeah, you're adopted now.
(mmhm) Wow I love beef and it's so good I like the juicy kind of like it gives a
different kind of flavor on the rice as well, so you don't eat it
plain you're actually eating the most juicy and fatty way with this meat and I love it!
Wow
Look at that crab
Did you have it?
Give me that Greg face, here.
(mmhmm) amazing.
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There is nothing left on the table (a little bit). We literally finished everything (a little bit of crab).
Look at this!
That's so clean (yeah).
You did a great job on that (thank you).
(There's nothing left) I'm so happy that I'm never gonna be hungry in Philippines as they
thought that I would be (nope). There's so much more than the pork itself.
Who ate here?
What I was saying was that,
Anthony Bourdain he is, he was an international chef (yeah), he came to visit this place.
(Oh my god) When was it? When was it?
Probably about 5 years ago when he was still alive. (wow) Yeah 5 years ago. (wow)
But, did he film it auntie?
Yes, he did.
Thank you! Salamat!
Stay safe (thank you) Stay Safe!
All right that was an incredible meal, can't wait to see more of Cebu now that we're well fed, but
apparently Anthony Bourdain has even eaten here. We'll keep going around Cebu though because this
place has been amazing so far and we're super thankful as we have a local to take us around.
After seeing a bit of the city, it's time to go from one Cebu specialty, to another for lunch.
Jumi, (yes) tell us what they are.
Oh my gosh, look at that. So this is, this is the beef, lechon baka, pollo and pinakbet.
Vegetables, so we're waiting for one more order which is lechon baboy. (okay)
But man, it looks good (it does). This is the first time we're seeing (its like beef rib, right?) this, I mean beef lechon.
Yeah, they usually eat with pork of course, but I don't eat pork so...
Here it comes, here it comes
Oh man and it smells amazing (yeah)
oh wow
The pork skin and then the meat at the bottom. (oh wow) Oh, it smells delicious!
Wow, it looks, wow.
Ready to eat.
And then we've never tried garlic rice before, right?
First time trying garlic rice as far as I know.
First time and...
Garlic rice is good.
Garlic rice, let me take... mmhm garlicy.
And how did you know this place?
Well this is a famous place. It's highly recommended by
friends, so yeah.
That's awesome.
It has become a chain. Like, it is now a chain (and its called?). It used to be just like a little one (restaurant).
Rico's Lechon (Rico's Lechon). Yeah.
Okay, awesome. Bon Apetit.
Ready to eat.
Lechon was incredibly delicious and we could easily see why
it's a Filipino favorite! But, we still have just enough room for a classic afternoon snack.
Okay, so this is (Ice Castle) a place for halo halo.
Yes and we're gonna share one because its a dessert before dinner not a dessert after dinner.
Vanilla, strawberry, mango and chocolate (flavors).
Do you have any preference boss (I'd say mango)
Chocolate (chocolate?) One of them? (yeah) Chocolate! (chocolate, chocolate) Okay!
Oh my god, (wow) look at that!
Now that is the most colorful ice cream I've ever seen!
Halo Halo (Halo Halo)!
so what is Ube exactly?
It is... purple yam (purple yam).
Yeah, it's kind of like a sweet potato, yam, you know (okay okay)...
But it's naturally purple (from potato family).
Wow, it's not like super sweet, it's like so perfect. It kind of reminds me of like
matcha in a sense, not the taste wise, but like how matcha is like, so right there without overwhelming
you and it's still so delicious. I feel like you'll like it much more than matcha Steve.
Oh wow! (That's so good, right?) Yeah, you gotta mix that for sure, wow.
There's so many, I got a big taste of that coconut too at the bottom, that's freaking delicious. (yeah)
I'm so glad you forced us to try this.
I haven't halo halo'd yet, is "halo" a Filipino word? (yeah) Okay. (mix mix)
Do you think I halo'd enough?
more because I see more...
Oh man.
Hold on to your cup!
Wow, it's really good,
oh my God I don't even know how to describe this! This is like such an amazing dessert.
Wow and it's not like creamy, like a regular ice cream. I have a lactose intolerance and it kind of like...
