Top Picks at Bayleaf Hotel

Recently work brought me back to Bayleaf Hotel in historic Intramuros. For my previous posts, you can go here, here, and here.

The most memorable item I associate with the hotel's 9 Spoons Restaurant is their pritchon.

For this visit they tinkered with the filling--the lechon bits are heftier, with the skin crunchier. This was a hit with me and my colleagues.

9 Spoons

9th Floor The Bayleaf Hotel

The hotel's newest dining outlet is the Rafaelle Woodfired Pizza Restaurant. I was smitten with

the Gamberetti, made of white shrimps, preserved lemons, garlic, chili, and almonds. Best consumed while still warm, it was garlicky and seductive. 

For dessert I had Dolci Al Cioccolato--warm chocolate cake with vanilla cream.

This reminded me of choco lava cake. Dig in while warm. The cake itself was mild, with the parts touching the hot plate tasting richer and darker. The cream makes the dish brighter. I finished the plate clean.

Rafaelle Woodfired Pizza Restaurant

Third Floor The Bayleaf Hotel

I now have a new favorite from the hotel's Cioccolata Churros Cafe--the brownies.

It was crunchy on the outside and moist inside. It was subtly sweet, and generous with almond slivers. No need for cream or caramel drizzle, as long as it is served warm. 

I should also add that the Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato (BLT) Sandwich was also good--they didn't stint on the bacon, which was fried crisp. Unfortuntaely, I have no picture to show, and so a future visit is in order. 

Cioccolata Churros Cafe

Ground Floor The Bayleaf Hotel

If you're considering holding a function in the hotel, opt for homegrown snacks. Their fried lumpia, sapin-sapin and suman sa latik are so good. 

The Bayleaf Hotel

Muralla corner Victoria Streets

Intramuros, Manila

(+63) 02 318-5000; (+63) 02 328-3170

Cebu's Zubochon for Boneless Lechon, Monggo, and Sizzling Squid

This year, as of this writing, I've been to Cebu three times. From my perspective this is good, since I get to check out restaurants multiple times and see if the good ones perform consistently. I've been to Zubochon before at their Escario branch, and left smitten. I made a mental note to try their boneless lechon. A month later I was in the island again, and this time at their Mango Avenue branch we ordered the Bonless Zubochon. It was  perfect with the salty, garlicky rice--the latter cutting through the rich roasted pork. It was good even without any sauce. I love the crunchy skin and the lean, moist meat. So what was better, the original of the boneless Zubochon? I'm partial to the original. I love the more pronounced herbs in the former, and there's something about being cooked with bones intact that adds a distinctive flavor.

For roughage, we also ordered the Monggo with Zubochon. What I love about it is the rather unusual addition of gata (coconut cream).

Zubochon's garlic rice was stellar

I think we ordered too many items because by the time I got to sampling the Sizzling Squid Stuffed with Zubochon Sisisg, I myself was already stuffed. I love this dish because, apart from the filling, the squid was creamy and so melts-in-your-mouth soft.

Next month I'll be in Cebu. I think I'll have a hard time not paying Zubcohon another visit.

Zubochon
One Mango Avenue Bldg.
Gen. Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City
(+63) 032 239 5697