I’ve spent half of my life in the glimmer of Cebu City’s uptown. I’ve witnessed how it evolved from clubs and bars up to the food hub that it is right now. But despite spending over a decade in this part of the city, there are still many places that I haven’t been to – just like Casa Verde Cebu.
Casa Verde is a literal Spanish influenced “green ancestral house” of the family owning the now the American casual dining restaurant. It was founded in Cebu City in 2002 and has now branched out to Cebu IT Park, Ayala Center Cebu, and UP Town Center. That night, while we were once again debating where to eat dinner, one of my colleagues suggested that we visit Casa Verde. Having no one to counter such suggestion, we then decided to take a short walk going to the restaurant.
As it was dinnertime, there was an expected long queue among diners. The parking lot is also quite full and the waiting time for the food to be served was longer. But well, we all know the time needed to prepare for quality kind of food – that when we want an entrée, we have to learn to wait. And so instead of complaining, we took the time to enjoy each other’s company, to get updated with each other’s lives beyond the borders of work. The cozy ambiance of Casa Verde invited each one to share how they are with their lives and the struggles we don’t usually hear from each other – struggles long buried because of the crazy working schedules and tantamount workloads to accomplish; inner struggles that nonetheless need to be heard.
We were initially assigned to a table inside the restaurant. However, upon seeing the empty seats in the garden area, we requested to be transferred. The food attendants were quite responsive unlike their exhausted and hostile receiver. Yeah, work is tough. The garden area was spacious and totally provided the chill that we wanted that night. It allowed us to chat and discuss personal matters that we somehow managed to cover up with smiles, laughs, and endless charades of stress and ‘adulting’ at work.
It’s been three years since we forged this group that we fondly call Kamote Club. Three years of friendship yet here we are… still strangers to each other; the same way Casa Verde is a stranger despite spending so many years in the area. You see, sometimes we have to spare some few moments to get to know more about our friends, to discover old and new places, to look around us and see how others are keeping up with this sense of immediacy that our society has brought upon us. Adulting is difficult. But it is bearable as long as you have people who share the same sentiments as you, as long as you have people who will listen to you, as long as you find time to talk things out. Or eat things out. I hope you find your own set of Kamote Club. I hope you find your own Casa Verde.
How’s life lately? Still on trails or caught up with work already? Let’s hear out each other on Facebook and Instagram? Fighting!
What you have to know about Casa Verde:
- Casa Verde is located at 69 Liam Tian Teng, Cebu City. You may maximize the use of Google Map or Waze upon checking the place. Easiest landmark is Velez Hospital, from there you’ll get your way to this cozy restaurant.
- If you are in a group of 5 to 7, Casa Verde Platter is highly recommended and worth the budget. We actually computed our total expenditure on buffets versus the platter, and guess what, we only spent P240 per head. (We even have extra food on the table after). Way cheaper than the P300 – P800 all-you-can-eat restaurants. HAHA.
- Casa Verde Platter is made up of the restaurant’s renowned Brian’s Ribs (a tender and juicy marinated meat glazed with honey), Roasted Chicken, and Battered Fried Fish Fillet with tartar sauce. It also comes with a platter of rice (good for seven), Panama orange juice, fries and corn and carrots. We just added Buffalo wings because… you know… for the love of chicken. HAHA.
PS. This is not a sponsored post. Everything written is based on the experience of the author.
Other food hubs you must visit around Cebu:
Dakilanglaagan 