If it's your first time at Manggahan, one amazing thing to do is cooking your own food yakiniku style. Their table is equipped with a grill on the center so you can cook your own barbecue. Just like the Japanese yakiniku, which means "grilled meat", diners can grill their own food the way they like it. You don't even have to worry about smelling like smoked ham, the tables are equipped with a mechanism that vacuums the smoke. The idea is simply ingenious!
Aside from street style barbecue, Manggahan also offers a variety of Filipino favorites such as pochero, pinakbet, sinugba, and hito (catfish). They even have crocodile sisig!
Although the sizzling pochero's serving was disheartening, the taste was fantastic. It was soft and creamy. I even scooped the sauce and topped it on my rice. The deep fried hito was also good. The crocodile sisig tasted just like any other pork sisig. I've tasted crocodile meat before and couldn't appreciate its taste (or blandness), so I guess I'm not a fan of croc meat.
For dessert, we had Turon ni Tatang. Man, this brings back childhood memories. Waiting for the Merienda Lady at 3PM, she arrives bringing her basket of goodies, and I buy one or two turons. Turon ni Tatang betters the classic turon by adding vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup onto it.
Reasonably priced, Manggahan competes with street-side barbecue prices.
Good news for beer lovers, Manggahan offers Beer Below Zero at an affordable price.
And if drinking isn't your thing, enjoy your meal while listening to live music. They have live bands playing every night. Furthermore, with good interiors and a big space (plus the garden area), Manggahan's ambiance is hands down 5 of 5. Best of all, the price is just right. I could eat and drink here without getting my pocket drunk. Bring your friends when you go to Manggahan, it's a great place to hangout.
I've read some complaints about the slow service, but Manggahan addresses them in a commendable way. Props to that!
How to get to Manggahan:
Manggahan30 Wilson St., Apas, Lahug, Cebu City0922 820 3971 / (032) 260 3300Daily 6PM to 3AM
How Manggahan planted a hole on Mustachio's pocket:
Zero! This was a media invite by Manggahan care of Babe for Food. Thanks Manggahan and Justinne! :)