By Allain Dumon Fonte
Tsim Sha Tsui is Cebu City’s world-renowned Chinese cuisine restaurant. In this segment of Zee’s Pick for the Week, be amazed with Tsim Sha Tsui’s self-heating Dimsum Hotbox!
With Mr. Universe Tourism, Erik Lennart Visser, come and try this one-of-a-kind dining experience!
At Tsim Sha Tsui, your food is always beyond expectations!
Video Credits: Gianne Paolo Anciano
]]>By Allain Dumon Fonte
Photos by: Ephraim Basbas
The doughnut is a universal treat that everyone enjoys; they come in different shapes and are called by different names all over the world. In Mexico, they are called churros, beavertail in Canada, pets de nonnes in France, and the Germans call them berliner pfannkuchen; but they are all the same…fried dough. The oldest known fried dough is the Dutch olykoeks or in English “oily cakes”; but my favourite fried dough is found in Xiamen, China and they are called Youtiao. Although the youtiao is very similar to Peru’s picaronnes, the youtiao has a distinct softness and an unforgettable taste.
Of all the many shapes, names, and sizes of doughnuts, the modern-day doughnut is probably the most popular of all – the circular fried dough with a hole in the middle. Even though the mode of preparation is the same with all types of doughnuts, the coating and dips make the modern-day doughnut look colorfully charming and enticing. I have tried a lot of modern-day doughnuts from the sweetest chocolate-filled doughnuts to the most adventurous wasabi-flavoured doughnut; however, nothings beats the Brits when it comes to making them.
From London to Manchester, the modern-day doughnuts in England never failed to amaze me. My top choices are Crosstown Doughnuts in London, the Doughnut Kitchen in York, and the Manchester Doughnut Company. But because of travel restrictions, I have been missing my favourite doughnuts. The closest English-style doughnut I can get in Cebu is the Krispy Kreme. Not until I discovered BRICK LANE Doughnuts!
Brick Lane doughnuts are heaven in my mouth. The dough is perfectly soft, and the variety of flavours are more than enough for a doughnut-lover to choose. My personal favourite is the ube¬¬-filled doughnut; and I fear that 2 ube-filled doughnuts are not enough to satisfy my cravings. Brick Lane doughnuts have two cozy shops in Cebu; one is at the AXIS on Escario Street, and the other shop is at OAKRIDGE Pavillion on A.S. Fortuna Street. I guess I do not need to fly back to England sooner and visit my favourite doughnut shops. Brick Lane doughnuts have brought London to Cebu!
CEO of Brick Lane Doughnuts, Allen Andre Suarez, spent some time in London learning how to perfect these delightful London-style doughnuts.
Doughnut lovers gather and enjoy the specially-crafted Brick Lane doughnuts.
Choose one or choose all! From Choco Pops to John Lemon, every flavour is a must try.
Brick Lane Doughnuts at the Oakridge Pavillon on A.S.Fortuna Street.
By Allain Dumon Fonte
If I am to choose between “sex or chocolate”, the obvious choice is chocolate. Who would choose sex over chocolate? Everybody loves chocolate! Thanks to Dr. James Baker who discovered how to grind cocoa beans in 1764. This started the chocolate revolution. Now, chocolates have evolved from drinks to cakes.
The Baker Chocolate Company history book by author Anthony M. Sammarco
Speaking of chocolate cakes, my friends know how I love them and how picky I am with chocolate cakes. I want them smooth and silky to just slip from my lips to tongue and down to the throat. They must be sweet enough to tickle my taste buds but not too sweet to hurt my tonsils. I also like my chocolate cake to be soft and tender that they melt in my mouth. Most of all, I want my chocolate cake to be very moist.
It is quite challenging to find the perfect chocolate moist cake. In my pre-pandemic travels, The Le Don Bock in Rue Dancourt in Paris has a chocolate moist cake that brings happy thoughts in every bite. During the lockdown, I craved for Le Don Bock’s chocolate cake; until I found a chocolate moist cake in Cebu that satisfied my cravings. It has ticked every criterion in what I am looking for in a perfect chocolate cake, and it is Beanleaf Coffee and Tea’s chocolate moist cake.
Beanleaf Coffee and Tea’s staff slicing the café’s renowned chocolate moist cake.
Beanleaf Coffee and Tea’s chocolate moist cake is a must try if you are in Cebu City. From the taste to the softness, and to the silkiness, Beanleaf Coffee and Tea’s chocolate moist cake will surely raise the bar higher on chocolate cakes.
Photos by: Ephraim Basbas
A slice of Beanleaf Coffee and Tea’s chocolate moist cake
Beanleaf Coffee and Tea’s chocolate moist cake with heart designs
Beanleaf Coffee and Tea’s a-must-try cakes in different flavors: (clockwise from left: blueberry cheesecake, chocolate moist cake, mango cheesecake, chocolate moist cake, and red velvet cake)
Travel guide Mayan Benedicto (Photo by thehumanizer)
MOLAVE MILK STATION
Every time I drive down south, I love making a stop at the Molave Milk Station in Barili. It’s a little tricky to find, but when you get to the town, look for a cow farm on the right side of the road. The Milk Station is right by a curve turning left. I always have to get a few cones of their ice cream! It’s soft ice cream made from fresh cow milk, so it’s definitely mouthwatering. They also sell items like barquillos.
Mayan with a friend at the Molave Milk Station (Photo from Mayan Benedicto/Originally published in Zee Lifestyle, May 2014)
BAKHAW BEACH
There is a secluded beach in Camotes Island called Bakhaw Beach. It. Is. Just. Breathtaking! Most people go to Santiago Beach, but I find this beach more attractive because it’s not surrounded by any resorts or restaurants. If you plan on doing a beach/camping trip, this is your spot. Pitch in your tent and soak up in the sun!
Bakhaw Beach (Photo by Mayan Benedicto/Originally published in Zee Lifestyle, May 2014)
OSMEÑA PEAK
Osmeña Peak in Mantalongon, Dalaguete is popular among climbers. I’m no climber, yet I still love going back there. The hike awaiting you from the Mantalongon market up to the peak is full of breathtaking views, overlooking the vegetable farms. And the best part is when you reach the peak – what a majestic view! It never gets old. You can also camp there overnight. No fees. I warn you, though, it can get really cold!
Mayan at Osmeña Peak (Photo by Ma. May Saludsod/Originally published in Zee Lifestyle, May 2014)
Edited from ‘Locales’, originally published in Zee Lifestyle Directory Vol. 5 No. 4 May 2014. Like the Zee Lifestyle Directory on Facebook.
]]>Tacloban Prevails by Costa Rican designer, Bernardo Urbina, is a furniture line with a uniquely noble concept using debris the artist found in Tacloban after the devastation brought by Typhoon Haiyan. He buys scrap materials from the locals whom he then hires for the initial building process, and together, they transform these materials into furniture with soul, infused with a history of courage and resilience. Each piece sold in the exhibit will give back 10% of its profits to the people of Tacloban to continue to rebuild their homes and lives.
This out of the ordinary display will run until September 6. See poster below for details.