I don't like it so much. Oh apparently she (Jumi) has it too so it's perfect. it's legitimately perfect.
Oh yeah, I got the jelly there too this time.
Yeah, oh yea.
Yeah because bottom is all shaved ice.
The corn, the jellies, that's like, wow!
There's like a little flan piece in there I don't know if you had it.
I always wonder like, (so much) who came up with this like, (halo halo) just like let's mix everything together...
True, a genius.
That, I don't know (a genius).
Is it a Filipino dessert?
It's more of a merienda, like an afternoon snack (merienda) Merienda (okay).
Like a few hours after lunch and a few hours before dinner. Maybe some people will
find you find them eating this after dinner or after lunch right away, but it's more of like an afternoon snack.
Do you eat it just like plain or do you eat it with anything?
Well, I personally used to eat this with like bread (bread?) outside, bread.
Did you dip bread in it?
Yeah (wow). Like dip it and like
eat the bread and like and then eat, then drink it, I don't know scoop it, drink it.
Oh my god, never dip my bread into something icy before. I want to try, I wonder how it tastes like!
That's me personally, yeah I love it.
We are going to put this down here and I'm actually going to enjoy this.
And after we will go to dinner. (yes, yes)
I'm still eating.
A lot of people say "don't stay too long in Cebu city", but there
is so many cool spots to offer, so glad we're doing it with a local.
Okay, so we came to Sugbo Mercado
here in the central part of Cebu. It is a new school kind of food court and it has foods
from all around the world and they have plenty of Filipino food as well, so we're gonna go look
around and probably grab a few drinks and just enjoy being here for the night. This is definitely
a cool spot, loving it so far.
...classically its pork, but they also have a seafood too, its like chopped up with onions and eggs, it's good.
Okay, good to know, is this a breakfast dish?
Yeah, its like rice with egg (rice and egg) and you can get it with different meats and/or fish.
That's something you should definitely try while you're here.
Classic barbecue ones? (it's like yeah, classic barbecue) Oh you want some food, you want some food?
Thank you very much! (thank you sir) Thank you guys! Thank you, bye-bye. Good bye!
Well, I got lechon baka which
is going to be beef lechon, not the pork lechon (which is more traditional here in Cebu), but it looks
incredible and the reason I got it is because the place was called Steve's Lechon.
Hi!
Greg and I decided to get some cannolis.
We are New Yorkers, it's what we gotta do.
We're gonna do the New Yorker style Cebu Philippines Food review right now. (yeah) They kind of laughed they
were like "what do you mean this is Italian"... ?
They wrapped this in this nice package, look at this. It's very fancy, look at that. I almost
didn't even want to open it, but...
They were blow torching the s'mores ones and...
Yeah, they're pumping these to order like
the freshly filled to order cannoli, that's a good sign always.
Yep, they may not know exactly where it's from, but I'm sure these are gonna be pretty delicious!
Actually this is a legit cannoli, like as a New Yorker like, who's had some of the
best in Brooklyn and Queens... This is real good cannoli right here (wow). Pistachio, the
shell, it's got that little cinnamony taste, it's really crunchy, it's delicious.
And he is legitimate foodie here. So if he's saying it, it's got to be true.
I'm shocked, how good this is, you're gonna like it. (okay)
Um, there's legit pistachios in here!
Yeah and it's a hard, it's a hard shell so it's like...
That's good.
The cream is spot on too. They didn't try to like fake it.
I know who I (red horse!) want to take me home...
This is the closing time.
That's the alarm
The entrance is now closed to
the market and we have to leave too I think. (Time to go!)
(Soon) A little bit, (soon) in a few hours.
All right, so we came to a bar, Gökçe is trying fried fishkins for the very first time.
So they literally just take the fish skin and fry it? (mmhm) This is the most caloric thing ever!
Ooh, its a little spicy actually (yeah, it's awesome)
It's hard to bite in, I don't think this is my type of chips, to eat.
Its cool, but yeah not a huge fan I'm not gonna lie.
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(Together) The one that got away, whoa, whoa whoa, whoa.
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See you guys later, enjoy Bohol!