Some people have a thing for chips and salty food. Some people have sweet tooth and prefer to eat chocolate or cake. Some people are ambivores and have alternate cravings. For me, I have a severe case of sweet tooth - be it in the form of candy, ice cream or pastries. As you can tell, one of my favorite things to do every weekend is to scour bakeshops and pastry shops in the neighborhood to get my fix. Lucky for me, I live near the Guildwood area in Scarborough and have easy access to a quaint and lovely café! The Guildwood Tearoom and Café is one of those hidden gems nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood. Just a few metres from the bluffs, you wouldn’t expect a low-key plaza to house such an extraordinary albeit obscure teahouse. How come I've never heard of this place before? Has this been a well-guarded secret by the Guilders all these years? The Guildwood area, after all, is one of the priciest postal codes in Toronto. It's totally understandable that the residents would want to preserve their area and keep away the notorious "hood" reputation that has been infamously associated with the rest of Scarborough. Or quite possibly, the proprietors neither advertised nor promoted on social media. One of the things I love most about this place is how they were able to skillfully mix and match their china! They certainly give off a quaint as opposed to overly stuffy vibe that most high tea places are known for. They also have an excellent menu of savoury quiches and crepes - making it an ideal spot to have brunch with family and friends. The most charming quality about this place is the customer service. As soon as you enter, you're greeted by warm and friendly hosts - making you feel as if you're walking in to your aunt's or grandma's place instead of a café. Unfortunately, the Guildwood Tearoom and Café is only open weekends - Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. So if you're thinking of going for high tea, you might want to call them ahead for reservations.
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So what’s the big deal about Uncle Tetsu’s Cheesecake? I heard the small Japanese bakeshop always has a huge lineup of people waiting to taste their pastries and macha tea. When I had the opportunity to go downtown, I made sure to stop by Bay and Dundas to taste Uncle Tetsu’s cheesecake for myself! True enough, there was a lineup at 2:00 pm. People should still be either at work or school by that time, but there were more than a couple of college kids in the queue. Inside the tiny bakeshop, the management posted a few signs notifying customers of their one cheesecake per person policy! Not sure if this is the best way to operate their business. But to ensure that everyone in line gets to taste their cheesecake, I guess it’s only fair. It might even be an effective word-of-mouth strategy by ensuring that more people get to enjoy their product and consequently spread the word. They always make their cheesecakes fresh. Thus, the wait and the ridiculous lineup that ensues. I got myself one cheesecake for $10 and four madeleines for $7. Was it worth it? I wasn’t able to taste it right away. I took the subway and didn’t taste it until I got home 40 minutes later. When I opened the tiny box, I got a butter knife and sliced myself and my father a piece. It was unbelievably soft and fluffy! Half sponge cake and half soufflé with the undeniable taste of cheesecake. Unlike traditional cheesecakes, Uncle Tetsu's is not overwhelmingly sweet nor cream heavy. And since I’m Filipino, the closest thing that I can compare it to is Goldilocks custard mamon! As for the madeleines — meh! They were good, but they’re really just buttery cupcakes. Besides, nobody goes to Uncle Tetsu’s for their madeleines. It’s all about the cheesecake!
I would certainly be back at Uncle Tetsu’s. But I don’t think it’s totally worth the hype. The best part about a three-week vacation is the ability to live like a local. Not only did I get to visit some of the tourist destinations, I was also able to hang out and go to places Cebuanos frequent every day. Day 15 One of the best places to have drinks and cocktails in Ayala is a bar called The Social. The selling point for me is the airy patio. The downside? It's clearly an expat hub where old white men take their young Filipinas on dates. Day 16 I've heard a lot about Ilaputi in IT Park and decided to give it a try. Based on reviews online, they have the best beef stroganoff! One of my fondest childhood memories is passing by SM mall and wondering what's going on inside the spooky building beside it. Abandoned for years, I'm glad to finally see it turned into Radisson Blu, a 5-star hotel! When at Radisson Blu, guests go to Feria, the hotel's in-house restaurant. My friends and I didn't have the change to check it out. We donned our bikinis and went for a night swim instead! Day 17 Another night of debauchery at Politics bar on Escario. Day 18 If you want to pig out on a budget, go to Parklane Hotel. Their in-house restaurant, Manuel's, offers an excellent lunch buffet for ₽550. A few hours later, I bumped into the eternally glamorous Amparito Lhuillier enjoying her salad at La Vie Parisienne stall in Ayala, one of the many Lhuillier business ventures in Cebu. I finally had Shellac pedicure at Salon de Rose. And before I knew it, I got hungry again and had a light dinner at TGI Friday. Day 19 Another one of those childhood feels at Majestic in SM. Back in the day, Majestic used to be a Sunday afternoon treat by my parents. We would go to the restaurant after mass. Historically, they're known for their sumptuous patatim! Today, it's as mouth-watering as ever. Another go-to in SM is Duty Free shopping if you want to buy pasalubong or souvenirs and random food stuff, like chocolates. Not very cost-efficient as the bundled chocolates are way more expensive than what you would normally pay for in North America or Europe. But still a better option as opposed to carrying them all the way in your luggage. Day 20 It's beach time once again! This time, in Plantation Bay Resort and Spa! My girlfriends and I had the grandest time in this luxurious resort and only paid ₽2,000 per person. How? By getting the Daytripper Adventure Package. This package already includes: lunch and choice of beverage, access to lagoons and swimming pools, wall climbing, bicycle rides, kayaking, foosball, air hockey, table tennis and shower and change room facilities. All for ₽2000? It's totally worth it. All that swimming got us famished. We went back to the city and had dinner at Circa 1900. A heritage house built in the early 20th century, Circa 1900 brings you back to Spanish colonial times in Cebu. Purchased and renovated by a real estate group, they opted to preserve the mansion's classic interior and architecture. A bit on the pricey range, but well worth it on special occasions. The restaurant is the ideal venue for marriage proposals and wedding receptions! Day 21 My last day in Cebu and I scrambled to check all touristy things to do on my list. When in Cebu, you can't miss going to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. Even if you're not one of the faithful, there's much to appreciate in this historical church. I also managed to take a few photos of Magellan's Cross. Encased in wood is supposedly the original cross planted by the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in Cebu. I also bought pasalubong for my family in Toronto - mostly dried mangoes. Now, they have dried mangoes dipped in Belgian chocolate! How about dried mangoes dipped in peanut butter? Now that's a thought! With my glorious vacation coming to an end, I gathered some of my besties for dinner and drinks. First stop: appetizer at Tinderbox. Next stop: dinner at Carnivore Last stop: dessert at Tymad Bistro There are a lot of restaurants, bars or cafés worth a special trip in Cebu. Let me know where they are and I'll be sure to check them out next time.
Well, those were the highlights of my trip to Cebu! Toronto Traipser will be back in...well...Toronto! Haha! See yah! |
AuthorThe Toronto Traipser aims to explore the vibrant city by indulging in its many sights, sounds and flavours. Archives
July 2016
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