First stop on our recent trip to Cebu, we tried SAILS, the all-day dining restaurant of Movenpick. A place that serves contemporary comfort food with a mix of specialties that’s built on international flavors. We just had a quick lunch here, a sampling of the hotel’s food gives me a good impression right off the bat, simple and well executed.
I was in the mood with something that’s a bit gamy at that time so I tried this; Braised Lamb Shank sitting in a lovely combination of edamame and rosemary reduction. A nice touch of richness that cuts through the gaminess of the meat.
BRAISED LAMB SHANK (P980) – New Zealand lamb, olive oil whipped mash potato, edamame, rosemary reduction.
I cut through the meat almost effortlessly, slow cooked to achieve this tenderness, a rich flavor from the sauce base that permeate down to the last strand. The rich taste was then cut by the pieces of edamame, not only giving you a burst of other texture, a layer of graininess and contrast of flavor.
SRIRACHI BUTTERED PRAWNS (P340) – garlic, lemon zest, Thai basil
A nice and simple appetizer dish that packs a nice punch of spice. Stroke of sriracha chili over these lightly battered prawns that gives these sweet and buttery notes, then you hit the zesty bits of lemon and thai basil giving another layer of freshness to the palate giving it a nice relief from the spice.
SWISS ROSTI (P700) – sliced country ham, tomato, fried egg, swiss cheese.
But the biggest surprise from our lunch was their Swiss Rosti, a base of light and flaky potato bits yielding a more gewy, soft center then you hit the yolk of the egg and all that creamy goodness envelopes everything; the savory ham bits, and the generous layer of swiss cheese that makes this dish divine.
For the sweet endings we also tried a few items from their menu.
CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE (P280) – warm chocolate center, whipped cream
Yes, another lava cake, so sorry but I just can’t help it. Whenever it’s on the menu, most often than not, I give in to my addiction to its warm, rich, gooey chocolate center bursting with flavor. With the texture of the cake varying from slightly toasted edges to really moist and gooey center as you bite into it. Then you get a spoonful of the vanilla ice cream topping for that sweet relief, a subtly sweet and cold contrast to the warm and rich pastry.
When in Movenpick Mactan, don’t pass on their signature ice cream, this is something that they do oh so well. A variety of flavors skillfully crafted, rich taste that’s all natural, easily some of the best ice cream I had.
My personal favorite was their Espresso Coquant. A wonderful ice cream variant of unapologetic coffee flavor with just the faint bit of sweetness to it. Then you hit these coarse nibs that gives you an explosion of bold flavor and interesting texture. Finish it with a piece of their signature sweet chocolate and you have your perfect way to cap the meal.
I’ll be posting about my adventures in Movenpick Hotel and Spa everyday until the weekends. stay tuned for the good food finds and I have an awesome treat for you guys next week! 😉
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SAILS – Movenpick Hotel
Moevenpick Hotel – Mactan Island Cebu,
Punta Engano, Cebu, 6015
Mactan, Lapu-Lapu, Philippines
Movenpick Hotel and Spa Cebu on Facebook