Tsay Cheng (Grand Convention Center)

The Grand Convention Center is one dining destination that is independent and not part of a mall. It houses 3 restaurants namely: Tsay Cheng, Grand Majestic, and Seafood City - thereby giving a wider range of choices to its customers, although they are focused mostly on the Chinese cuisine.

It is indeed grand, as can be seen below. Just recently it has undergone renovations, and when it opened back, came back with 3 restaurants.

It is located along Archbishop Reyes Ave. (Banilad), a 5 minute drive from Ayala Center Cebu. It is easy to find because it has a huge signboard that can be easily seen from the road... here shown below.

After the renovation, they have moved the entrance to the side (shown here below)...

A spacious parking area is provided for their customers... so there is no need to worry where to park. Unless the complex is unusually full.

Entrance 

View of the car park from the lobby

Straight from the entrance door is Tsay Cheng 

To the left of Tsay Cheng is Seafood City

To the right of Tsay Cheng is Grand Majestic

Tsay Cheng has an elegant interior and nice furnishings. Ambiance is fine dining. If you want to host a dinner or lunch for a group of people, you can choose the tables below. Curtains can be drawn to separate your table from the other tables.

The next 2 photos below show the common area. We found our way here, and observed some of the tables can be arranged for smaller groups, like 2 or 4 persons...

If you want exclusivity, you can choose one of the rooms here below, which has a capacity of about 24 persons. Doors can be closed to provide privacy. However this is available for a set menu with a minimum worth of 8,000 Php.

The food is a bit on the pricey side, as expected for fine dining. But the portions are big, and quite tasteful. I fell for the place that I began dreaming and thinking of hosting a dinner here one of these days...

I investigated the other restaurants to check what they offer, and found that unlike Tsay Cheng which is A la Carte, Grand Majestic offers Buffet. in Seafood City, you get to choose live fresh crabs, prawns, lobsters, fishes, from a huge water tank, and have them cooked. Hmmm... another 2 dining destinations on the list. Will try them one of these days...

Harbour City Dimsum House

No matter how many new restaurants mushroomed all over Cebu City, dimsum-house Harbour City is still considered one of the favorites. Reasons: First, it is inexpensive! Second, because one does not need to line up to order like other popular fast foods, or wait to be served (like traditional restaurants). One just need to find a table (a tricky part during lunch or dinner time because the restaurant is usually full), and wait for the food trolley to come! 

Facade of Harbour City in Ayala Center Cebu

View of the interior of the restaurant

Man in red Chinese costume drives the Siomai trolley

Sweet and Sour Pork, Spring Rolls, and Dumplings...

Dumplings

Ginger sauce, chili sauce, sweet and sour sauce...

Steamed Pot Rice

What I don't like about the Harbour City today is the interior design of their restaurant and the lighting. They used to have seats with intricate Chinese design which looked to me like some Chinese Wedding Bed. Interesting. But alas! the new management took everything away and changed the chairs to boring benches. The look inside the restaurant is sooo boring, if not for the food, I don't think people will give it a second look! If Management really wanted to modernize the look of their restaurant, they should have invested on new lighting design, nice paint colors, and interesting furniture pieces. But perhaps that is how they wanted to be perceived by the customers, some place inexpensive!

Tao Yuan Seafood Restaurant (Cebu)

Now let's get back to Tao Yuan Seafood Restaurant at the second level of J Mall. It was very easy to find it. Near the entrance across the supermarket, there is an elevator...

Taking the nice elevator to the restaurant

Glass Doors / Entrance to Tao Yuan

It is spacious inside and has a very nice interior design. Reminds me of some old popular Chinese restaurants in Cebu like, the now defunct White Gold Restaurant, and the old Majestic in the Grand Convention Center...

 

We were served first with Jasmine Tea in a white teapot, and some peanuts. I fell in love with the Jasmine tea because it smells soooo nice and tasted very light....

From hot to cold... hahaha... I did not know we will be served first with hot Jasmine Tea, so I ordered a cooler - Mango Shake. 

It was service deluxe! We felt like some kind of royalty with servers fawning all over us, even if our orders were just spring rolls, steamed rice, siomai, and lomi. Wow! hahaha... We wondered if this will still be the same service even when the restaurant is full with a lot of customers? At that time, there were only three tables waiting to be served. Later however, more and more people started trickling in...

Crabstick Spring Rolls

Siomai

Their version of Steamed Rice

Yummy Lomi

We thought the lunch we ordered was just enough. We did not want a lot. But the Lomi and the Steamed Rice were more than enough for two. We had to bring home the extra that were left. 

I have read rave reviews, but honestly the spring rolls were just about the same as in my other favorite Chinese Dimsum restaurants. Even the steamed rice did not impress me so much. But I was very happy with my lomi. Beats ChowKing a hundred miles. Of course, this one is not fast food. I get to realize that maybe we did not order their finest, that is why I missed the raves. Again I wouldn't want to make a conclusion based on some few trials. I will be happy giving this Tao Yuan another try.

Tao Yuan Seafood Restaurant

2nd level, J Centre Mall, A.S. Fortuna St.
Mandaue City
(032) 266 0505

Big Mao Ayala Center Cebu

I've always wanted to blog about the foodie trips we made, but  somehow I will always forget the camera.  Then one Sunday,  we were able to bring the cam by chance.  So let's go and taste Big Mao's offering...

The Wall of Big Mao... hmmm interesting decor

It was warm and sunny, and the pitcher of juice was so tempting... but funny because it was the fork and spoon that got the center of the camera's attention

Couldn't wait for the Pancit Molo to cool down... Gotta eat it piping hot...

Fried Rice is a favorite even at home... I add Chinese Chorizo to mine because it has a distinct aroma.  And perhaps some bits and pieces of ham.

This is their Dimsum sampler...