Beyond fresh

The city life absolutely creates a longing for blissful pursuits in comfort. Needless to say, there’s an urge for pleasure and total indulgence whenever one gets soaked in the routinary urban existence. Cebuanos are fortunate to be surrounded with luring hideaways and new gastronomic nooks, perfect for thrilling discoveries that blesses the soul and body.

The spellbinding island living is what urban creatures look forward to. The tropical breeze and the laidback atmosphere spell paradise to a hungry soul…while the palate treat completes the luxurious experience having been trapped in a charming and perfect place to dine beyond fresh.

Fact: Cebuanos love to eat. One proof to this is – try strolling down Salinas Drive in Lahug and A.S. Fortuna, you will notice a number of restos and snack bars that lures food trippers no end. Specialty restaurants are sprouting here and there, not only in the quest for business but also in providing dining alternatives. Due to the influx of tourists and the return of the OFWs in the country, there’s a greater demand for restaurateurs who focus on Filipino cuisine to enhance and maintain their vision in providing authentic Filipino dining experience.

Seafood has become one  Pinoy favorite, and when we mean Pinoy fare, seafood is on the top of the list. This is due to the fact that the Philippines is endowed with marine and aquatic resources. The Cove, located in a lush 5-hectare tropical paradise of pure intimate pleasure, is Cebu’s newest place to indulge in the freshest sea bounty. One can directly choose seafood and shellfish varieties from sea water aquariums and prepared to diners’ liking.

The Cove Live Seafood Restaurant , formerly The Sunset Cove, at Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort, overlooks the Alegrado Island, home to charming coconut trees, and also provides a fantastic view of the open sea with bancas and yachts gracefully passing by. While devouring their house-specialty – the Steamed Lapulapu with Ginger and Soya Sauce – the embrace of cool breeze will bring to mind the embraces of loved ones or a significant other back home. Tourists who are exposed mostly to skyscrapers will definitely deem this as paradise. Consider each dish as comfort food. A gulp of the White Clam Soup is a start of a satisfying gastronomic adventure. Grilled Oysters and Scallops with Garlic Butter Sauce will tickle taste buds with each bite, making diners crave for more.

The Mixed Seaweed Salad is a reminder of those lato and guso Mom bought in the “taboan” of our province. Above all else, I highly recommend Grilled Prawns with Garlic Butter Sauce and the Steamed Crab with Chili Sauce. Heaven! Not only that, The Cove also has a roster of produce, like crustaceans – ocean lobster, mud crab; fish such as Pugapo, Managat, the exotic eel; and mollusks like island conch. Diners are given the freedom to chose what kind of seafood preparation they prefer – grilled, steamed, fried, or raw – served in a la carte style. Tourists are thrilled with the exotic taste of each dish. Partaking of live seafood fare will complete their Philippine sojourn. Moreover, an Oyster Bar also greets guests upon entering the resto, rolling out the best oysters in town.

Maribago Bluewater Resort General Manager Rhyz O. Buac disclosed in an interview that they purchase fresh and live stocks from focal seafood destinations in the country. Huge lobsters are shipped from Palawan and Surigao; crabs from Bohol and Surigao; oysters also from Bohol; while the scallops and fish are from the neighboring islands of the province.

Property owners acquired the expertise of chef Jose Miguel Lontoc, of Spanish and Filipino lineage, as executive chef who oversees kitchen operations, using the freshest of ingredients. On the other hand, interior designer Benjie Reyes enveloped the ceiling with rattan sticks to flaunt a more Filipino atmosphere. A huge 18-year-old shell chandelier will also fascinate the diners by the sound it produces whenever the wind strikes. The Cove, which is set to officially open its doors to patrons on October 20, will seat 100 patrons offering true Filipino tradition.  

The Cove beckons you to dine beyond fresh.