November Bites

New and renewed is the theme for the month. First up, the city’s only premiere dance club, Vudu reopened its doors with a new look and with a new attitude. Certified partyphiles rejoiced on the news and flocked to the Crossroads in Banilad to catch a glimpse and experience the modified space. The main dance floor is reconfigured with little private nooks and its Prive Lounge is embellished with artistic expressions of aspiring interior designer Kaz Onizawa. “The new space is grand and random,” he describes. “Which pretty much describes the Cebu lifestyle,” he quipped.

Of course, Vudu will never be without that intoxicating atmosphere induced by electrifying beats, lights and the company of beautiful people who know how to party. Cheers for another era of clubbing!

Even before its launch last December 15, Ayala Center’s The Terraces is already getting rave reviews for its total transformation. The sprawling space collects some of the country’s renowned restaurants in one venue. Just recently, America’s most recognizable brand in casual dining TGI Friday’s opened doors to diners. On its test-run, two days before its scheduled opening, I, along with friends in the media, got to taste firsthand the Friday’s experience. Though the reception and conditions of our dining was a PR nightmare (the organizer should have scheduled a regular operations day for media guests), the food certainly made up for it. Of course, we had a dose of dining fun that only Friday’s could provide. And, check this out, the resto’s music dates back from the vinyl days to the roaring 80s! Monina Blanco and I just couldn’t hide our amusement while binging on that famous Friday’s Mocca Mud Pie.

Finally, Cebu gets another taste of authentic Thai cuisine as Siam welcomed diners on November 14. It was a double occasion that day as young proprietor Anthony Ballreich celebrated his birthday. Yes, it’s the same family that brought us Krua Thai, treating us with the best gastronomic fares from the country set in a modern and plush dining. Sawadeekap!